10 Reasons to Track a Corporate Carbon Footprint
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In this article, we’ll explain what a corporate carbon footprint is, why it’s important, how it is measured, and reasons why your company should track it too.
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What is EMAS (Eco-Management and Audit Scheme)?
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For organizations serious about sustainability, the EMAS eco management system offers a clear and credible way to strengthen environmental performance. Developed by the European Commission, EMAS goes beyond standard compliance, helping businesses assess, manage, and improve their environmental responsibilities in a structured, transparent way.
“ Whether it’s cutting emissions, optimising resource use, or staying ahead of regulations, EMAS supports real progress, not just policy on paper. Its public-facing commitments also help build stakeholder trust and long-term business value. ”
In this article, we’ll break down what EMAS is all about, why it matters, and how your organization can successfully register, implement, and get real value from the scheme.
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What is the Eco-Management and Audit Scheme?
“ The Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) is a voluntary EU initiative that helps organizations step up their efforts in environmental protection. Developed by the European Commission, EMAS supports businesses in measuring, managing, and working to improve environmental performance in a structured and transparent way. ”
Established under Regulation No. 1221/2009 (and updated by EU Regulation 2017/1505 and 2018/2026), EMAS is built on the foundations of the international standard ISO 14001 - but it goes further.
How is EMAS different from ISO 14001?
While both standards share core principles, EMAS includes extra layers of accountability:
- Measurable improvements – Organizations must show real progress over time.
- Public transparency – An annual environmental statement is required.
- Verified legal compliance – External checks ensure adherence to environmental laws.
What does EMAS cover?
EMAS helps organizations manage both:
- Direct environmental aspects – Things like emissions, waste management, energy, and water use.
- Indirect aspects – Including supply chain activities and subcontractor behaviour.
This holistic view encourages companies to go beyond operations and consider their wider environmental impact.
“ More than 4,100 organisations and 17,200 sites have registered with EMAS across Europe, a clear sign of growing uptake and trust in the scheme. ”
How does EMAS work in practice?
The EMAS journey begins with a full environmental review to pinpoint key impacts and legal obligations. From there, the organization:
Establishes an Environmental Management System (EMS)
The EMS should be aligned with the organization’s strategy and environmental objectives, creating a strong operational foundation for ongoing improvement.
Sets measurable targets for reducing impacts on the environment
Organizations define specific environmental goals, such as reducing emissions, waste, and resource consumption, and commit to tracking progress over time.
Conducts regular audits and reviews
Internal reviews and performance audits help ensure that targets are being met and that the EMS evolves in response to new challenges and regulations.
It’s not a one-off process, it’s a cycle of continuous improvement built on credibility and results.
EMAS vs. ISO 14001 – what’s the difference?
EMAS and ISO 14001 are both internationally recognized frameworks for environmental management. While they share many principles, EMAS takes things a step further, especially when it comes to transparency, legal compliance, and measurable results.
So, how exactly do they compare? Here’s a side-by-side breakdown:
| Criteria | ISO 14001 | EMAS |
|---|---|---|
| Scope and framework | Provides a broad structure to help organizations manage their environmental duties through an Environmental Management System (EMS). It’s flexible and widely adopted. | Includes all the requirements of ISO 14001 but adds depth: a mandatory initial environmental assessment, stronger legal checks, and a public-facing annual statement. |
| Transparency and reporting | Does not require companies to publish their results — everything stays internal unless the company chooses to share it. | Requires companies to publish an independently verified environmental statement each year, ensuring full accountability. |
| Legal compliance | Expects organizations to comply with environmental laws, but does not include external audits to confirm this. | Includes rigorous regulatory compliance audits as part of the registration process, with regular checks for ongoing compliance. |
| External validation | Involves an external audit of the EMS at the outset, but no requirement for ongoing third-party checks. | Mandates annual verification by independent environmental verifiers to ensure credibility and accuracy. |
| Continuous improvement | Focuses on improving how the EMS functions — better processes, training, documentation, and monitoring. | Focuses on improving actual environmental performance — lowering emissions, using fewer resources, and achieving measurable targets. |
Should you choose one, or both?
