Environmental Management

Herefordshire Council have embeds environmental priorities in the way it does business and promotes good environmental management (GEM). Herefordshire Council’s environmental policy and its GEM process serves as the framework on which it delivers it environmental and sustainability corporate objectives.

The GEM Process

The process of environmental management is conducted in stages:

• Identify the Council's environmental impacts - for example, producing pollution as a result of disposing of council generated waste.
• Decide which of the impacts is significant - whether it is legally controlled, or of high interest to the public, stakeholders and/or the Council.
• Put controls and procedures into place to control both good and bad impacts.
• Set up targets which are monitored and managed to control the Council's impacts.
• Record progress.

Benefits of GEM

There have been many benefits to Herefordshire Council and the county of Herefordshire, such as:

• It helps reduce our detrimental impacts on the environment, and protect and enhance our distinctive surroundings.
• It improves our efficiency which leads to savings in areas such as energy, waste and travel.
• It provides audited evidence of our improvements in our environmental performance.
• It provides a clear and practical system for Herefordshire Council to follow and maintain its commitment to the environment and sustainability.
• It reduces the risk of breaching any legislation, therefore avoiding environmental damage and the risk of prosecution.
• Provides a clear lead to the Council's partners, suppliers, contractors, businesses and the public.

Resources

Environmental Policy (January 2009)

Herefordshire Council and NHS Herefordshire's commitment to sustainability and safeguarding the environment

Adobe PDF

87 kb

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