Sustainability: Projects
Development of Web-based Environmental Management Systems (EMS)–ISO 14001 Decision Support Tool
Client
US EPA Office of Research and Development
Description
We developed EMS-Plus, a free, publicly available Internet tool designed to help users understand whether their EMSs were oriented toward regulatory compliance and control technologies or oriented toward more comprehensive and pollution prevention. EMS-Plus enabled users to run "what if" scenarios to assess how additional aspects or different types of targets improved the EMS-Plus report. Determining which aspects and targets improved the EMS-Plus report helped users evaluate their EMS's environmental performance.
EMS-Plus was used by many stakeholders to improve environmental management. Private-sector companies used it for self-evaluation, to develop their EMS, and to communicate environmental improvements to stakeholders. Industry groups used the tool to set EMS benchmarks for their industry, and regulatory agencies used EMS-Plus as an adjunct performance measure for projects that promoted EMS implementation.
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