EMAS consultancy: transparent improvement of environmental performance
From environmental assessment to environmental statement: We support your environmental management and preparation for independent validation and EMAS registration.
Environmental management according to EMAS
EMAS combines environmental management with a publicly available, validated environmental statement. Our EMAS consultancy helps companies and public organisations to identify environmental aspects, assess their environmental performance in a comprehensible way and plan improvements systematically.
Together we structure the environmental management, prepare information and key figures for the environmental statement and support the internal audits. Independent verification and validation shall be carried out by accredited verifiers, after which registration shall be requested from the competent body.
For the establishment of an environmental management system without EMAS registration, find out about our ISO 14001 consulting. The connection with quality, information security or other topics explains our Advice on integrated management systems.
Our EMAS consultancy services
In a free initial consultation, we analyze your environmentally relevant requirements and develop a tailor-made package of measures for the introduction or optimization of your environmental management system according to EMAS.
Our offer:
Establishment or further development of an EMAS compliant environmental management system
Advice on improving environmental performance and drawing up the environmental statement
Training to promote a lived environmental awareness in the company
Monitoring of internal audits and preparation for validation by environmental verifiers
Upon request, we also integrate industry-specific requirements or risk management aspects.
In this way, you create a comprehensible basis for the evaluation and further development of your environmental performance.
Their advantages
Benefit from our cooperation
Security
With a professionally implemented environmental management system (EMS) according to EMAS, you reduce environmental risks sustainably and create clear structures for an efficient use of resources. In this way, you minimize potential dangers for people and nature and lay a solid foundation for a future-proof corporate strategy.
Speed
Thanks to proven methods and standardized processes, we can quickly identify optimization potential in your EMS and implement tailor-made measures. This not only accelerates the introduction, but also ensures a rapid and effective improvement of your environmental performance in the long term.
Customer trust
Consistent and certified environmental management strengthens the trust of your customers in their responsible actions. Transparent and reliable processes form the basis for stable business relationships and give you a competitive advantage in times of increasing environmental requirements.
Integrative approach
We either integrate new specifications or adjustments into your existing systems or provide you with a suitable platform. In this way, all relevant processes are seamlessly and efficiently integrated into your environmental management system – for a sustainable and future-oriented corporate development.
Personal support on site
Unlike many of our competitors, we are personally at your side whenever you need us.
Procedure for EMAS consultancy and implementation of an environmental management system (EMS)
At the beginning, we clarify your activities, locations, environmental aspects and existing management systems. From this we derive together project scope, responsibilities and the next steps.
The EMAS consultancy prepares your company for environmental audits, internal audits and the environmental statement. Subsequent independent validation is carried out by approved environmental verifiers. The roles of consulting, testing and registration remain clearly separated.
1. Setup
We work closely with your management, your environmental management officers and the relevant departments in order to record the current status of your environmental management and to identify potential for improvement. Our goal is to jointly develop an individual environmental management system (EMS) according to the requirements of the EMAS regulation (Eco-Management and Audit Scheme), which additionally takes into account industry-specific characteristics as well as your company goals.
2. Analysis
Our experienced team analyses your existing processes, structures and processes. In doing so, we identify vulnerabilities, assess your environmental impact and check to what extent the requirements of the EMAS Regulation and the underlying ISO 14001 standard have already been met. A detailed environmental review serves as a basis for prioritizing relevant environmental aspects, risks and optimization potential.
3. Concept
Based on the analysis results, we develop a tailor-made concept for the introduction or further development of your environmental management system in accordance with EMAS. This concept describes the organisational, technical and documentary measures to meet all EMAS requirements, including the preparation of an environmental statement. We show you various implementation options so that you can choose the right strategy for your company.
4. Solution
We accompany you in the step-by-step introduction and implementation of an EMAS-compliant environmental management system. This includes, among other things, documenting the relevant processes, implementing environmentally oriented processes, training your employees and creating a validating environmental statement. All measures are individually tailored to your company and geared towards a successful validation by an environmental verifier.
5. Reporting
During implementation, you will receive regular progress reports, status updates and complete documentation of all measures. We pay particular attention to the preparation of your environmental statement, which is made comprehensible, comprehensible and validable. In this way, we ensure that you meet all the requirements of the EMAS Regulation and create transparency towards the public.
