EMS Assessment, Scope, and Policy
Baseline Assessment
The Baseline Assessment involves an Initial Environmental Review (IER) and Gap Analysis (GA). The baseline assessment helps to establish the company's current level of environmental performance by conducting the IER and also helps to identify the "gaps" needed to close to comply with ISO 14001 requirements. The baseline assessment also helps to estimate the cost and manpower that will be involved.
Scope of the EMS
Once the initial baseline assessment is completed, management will decide what the scope of the EMS will be and develop the organization's environmental policy statement. The environmental policy will naturally be based on what is important to the organization in terms of vision and mission.
An early step in the process of developing an EMS is conducting a baseline analysis to establish the organization's current methods for managing environmental concerns.
Next, management will decide on the scope of the EMS and develop the organization's environmental policy statement. The environmental policy will naturally be based on what is important to the organization in terms of vision and mission.
When an organization implements an EMS, it has to make the decision about where the EMS will apply. The scope of the EMS is commonly referred to as the "fenceline." For instance your fenceline might include the following:
- Commuting and Travel
- Corporate Office
- Field Operations
Generally, the scope will be the facility's entire operation. However, for large companies or facilities, a specific production operation, production line, or support activity may have its own EMS. It's also critically important management provides the resources needed for implementation.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
2-1. What is the purpose for conducting a environmental baseline assessment?
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