ABSTRACT
An Environmental Management System (EMS) is a management tool for understanding, identifying and controlling environmental impacts of a businesses activities, products and services. Many larger businesses have seen benefits from implementing EMSs. These larger businesses have put pressure onto their smaller suppliers to consider similar systems, which for a Small to Medium Sized Enterprise (SME) can prove inappropriate. Major problem areas include a lack of senior level commitment to undertaking such work, a struggle to make all employees aware of the implications of the EMS and resistance to change in working practices. All project participants were asked to complete an initial survey. This initial survey questioned the company’s motivation for participation, levels of knowledge on environmental management issues within the company, location of major clients and what initiatives the company has already undertaken. Phased EMS approaches have therefore been designed with SMEs in mind, and the European Commission recommends these approaches for encouraging uptake of EMS.
