EMAS – Environmental management

Benefits of environmental verification

EMAS (Eco-Management and Audit Scheme) certification is a tool for excellence in environmental management. The main benefits of EMAS certification for environmental management are:

Cost savings and risk reduction
Implementing an EMAS-verified environmental management system leads to cost savings in the medium and long term, thanks to the optimisation of resources and risk management aimed at reducing accidents and environmental non-compliance.
EMAS verification is an internationally recognised certification that strengthens a company’s reputation, improves relations with stakeholders and increases the chances of attracting new customers, as well as securing public funding and grants for sustainability or social responsibility projects.

The EMAS Regulation promotes the integration of environmental management into corporate strategy, the business plan and environmental indicators within the balanced scorecard. It encourages internal communication, staff training, the use of indicators, management review and the Environmental Statement, thereby improving efficiency, transparency and social responsibility.

EMAS certification can be integrated with the most common certifications, such as the ISO 9001 quality certificate, the ISO 14001 environmental management certificate, the ISO 45001 occupational health and safety certificate, the ISO 50001 energy efficiency certificate or the Ecovadis sustainability certificate.

EMAS certification promotes staff’s active involvement in achieving environmental objectives. This commitment to CSR fosters environmental awareness and strengthens an organisational culture focused on sustainability and continuous improvement.

Requirements of the EMAS Regulation

To verify environmental management in accordance with the EMAS Regulation, we highlight the following requirements:

  • Environmental policy. We highlight the following verified requirements of the environmental policy within the environmental management system:
    • It must be appropriate to the nature, scale and environmental impacts of the activities, products and services verified by EMAS.
    • It must include a commitment to the continuous improvement of environmental performance and the prevention of pollution.
    • Establish a framework for approving and reviewing environmental objectives and targets, included in the verified management system.
    • Communicate and disseminate the policy to all employees and stakeholders.
    • Clear environmental objectives, based on the environmental policy.
  • Regular EMAS environmental audits to ensure that the environmental management system complies with the EMAS Regulation. The audit report must state whether the system remains effective and efficient. Internal audits may be outsourced to EmasConsultors.
  • Environmental Statement. The EMAS Regulation requires a clear statement on environmental management. The system’s Environmental Statement must include: 
    • A summary of the activities, products and services covered by the management system.
    • Environmental policy and a description of the verified management system.
    • A description of significant environmental aspects.
    • A description of environmental objectives and targets.
    • A summary of environmental performance: emissions, discharges, waste generation, consumption of raw materials, energy and water, noise, etc.
    • Performance in relation to environmental requirements identified through the verified environmental management system.
    • Accreditation of the EMAS verifier of the environmental management system.

The requirements for EMAS verification are set out in Regulation 1221/2009 ‘Community eco-management and audit scheme’. It can be integrated into an ISO 9001 quality certificate, ISO 14001, ISO 50001 for energy efficiency and ISO 45001, amongst others.

EMAS verification FAQs

Steps to achieving EMAS registration

As EMAS consultants, we support you every step of the way to achieve and maintain EMAS (Eco-Management and Audit Scheme) verification:

  • Commitment and planning. This involves management commitment, the appointment of an EMAS manager and project planning.
  • Initial environmental review. A detailed assessment of the company’s current environmental situation, identifying significant environmental aspects and applicable legal requirements. This serves as the basis for implementing the environmental management system in accordance with the EMAS Regulation.
  • Implementation of the Environmental Management System (EMS). This involves establishing environmental policy, objectives, targets and indicators. The procedures required by the EMAS Regulation are documented. The system must comply with the requirements of ISO 14001 and the additional EMAS requirements (such as transparency and external communication). The requirements of ISO 14031 for the evaluation of environmental performance using indicators and ISO 14063 for environmental communication may be taken into account.
  • A comprehensive internal EMAS audit of both the management system and the Environmental Statement. This verifies its effectiveness and compliance with legal and EMAS requirements. Audit reports and corrective action plans are drawn up where necessary. 
  • EMAS Environmental Statement. The EMAS Environmental Statement is drafted; this is a public document containing all the information required by EMAS. It will be validated by the verifier.
  • EMAS verification by an accredited environmental verifier. The EMAS verifier confirms that an organisation’s environmental management system and environmental statement comply with the requirements of the EMAS Regulation 1221/2009. We help you choose the verifier that offers you the greatest value.
  • EMAS registration. Once the statement has been verified, the documentation is submitted for registration with EMAS and you receive a registration number.
  • Maintenance and continuous improvement. With our ISO outsourcing service, we help you keep the system up to date, review your objectives, carry out the internal EMAS audit, update the Environmental Statement annually, and conduct the verifier’s follow-up audit.

