Fact Sheets - Environmental Management System (EMS)

Introduction

What is an EMS?

An Environmental Management System (EMS) is a systematic approach which allows for environmental considerations to be incorporated into routine decisions. It defines the management framework of an environmental programme and provides for the monitoring, evaluation and communication of the environmental programme"s performance.

Why an EMS?

Amendments to the Auditor General Act, federal policies governing sustainable development, and the greening of the government have obliged all federal departments to integrate their Sustainable Development Strategies (SDS) into a well-designed EMS. An EMS enables users to exhibit due diligence in the area of environmental management by identifying the environmental impact of activities and documenting existing programmes designed to minimize these impacts.

Land Force Command EMS

The Land Force Command (LFC) EMS is modeled after the International Standards Organization (ISO) 14 000 series. This model is divided into five (5) elements designed to ensure continuing improvement (see diagram).

These five elements are: environmental policy, planning, implementation, environmental audits and corrective action, and, finally, management review.

Below is a general outline of the LFC EMS framework paper, March 1999:

Environmental Policy

Army senior management has renewed its commitment to the environment on many occasions: it approved the initial Land Force Command Environmental Action Plan in 1992 and revised it in 1995. It also published the Leader"s Guide to the Environment in 1997, and it recently restated its position in the LFC EMS framework paper.

Excerpt from LFC environmental policy:

The mission of Canada"s Army is to generate and maintain combat effective and multi-purpose land forces to achieve the nation"s defence objectives. To accomplish this mission, the military"s main peacetime task is operational training. Its garrisons, firing ranges and training areas are therefore essential resources that must be maintained and preserved.

Planning

Different environmental aspects must be integrated into routine management. A wide range of environmental programmes have been implemented to facilitate this process and achieve the objectives defined in the Department of National Defence"s (DND"s) SDS. Existing environmental programmes within the Army include: sustainable military training, management of potentially contaminated sites, pollution prevention, management of fuel storage tanks, management of hazardous materials, waste management, and conservation of energy and potable water.

Implementation

Human and financial resources must be available if the programme is to be effectively implemented. There are qualified Environmental Officers working in each sector of the army, and a specific budget has been set aside to remedy environmental problems stemming from past activities. Moreover, new Unit Environmental Officers are being trained each year, and there is an ongoing effort to increase awareness. The participation of all DND employees and Canadian Forces (CF) members is essential if the various environmental programmes are to succeed.

Environmental Audits and Corrective Action

An environmental audit programme for Army bases was introduced in 1997. This program involves auditing the environmental management on the bases and at various LFC levels of command, and consequently introducing any needed improvements. These audits also allow for the different bases to exchange information on lessons learned, the degree of success of the various projects, and other topics.

Management Review

An annual review of environmental performance will permit us to evaluate our environmental management, thereby ensuring its effectiveness and allowing for needed improvements to be made to the EMS. In addition, a comprehensive review of the EMS will be conducted every three years.

Conclusion

The introduction of an EMS helps to integrate environmental considerations into the routine management of activities while ensuring that the Army is able to fulfil its mission.

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