6. Advisory services
Even after successful validation, we support you with continuous consultation. We accompany you in the maintenance and further development of your EMAS system, the updating of your environmental statement and the implementation of internal audits. A continuous improvement process (CIP) ensures that your environmental management system remains sustainable and always meets the current legal and organizational requirements. Our consultants are at your side as long-term, strategic partners.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS)
What is EMAS and what is the objective of the system?
EMAS is the voluntary environmental management and audit system of the European Union. It provides organisations with a methodological framework to systematically record their environmental performance, continuously improve it, report transparently and have it audited externally. In this way, EMAS goes beyond mere compliance management: it combines management system logic (Plan-Do-Check-Act), annual performance indicators, legal completeness checks and public accountability in an integrated structure.
On what legal basis is EMAS based?
The central source of law is the Regulation (EC) No 1221/2009 (‘EMAS III’). It has been updated by Regulation (EU) 2017/1505 (adaptation of ISO 14001:2015) and Regulation (EU) 2018/2026 (complete recast of Annex IV to the environmental statement). All changes are maintained in a consolidated version by the Commission and are directly valid in all EU countries.
How do we take into account new standard issues and changes at EMAS?
An EMAS project should start with a review of the current EMAS requirements. New editions of related standards, existing permits and changes in activities or locations will be considered separately.
The consequences of a change for your assessment are agreed with the approved environmental verifier. In this way, you avoid equating different rules or transition periods.
How does EMAS differ from ISO 14001?
Both systems share the same core management system, but EMAS requires: (1) annual, publicly available and validated environmental statement, (2) explicit compliance audit reports, (3) registration and logo use, (4) more regular external on-site verification. As a result, EMAS offers greater transparency and regulatory recognition, while ISO 14001 focuses more on internal governance.
What steps does a company take until registration?
Environmental assessment all activities and legal registers.
Environmental policy Decide with an improvement commitment.
Programme and objectives Planning along with resources.
Environmental Management System (EMS) Implement.
Internal environmental audit(s) to be carried out.
Environmental statement create.
Validation by accredited environmental verifiers.
Entry in the EMAS register by the competent body; the EMAS logo can then be used.
What must environmental policy contain?
It must describe at least (a) a commitment to comply with all environmentally relevant laws, (b) the pursuit of continuous improvement of environmental performance, (c) prevention rather than follow-up care and (d) willingness to engage in dialogue with stakeholders. The policy is at the top of the system and is confirmed annually in the environmental statement.
What is the environmental statement and what requirements apply?
The document reports Annual annual on environmental policy, target achievement, indicators (energy, emissions, water, waste and others) and planned measures. It must be clear, quantitative, understandable to laypeople, validated by the reviewer and subsequently accessible to the public (website, register). Changes in 2018/2026 have unified format and core indicators.
Who carries out the independent EMAS assessment?
Independent verification and validation shall be carried out by approved environmental verifiers or environmental verifier organisations. These check, among other things, the environmental management system and the environmental statement.
After the validity declaration, registration may be requested from the competent body. Our advice supports the preparation; it does not replace the independent audit. Further information is provided by EMAS register for environmental verification.
How long is the registration valid and how is the renewal?
The registration shall be: three years valid. Every year, a (shortened) environmental statement must be re-validated. A full re-verification will take place before the end of the third year. Small organisations may be granted extended intervals upon request, provided that there is evidence of low environmental impact.
What are the typical costs?
External costsValidation/verification fees (depending on location number & complexity), consulting services.
Registration feese.g. B. Germany unique ≈ 509 €; Denmark 2 000–4 000 DKK, annual extension 1 000–2 000 DKK.
Internal costs: staff hours, training, data IT.
Many federal states grant EMAS participants fee reductions (e.g. 25 % in the case of pollution control procedures.
What are the advantages of EMAS in administrative and legal practice?
Demonstrably implemented legal conformity facilitates approvals, reduces condition controls, shortens reporting obligations (e.g. B. TA air, circular economy and energy label laws. Some countries couple environmental tax relief or prefer EMAS companies in public tenders.
Where can we find current EMAS registrations and practical examples?
