EMAS VERIFICATION - BUREAU VERITAS

EMAS VERIFICATION BY BUREAU VERITAS CERTIFICATION HELLAS

OBTAIN VERIFICATION THROUGH EMAS

EMAS stands for Eco Management and Audit Scheme and is an environmental management system for companies and other organizations who want to document their responsibility to the environment. EMAS is an ambitious environmental management system for which a company can obtain verification. At the same time, the company with an EMAS verification can obtain EMAS registration.

EMAS has the same system requirements as ISO 14001 plus some additional requirements. In addition, EMAS includes a verification of an annual environmental report.

The requirements for the establishment, verification and validation of the environmental management system according to the EMAS Scheme are set out in Regulation EE 1221/2009.

With an EMAS verification, the company can document that its processes, activities and competences are aimed at minimizing external environmental impacts. EMAS thus requires that the company undertakes to continually improve environmental efforts, comply with relevant environmental laws and regulations and prevent pollution.

To achieve EMAS, companies

  • need to be legally compliant,
  • run an environmental management system including below requirements:
    • Conduct a review of environmental conditions
    • Formulate an environmental policy
    • Plan and set environmental goals, objectives and an action program
    • Guidelines for implementation and operation
    • Control, corrective actions and management review
  • report on their environmental performance through the publication of an independently verified (by a third party like Bureau Veritas Certification Hellas) environmental statement. 

PROCESS STEPS FOR EMAS VERIFICATION

The verification process, involves:

  • submission of the environmental statement to Bureau Veritas Certification Hellas
  • a documentation review which includes the review of the environmental statement
  • a certification audit consisted of:

- Stage I audit
Bureau Veritas evaluates company’s readiness for a stage II audit through an initial assessment of various criteria such as company’s understanding of the requirements, the scope of its management system and its internal audit systems. If the company is already certified against ISO 14001, then this step is skipped.

- Stage II audit
The auditor reviews the established management system and provides a detailed report of findings, including nonconformities, observations and opportunities for improvement where relevant. This stage includes the verification of compliance with the EMAS requirements and verification of the environmental statement.

  • Initial decision: After completion of all necessary audits, Bureau Veritas conducts an impartial review of findings and decides whether or not to proceed with the validation of the environmental statement.  An attestation is issued, in accordance with EMAS regulation template.
  • Submission by the company of the environmental statement to the Authorized Body –Ministry of the Environment, that verifies if the company fulfils the criteria for registration and records the company in the EMAS register.
  • Surveillance audit: updated environmental statement is verified at least annually (every 12 months).
  • A full verification of the environmental statement is conducted at least every 36 months.
  • Special audit – please refer to certification process tab.
  • Suspension, withdrawal cancellation or restoration of the validation – please refer to certification process tab.