Many organizations opt to combine EMAS with ISO 14001 to get the best of both worlds, the structure of ISO 14001, plus the accountability and recognition of EMAS.
Here’s why this works:
- Stronger credibility – EMAS brings transparency and third-party validation to ISO’s internal framework.
- Better legal protection – EMAS’s external legal audits reduce the risk of non-compliance.
- Greater market value – Holding both standards demonstrates leadership in sustainability.
- Deeper impact – Together, they create a complete strategy that covers both management processes and environmental outcomes.
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Key features of EMAS
At its core, EMAS is designed to help organizations make real, lasting progress on sustainability. It offers a clear, structured framework that organizations commit to, including setting up a compliant environmental management system, publishing an annual performance report, and undergoing external verification.
This isn’t just a one-time checklist. EMAS involves ongoing improvement, legal compliance, and full transparency, all backed by independent validation.
Let’s take a closer look at what makes EMAS stand out.
EMAS objectives – what does it aim to achieve?
EMAS is built around five key goals that guide organizations toward smarter, more sustainable operations:
EMAS supports a shift to a circular economy, where resources are used efficiently, waste reduction is prioritized, and materials are reused or recycled wherever possible. The aim? To reduce your environmental footprint while improving operational resilience.
From cutting emissions to reducing resource consumption and conserving water and energy, EMAS helps organizations tackle both direct and indirect environmental impacts. Businesses set their own targets and track progress, creating a strong culture of ongoing improvement.
With environmental regulations evolving rapidly, EMAS helps companies stay ahead of the curve. Regular audits and reviews ensure that you’re not only compliant today, but prepared for tomorrow’s standards too.
EMAS requires organizations to publish an annual environmental statement. This publicly available report shares your performance, goals, and progress, helping build trust with customers, employees, and regulators alike.
Whether it’s local communities, suppliers, or investors, EMAS encourages open dialogue. This transparency helps foster strong relationships and shows stakeholders you’re serious about sustainability.
Core elements
EMAS isn’t just about setting goals, it’s about backing them up with action. Here’s how:
- Performance: Organizations must show measurable improvements in environmental performance, not just better systems, but better results. Targets are expected to align with key frameworks like the EU Green Deal and the Paris Agreement, helping reduce your impact in a meaningful way.
- Transparency: No greenwashing here, your environmental performance is documented and shared annually. Each year, organizations must publish a detailed, publicly available environmental statement. This report outlines progress, challenges, and future goals, keeping stakeholders informed and building trust. This gives stakeholders clear, credible insight into what you’ve achieved and where you're headed next.
- Credibility: All environmental data and claims are verified by an independent, accredited expert. This third-party validation ensures that what’s reported is accurate, reliable, and regulation-compliant.
What are the advantages of EMAS certification?
EMAS is a practical, high-impact tool for organizations that want to lead on sustainability. The benefits go well beyond environmental compliance, with clear advantages for operations, reputation, and growth.
Here’s what your organization stands to gain:
Better environmental performance
Companies that adopt EMAS typically see measurable reductions in key areas, including energy use, water consumption, waste generation, and greenhouse gas emissions.
Smarter resource use
EMAS encourages a circular mindset: use less, waste less, and reuse more. That means lower material costs, improved material efficiency, and a more sustainable operation overall.
Stronger legal compliance
With regular legal audits built into the process, EMAS helps ensure you meet all relevant environmental regulations and stay ahead of changes. This reduces the risk of fines, reputational damage, and unexpected costs.
Real cost savings
Improved resource efficiency and reduced waste often translate directly into operational savings. These can be reinvested into sustainability initiatives or used to boost your bottom line.
More credibility and trust
Publishing a verified annual environmental statement helps build stakeholder trust, whether it’s customers, investors, or regulatory bodies. It’s a clear sign that you’re walking the talk.
Engaged employees
Involving staff in your environmental goals drives employee engagement, builds a sense of purpose, and helps shift company culture. Employees feel more connected to their work and your mission.
A competitive edge
EMAS sets you apart. Whether you're attracting customers, partners, or investors, it shows you’re committed to high standards, not just in words, but in action.
Better access to tenders
Public and private contracts increasingly include sustainability criteria. EMAS registration can help your organization stand out and win more of the bids that matter.
