Environmental Management Systems

Green Dragon

The Green Dragon Standard is an environmental standard, with different stages, recognising effective environmental management.

The Green Dragon Standard offers an environmental management system relevant to the specific needs of your company or organisation and rewards actions taken to achieve environmental improvements.

Participating companies gain recognition for effective environmental management without necessarily adopting a formalised environmental management system. Companies or organisations who have reached Level 5 in the Green Dragon Standard may be successful in obtaining ISO14001 or EMAS.

There are five stages within the Green Dragon Standard. Each covers the key elements of Planning, Taking Action, Checking Progress and Reviewing Achievements to realise Continual Environmental Improvement.

Companies or organisations achieving any level of the Green Dragon Standard receive a certificate, demonstrating the level of the company’s achievements and commitment to environmental management.

Companies achieving level 2 and above are able to display the Green Dragon logo on their stationery and marketing materials, while those companies achieving levels 3, 4 and 5 also receive the Green Dragon Plaque, in recognition of reaching these advanced stages of environmental management. Displaying the Green Dragon logo demonstrates to suppliers and other interested parties that the company or organisation is committed to environmental management.

Every company achieving a Green Dragon Standard will feature on the http://www.greendragonwales.com/ website. The website contains a register of certified companies, which can be used by customers wishing to verify the environmental credentials of their supplier. It can also be used by participating companies to network with other companies and share knowledge and experiences.

Assessment for the Green Dragon Standard involves completion of an application form and a site audit by a Green Dragon Standard Authorised Auditor.

Any business or organisation can apply and funding may be available to help reach the standard.

For any queries or for further information on the Green Dragon Scheme, please contact :

Regeneration Directorate, Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council Civic Centre, Castle Street, Merthyr Tydfil, CF47 8AN.

EMAS

EMAS – the Eco-Management and Audit Scheme - is a voluntary initiative designed to improve companies’ environmental performance.

Its aim is to recognise and reward those organisations that go beyond the minimum legal compliance and continuously improve their environmental performance. In addition, it is a requirement of the scheme that participating organisations regularly produce a public environmental statement that reports on their environmental performance. It is this voluntary publication of environmental information, whose accuracy and reliability has been independently checked by an environmental verifier, which gives EMAS, and those organisations that participate, enhanced credibility and recognition.

Environmental management has become a core business issue for many organisations. Minimising the amount of waste that is produced, reducing energy consumption and making more efficient use of resources can all lead to financial cost savings, in addition to helping protect and enhance the environment. EMAS is strongly backed by the Government and the environmental regulators – organisations who participate are recognised as making strong commitments to the environment and to improving their economic competitiveness.