The aim of EMAS and ISO 14001 environmental management systems (EMS), is to improve overall environmental performance and ensure that those improvements are continual. An EMS enables an organisation to establish an effective mechanism for managing and controlling its environmental effects.

Establishing and implementing an EMS involves making changes. Some organisations deal with change better than others do. It is advisable for companies to check that they can make the necessary changes to achieve their goal before they start a programme of implementation. Implementation requires the commitment of top management and resources. These resources include human resources, specialised skills, technology and financial resources.

This unit discusses how to plan the implementation of an EMS and how to get commitment from top management for implementation.