The role of the Eco-Management and Audit Scheme EMAS in the realization of sustainable development

In the following article the authors present the European Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) – an instrument based on voluntary participation which is used to evaluate and improve the effects of a company’s environmental activities as well as to provide society and all interested parties with a reliable source of information in this area. EMAS is a component of a new concept of action which relies on resignation from a prescriptive system in favour of a company’s voluntary obligation to comply with all requirements. EMAS is an effective tool for minimizing the environmental impact of different types of organizations and strengthens the ecological direction of their development. EMAS helps organizations to optimize production processes by reducing their impact on the environment with more efficient use of resources. Furthermore, it provides the public and interested groups with relevant information and promotes continuous improvement in environmental performance. A goal of applying EMS is not only to lower environmental pressure created by a particular company but also to show that such organization is operating in accordance with the law.Aneta Kaźmierska-Patrzyczna - Uniwersytet ŁódzkiKatarzyna Kaźmierska-Stępniak - Uniwersytet Łódzk