Environmental Management

Environmental management is the systematic approach to finding practical ways to reduce negative impacts on the environment.  Environmental management involves being aware of the impacts that you have on the environment and how to reduce or manage that impact.  

For example, this may include:

• Minimising the amount of vegetation cleared for a development
• Avoiding impacts on vegetation that is not to be cleared
• Reducing noise during construction
• Managing waste
• Overall, reducing negative environmental impacts

Environmental management considers how certain actions might impact the natural environment and makes commitments on how to avoid, minimise and manage these impacts to be environmentally acceptable.

Businesses may be required to carry out environmental management as part of compliance with environmental approvals, where commitments to certain environmental management measures have been made and those approvals have been granted, on the condition that environmental management is enacted.

Making voluntary commitments to environmental management can include being aware of how your business operations can affect the environment.  Whether the business is small or large, there are ways to manage and reduce the impact you have on the environment such as:

• Using water efficiently
• Using sustainable materials
• Utilising sustainable supply chains
• Managing waste appropriately
• Reducing energy consumption
• Reducing emissions

Voluntary commitments to environmental management and overall environmental responsibility for a business are usually captured in an Environmental Management System, which may or may not be accredited in accordance with certain standards, such as ISO 14001.