The EMAS verification requirements not covered by the ISO 14001 standard are:

  • A commitment to adopt ‘best available techniques’ from an environmental policy perspective.
  • Assessment and recording of environmental impacts within the framework of the environmental management system in accordance with EMAS requirements.
  • Environmental objectives and targets must ensure improvements in environmental performance.
  • It recommends the use of comprehensible and unambiguous indicators that allow for “year-on-year comparison and comparison with applicable legal requirements”.
  • Applying policies and procedures to subcontractors working on the premises, in accordance with the requirements of ISO 22400 on sustainable procurement.
  • A public and accessible Environmental Statement, in which the organisation publicly discloses its environmental actions and results, as well as the efforts it is making to minimise its potential environmental impact.
  • Mandatory annual validation of the “Environmental Statement” by an EMAS-accredited verifier.

The main verifiers of EMAS environmental management and audit systems, authorised to audit EMAS certification, are:

  • TÜV Rheinland Iberica Inspection.
  • Bureau Veritas Iberia.
  • SGS International Certification Services Iberica
  • OCA Global – OCA Certification Institute
  • LRQA – Lloyd’s Register Quality
  • APCER – Portuguese Certification Association
  • DNV Business Assurance Spain
  • Applus – LGAI Technological Center

Only environmental verifiers accredited by competent bodies may carry out EMAS verification. They assess regulatory compliance, the accuracy of environmental data and the effectiveness of the management system in place.

The three main costs of EMAS certification are:

  • The cost of EMAS consultancy to help you design and implement the requirements for an EMAS verification. If you contact us, we will provide you with a quote tailored to your needs. We are the EMAS consultancy you should choose.
  • The cost of any changes or investments required as a result of the environmental permit, legal compliance or the environmental verification itself. These are more closely linked to the environmental licence.
  • The cost of the EMAS environmental verification. Fees are set by each environmental verifier, but the cost is related to the size and complexity of the organisation. We help you choose the environmental verifier that offers you the most value.
  • The cost of your own staff dedicated to implementing and maintaining the environmental management system.

EMAS certification is fully compatible and can be integrated with other management systems, particularly those based on common frameworks such as Annex SL. The standards that can most easily be integrated are:

  • ISO 14001. Mandatory requirements of EMAS. Consequently, organisations that achieve EMAS verification usually also obtain ISO 14001 certification.
  • ISO 9001: This is the most common standard for a quality management certificate.
  • Ecovadis, in accordance with the Ecovadis corporate sustainability platform based on environmental, social, ethical and sustainable procurement criteria. Recognised with Ecovadis medals.
  • SEDEX SMETA. 2-pillar and 4-pillar SMETA audits.
  • GRI Standards (Global Reporting Initiative): a framework for preparing GRI sustainability reports.
  • IQNet SR10: IQNet SR10 certification in social responsibility.
  • SA8000: a standard focused on working conditions and human rights.
  • GHG Protocol, ISO 14064 and ISO 14067: calculation and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions and carbon footprint.
  • ISO 45001 on occupational health and safety management.
  • ISO 50001 on energy management and efficiency.
  • ENS and ISO 27001 on information security management systems.
  • ISO 22301 on business continuity planning.

This integration with quality management, sustainability and CSR standards improves documentation efficiency and provides a comprehensive view of sustainability.

The entire audit and verification process is strictly governed by the EMAS Regulation (Regulation (EC) No 1221/2009), which sets out the European standards for excellence in environmental management.
Once the external audit has been successfully completed, the competent authority issues the EMAS Certificate. This document certifies that the company is listed in the European Union’s official register of organisations with verified environmental management.

Unlike other schemes, EMAS environmental certification is the highest standard of environmental transparency. It requires the regular publication of a validated Environmental Statement, guaranteeing the accuracy of the data to customers and public authorities.