LINKING EIA WITH CORPORATE ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS
For many commercial and industrial developement there is a clear link between the information about environmental impacts and mitigation measures that are presented in the Environmental Statement and the Environmental Management System that is implemented during the operation of the development. The contents of the Environmental Statement and any associated planning conditions often find their way to the Environmental Management System through the analysis of the legal and othger requirements.
The development of new facilities and infrastructure provides an excellent opportunity to improve the excisiting corporate environmental performance of the client organation. The provision of a clear link between the corporate environmental management system and the environmental impact assessment can be highly effective to maximise the environmental benefits.
A structured approached is necessary to ensure an effective influence on the environmental impact assessment by the corporate environmental management system. guidelines, procedures, corporate standards, policies and targets, combined with appropriate training and awareness raising can be used as tools to influence the environmental impact assessment.
Indeed many large organisation have integrated the environmental impacts associated with development projects in their corporate environmental management systems. for instance, the environmental management procedures that are used by the Highways Agency in the UK to guide the development of new roads are a well know and influencial set of documents. They are part of the “Design Manual for Roads and Bridges”, often refered to as DMRB. Other organisations, such as Network Rail and the Ministry of Defence, have similar systems in place.