Our Environment

GASTEC at CRE (GaC)

Environmental Management System - BS8555

What is BS 8555?

BS 8555 is the new British Standard that has been designed with small and medium-sized businesses like us specifically in mind. The standard provides a phased approach to implementing an Environmental Management System allowing an organisation to implement the management system at their own pace. At the end of the implementation process the organisation can have acknowledgement of compliance with BS8555 or they can go for full ISO 14001 certification, which will have been complied with through the implementation process.

How does BS8555 differ from ISO 14001?

In addition to the phased approach, BS 8555 specifically includes the use of Environmental Performance Evaluation (EPE) so that improvements can be quantified and progress evaluated.

The phased process is designed around a generic environmental management system, but also in line with ISO 14001 and EMAS. In addition it is one of the aims of the guidance in the standard to develop environmental performance indicators (EPIs) to reflect the environmental aspects of activities, products or service delivery. These EPIs can be used within the context of an EMS and as part of other performance evaluation and reporting frameworks.

The phases are:

1. Commitment and Establishing the Baseline.
2. Identifying and Ensuring Compliance with Legal, and other Requirements.
3. Developing Objectives, Targets and Programmes.
4. Implementation and Operation of the Environmental Management System.
5. Checking, Audit and Review.
6. Environmental Management System Acknowledgement.

Each phase is then further broken down into stages providing step by step guidance for the completion of each phase.

What are GaC doing?

We are currently in the process of establishing our baseline (Phase 1). We have also put several other initiatives in place, including:-

  • Implementation of recycling of paper, cardboard, printer cartridges, plastic bottles and drinks cans
  • Review of current energy usage with a target of 5% reduction over the next 12 months
  • Review of current water consumption, including recycling of water in test laboratories
  • Minimising noise impact on local environment (including replacing old extraction systems)
  • Review of sustainable procurement policy
  • Review of transport policy (including encouraging staff to cycle to work)