The EMAS environmental management is used by companies and public organisations of different sizes and industries. For current entries, this is German EMAS register The appropriate source.
Register data is changing. For reliable proof, check the specific organization and the registered location directly in the register.
Are there any special schemes for SMEs?
Yes. Organizations with fewer than 250 employees and ≤ 50 million € turnover can:
Extend test cycles to four years (instead of three years);
draw up shortened annual environmental statements,
apply simplified core indicators.
A prerequisite is an application to the competent authority in accordance with Article 7 EMAS.
Can companies outside the EU use EMAS?
Yes. Art. 3 para 3 opens “Global Registration”. Registration takes place either through an EU parent company (corporate registration) or directly with a national EMAS authority if it offers third country registration (e.g. B. Austria, Spain. A Commission guide (2011/832/EU) describes the procedure in detail.
How can the EMAS logo be used?
Only registered organizations are allowed to use the logo – but not on products or packaging in order to avoid confusion with eco-labels. Permitted are annual reports, websites, letterheads, location signs, vehicle fleets or marketing materials, provided they do not make a product reference and provide the registration number
How can EMAS be integrated into CSRD/ESG reports?
The core EMAS indicators (energy consumption, scope 1/2 emissions, water, waste, land use) cover large parts of the EFRAG-ESRS E1–E5 ab. According to ESRS 1 § 121, already validated data can be adopted ‘by reference’; this reduces testing costs and the EMAS verifier protocol can act as a ‘limited assurance’ for CSRD.
Which sectoral reference documents (SRDs) support implementation?
The Commission has published 11 SRDs (Tourism, Retail, Food & Beverage, Agriculture, Waste, Metals, ICT, Automotive Production and Others). SRDs provide best practice examples, performance indicators and benchmarks that serve as a blueprint for target definition and environmental explanation.
How can EMAS and energy/climate management be combined?
EMAS processes can be combined with ISO 50001, Science Based Targets or EU-ETS-MRV, as they already systematically record energy and emissions indicators. For example, companies can use decarbonization roadmaps, taxonomy compliance, and if necessary. Support programmes (e.g.) B. ‘Energy efficiency in the economy’ directly derived from EMAS data.
What common mistakes occur during the introduction?
Incomplete legal register (especially). Wastewater and Chemicals Law.
Unclear system boundaries (e.g. B. outsourced logistics.
Environmental statement too complex or without quantitative goals.
Too late involvement of employees (motivation, lack of a pool of ideas).
Lack of interface with the finance department – key figures are not plausibility checked.
What trends shape the future of EMAS?
DigitalisationEU pilot “Digital Environmental Statement” with machine-readable XBRL tags.
CSRD alignment: Convergence of EMAS indicators and ESRS data points.
Climate targets 2040: Expectation that EMAS will add scope 3 and biodiversity KPIs to indicators.
Internationalisation: Increasing Article 45 recognitions (e.g. B. “Eco-Lighthouse”, “Ecoprofit”.
SME support: EU Green Deal instruments increasingly link grants to EMAS participation.
Your experts in environmental management issues
Whether environmental management officers (UMB), environmental managers, process managers or management – our experts for EMAS and environmental management have many years of practical experience and develop tailor-made solutions that are exactly tailored to the requirements of your company within the framework of EMAS.
- Many years of experience in management systems with focus on ISO 9001, 14001, 27001, 27701, 22301 & GDPR
- Advising for DAX & international companies, banks, authorities and the military on information security, data protection, business continuity, quality and environmental management
- Implementation, auditing, certification & optimization of management systems
- ISO 9001 Lead Auditor, ISO 14001 Lead Auditor
- EMAS environmental verifier
- ISO/IEC 27001 Lead Auditor, ISO/IEC 27001 Lead Implementer, ISO 22301 Lead Auditor
- Data protection officer (TÜV), data protection auditor (TÜV).
- Digital Transformation Manager (TÜV), Business Continuity Manager (TÜV).
- PMP, PRINCE2, MSP, ITIL Expert, CISSP, CISSP-ISSAP, CISM
- Development of training materials on IT security, management systems & compliance
- Conference Speaker
Initial consultation free of charge
Do you want an EMAS consultancy or would like to introduce an environmental management system? We operate in Germany, Austria and Switzerland and support you.