Reduced inspections and admin
In some EU Member States, EMAS-registered organizations benefit from simplified reporting and fewer environmental inspections, saving time and cutting red tape.
Incentives and funding
Many governments and local authorities offer support for EMAS organizations, from tax breaks and grants to funding for further sustainability efforts.
Who can get EMAS environmental certification?
“ EMAS isn’t just for large corporations or public bodies, it’s built to work for any organization serious about improving its environmental impact. ”
Whether you’re a small business just starting your sustainability journey or a multinational with complex operations, EMAS offers a flexible framework that can be scaled to fit your needs. The emphasis is on progress, not perfection, making it accessible and valuable to organizations of all sizes.
And it’s not limited by industry either. EMAS is used across all economic sectors - from manufacturing and finance to healthcare, agriculture, technology, and more.
So, whether you’re a private company looking to strengthen your ESG profile, a public institution aiming for greener governance, or an NGO aligning with environmental goals, EMAS can support your mission.
“ While EMAS was developed by the European Commission, it’s open to organizations worldwide, including the US. And for those with multiple branches or sites, EMAS allows you to register each one individually, helping you roll out a consistent, organisation-wide approach to environmental management. ”
Can US companies get EMAS certified?
Yes — although EMAS is an EU initiative, it’s open to organizations worldwide, including those based in the US. For US companies trading with EU partners, aligning with EMAS can strengthen environmental credentials, ease access to public procurement opportunities, and support compliance with European sustainability expectations.
Even outside the EU, EMAS offers a robust framework for improving environmental performance, demonstrating leadership in ESG, and building stakeholder trust.
What does EMAS certification actually involve?
“ EMAS certification is a commitment to ongoing environmental improvement, legal compliance, and transparency. Organizations that register under EMAS agree to a clear set of requirements that go beyond most standard environmental management systems. ”
Here’s what being EMAS-accredited really involves:
Setting up and maintaining an Environmental Management System (EMS)
You’ll need to establish a robust EMS that follows ISO 14001 standards, identifying environmental risks and impacts, setting targets, implementing controls, and tracking results.
Conducting a full environmental review
Before registration, you must assess your environmental performance, including both direct impacts (like emissions and resource use) and indirect ones (like supply chain or product lifecycle impacts).
Complying with environmental law
Regulatory compliance is non-negotiable under EMAS. Organizations must regularly evaluate their compliance with applicable environmental legislation and demonstrate this during audits.
Publishing an annual environmental statement
Each year, you’re required to publish a detailed statement outlining your environmental performance, progress toward targets, and future objectives. This statement must be made publicly available.
Third-party validation by an accredited verifier
An independent environmental expert must verify both your EMS and environmental statement. This external validation ensures your claims are credible and the data is accurate.
Ongoing improvement
EMAS isn’t a one-time certification. To stay registered, you need to demonstrate that you’re actively improving your environmental performance year after year.
Revalidation and re-registration
Depending on the size and type of your organisation, EMAS requires regular updates and revalidations (typically every 1–3 years). This keeps your certification up to date and ensures ongoing credibility.
How to get EMAS certified: your step-by-step guide
EMAS certification is about more than compliance, it’s about building a solid, transparent system for improving your organization’s environmental performance. Whether you’re just getting started or ready to formalize your efforts, here’s how to go from intention to official registration:
1. Get in touch with your national EMAS authority
Start by contacting the competent body in your country - they oversee EMAS registrations and can point you toward technical guidance, available funding, and qualified consultants. Every EU Member State has a designated authority, and organizations outside the EU can also participate.
2. Conduct an initial review
Before you make changes, you need a baseline. Assess your organization’s direct and indirect environmental impacts, current performance, and legal obligations. This gives you a clear picture of where you stand and where to focus your efforts.
3. Define your environmental policy and programme
With leadership buy-in, create an environmental policy that aligns with your overall business strategy. Set clear objectives and targets that reflect your goals, whether it’s reducing emissions, cutting energy use, or improving resource efficiency.
