An EMS provides a framework for implementing an environmental policy, achieving conformance with that policy, and then demonstrating this conformance to others. Organisations and companies are motivated to set up an EMS for a variety of reasons :

• Increased public awareness of the accepted principles of sustainable development.
• Legal compliance and risk reduction - environmental legislation can now cover all areas of a comapany’s activities - potential criminal liability for breaches of legislation may result in heavy fines for non-compliance and civil liabilities, arising from environmental contamination or past practice (currently up to £20,000 in a County Court, with no upper limits set for a maximum fine imposed at Crown Court, plus a possible custodial sentence. Environmental legislation now empowers relevant authorities, e.g. the Environment Agency, to prosecute individual directors of limited companies, if deemed necessary.
• The environmental performance of suppliers is becoming increasingly important to all companies who seek to protect their public image especially with regard to environmental issues. A bad environmental performance by a supplier may affect a company’s own environmental standards and ultimately its sales edge.
• Opportunities for reducing costs (e.g. through improved waste management and reduced energy bills).
• Credibility with financial stakeholders - financial institutions, private investors and insurance companies respond positively to companies operating an Environmental Management System.