Setting Environmental Objectives and Targets

Monitoring Environmental Performance
Level 5

Appendix 1
Setting Environmental Targets

Setting Environmental Objectives and Targets

Why do objectives and targets need to be set?

Upon making an assessment of an environmental management system (EMS) or measuring improvements in total environmental performance objectives and targets need to be set within an overall environmental improvement programme, which will be discussed later in Unit 4. Setting of objectives and targets is required when registering under the EC's Regulation 1836/93 Allowing Voluntary Participation by Companies in the Industrial Sector in a Community Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (OJL168 10.7.93) (EMAS). Iso14001 also requires objectives and targets (clause 4.3.3).

Setting objectives and targets is a useful tool for external EMS assessors (ISO 14001) or verifiers (EMAS) establish as to whether or not a company is meeting its own targets.

Setting such objectives and targets also enables the company to reach their goals that they have set out for themselves in their environmental policy.

Look at the policies of IBM and Proctor & Gamble on the following pages, to get a general idea of the types of goals and objectives that companies set themselves.