4. Set up your Environmental Management System (EMS)
Now it’s time to put structure in place. Your EMS should include the processes, roles, training, and resources needed to achieve the goals set out in your policy. It should also include how you'll measure progress and respond to new risks or regulations.
5. Run internal audits to check your progress
Before you go public, make sure your system works. Conduct internal audits to identify gaps, confirm that procedures are being followed, and ensure your environmental management system is actually delivering results.
6. Review and refine through management input
Leadership should regularly review EMS performance. Are targets being met? Are new risks emerging? This stage ensures your system stays relevant and focused on improvement over time.
7. Draft your environmental statement
Pull together the data. Your statement should clearly show your organization’s environmental impact, what progress you’ve made, and where you’re headed next. This document is what you’ll share publicly, so it needs to be accurate and transparent.
8. Verify your statement with a qualified expert
Next, your statement and EMS need to be independently verified by an accredited EMAS environmental verifier. This ensures the information is credible and meets the standards set out by EMAS regulations.
9. Submit your registration
Once your verifier gives the green light, you’ll send the verified documents to your national EMAS authority for approval. After review, they’ll add your organization to the EMAS register and confirm your official status.
10. Promote your EMAS certification
Now that you’re certified, share your progress! You can use the EMAS logo in communications, reports, and marketing to highlight your commitment to sustainability and accountability.
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What about Greenly?
EMAS encourages organizations to monitor and reduce their environmental impact, including emissions. But while EMAS sets the framework, many companies need additional support when it comes to carbon management and ESG compliance.
That’s where Greenly comes in.
We help businesses go deeper on emissions – calculating carbon footprints, identifying reduction opportunities, and supporting ESG reporting with data-driven insights.
With Greenly, you can:
- Measure your emissions accurately – across Scope 1, 2, and 3, using trusted methodologies like the GHG Protocol.
- Find the biggest opportunities to reduce – our platform helps you identify high-impact areas and simulate different reduction scenarios.
- Build your decarbonization roadmap – with support to define science-based targets and realistic action plans.
- Meet ESG disclosure requirements – including data-backed reports for internal stakeholders, investors, or regulatory frameworks.
Whether your organisation is EMAS-certified or not, Greenly can support your broader sustainability strategy, helping you cut emissions, stay compliant, and contribute to a more sustainable future. Request a free demo to explore how Greenly can help you turn sustainability goals into measurable progress.
Sources:
- European Commission, EMAS – EU Eco-Management and Audit Scheme
https://green-forum.ec.europa.eu/emas_en - EUR-Lex, Regulation (EC) No 1221/2009 – EMAS
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=CELEX%3A32009R1221 - EUR-Lex, Commission Regulation (EU) 2017/1505 – EMAS Annexes Update
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/en/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32017R1505 - EUR-Lex, Commission Regulation (EU) 2018/2026 – Amending Annex IV of EMAS
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32018R2026 - Greenly, ISO 14001: Meaning, Standard, and Requirements
https://greenly.earth/en-gb/blog/company-guide/iso-14001-meaning-standard-and-requirements - Greenly, Carbon Emissions: What You Need to Know
https://greenly.earth/en-gb/blog/ecology-news/carbon-emissions-what-you-need-to-know - European Commission, EMAS Statistics and Graphs
https://green-forum.ec.europa.eu/emas/about-emas/statistics-and-graphs-0_en - International Organization for Standardization (ISO), ISO 14000 Family – Environmental Management
https://www.iso.org/standards/popular/iso-14000-family - Greenly, Does Transparency Benefit or Harm Your Company?
https://greenly.earth/en-gb/blog/company-guide/does-transparency-benefit-or-harm-your-company - Greenly, Circular Economy: Definition and Principles
https://greenly.earth/en-gb/blog/company-guide/circular-economy-definition-and-principles - Greenly, What is the European Green Deal?
https://greenly.earth/en-gb/blog/ecology-news/what-is-the-european-green-deal - Greenly, Paris Agreement: All You Need to Know
https://greenly.earth/en-gb/blog/ecology-news/paris-agreement-all-you-need-to-know - Greenly, What is Greenwashing? All You Need to Know in 2022
https://greenly.earth/en-gb/blog/company-guide/what-is-greenwashing-all-you-need-to-know-in-2022
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