What Is Environmental Management System & Why Is It Crucial?

Environmental management is a system that companies or organizations, especially those whose operational processes affect the environment, must acknowledge.

The environmental management system can emphasize energy efficiency, preventing a bigger impact on the environment. To learn more about this management in detail, read the information below.

What Is the Environmental Management System?

Environmental management must be obeyed by every company or organization in any sector as an environmental damage prevention due to operational processes.

Environmental management systems are very important for companies and need international recognition, as evidenced by certificates. The applicable international standardizations for environmental management systems are ISO 14001 and ISO 14004.

Moreover, the Indonesian government adopts the international standard as the National Indonesian Standard (SNI), which becomes SNI-19-14001-1997.

For now, SNI ISO 14001:2015 is the standard integrated into the business process of a company, including company activity and product/service risks. This standard is also a guideline for contributing to the environment.

Furthermore, environmental management helps you identify and address environmental risks that may arise, reduce work accidents, maintain good relations with the community, and demonstrate the company's commitment to complying with existing regulations related to environmental conservation.

Why Is the Environmental Management System Crucial?

A company's progress is not only influenced by its business processes but also by its management and concern for the environment. In addition, here are the reasons why an environmental management system is important for your company:

1. Increasing Company Image

Implementing environmental management can shape and improve the company image that cares about environmental sustainability. Perhaps other companies have not implemented this system, or your company enforces this system better than other companies, increasing the value of your company.

This surely becomes the public’s consideration in entrusting their need to your company and investors who want to collaborate with you.

2. Protecting the Environment

The primary reason for an environmental management system is to protect the surrounding area. You can achieve this by using renewable energy, eco-friendly materials, doing safe wastewater treatment, and many more.

By committing to environmental sustainability and ensuring that operational processes do not adversely affect the environment, you can reduce the risk of environmental damage due to ongoing business processes.

3. Building Relation with the Community

Implementing an environmental management system can certainly improve relations with the communities that may be affected by the operational processes. You can conduct several social activities and provide technical guidance to the communities around the operational area and explain your environmental commitment.

4. Implementing Circular Economy

A company implementing a circular economy will consider how to design, produce, and distribute the product with a recycle approach. It means that the product can be reused and its life span extended so that it is not disposed of immediately nor have a negative impact on the environment.

One of the circular economy enforcements is the collaboration between Chandra Asri Group and TUKR (part of Biofront). This collaboration initiates the collection and processing of used cooking oil called Manajemen Pengumpulan Minyak Jelantah untuk Lingkungan (MINYAKU).

This initiative invites the community around the Cilegon plant's operational area to collect used cooking oil, which is then exchanged for a savings balance per liter of oil deposited. Hopefully, this program can support the local economy, educate the community regarding used cooking oil processing, and conserve the environment.

Aspects You Must Consider in the Environmental Management System

To achieve the environmental management goals, you and your company must consider these aspects:

1. Environmental Quality

Environmental quality is the state of the environment where you live that can provide a good capacity for the survival of the creatures that live in it.

2. Ecosystem

An ecosystem is a unity of environmental elements that influence each other in shaping productivity, balance, and environmental stability.

3. Environmental Quality Standard

The environmental quality standard according to Law Number 23 of 1997 is the maximum limit of material or substance allowed to be in the environment. You must consider this aspect to prevent a negative impact on the environment.

4. Waste

Waste is a waste product that can have a negative impact on the environment and creatures if not managed properly.

5. Environmental Support Capacity

Environmental support capacity is the ability of the environment to support the life of creatures, including humans, on Earth.

6. Environmental Image

Environmental image is the result of human actions to make the environment as expected. For example, you develop a hydroponic plantation with used pipes in the village around the factory.

7. Environmental Resilience

Environmental resilience is the ability of the environment to recover after damage or change. As long as the environment still has resilience, it can recover and cope with changes.

8. Environmental Management

Environmental management is an effort to preserve the environment by maintaining, developing, organizing, supervising, restoring, and controlling it.

Examples of Environmental Management System by Chandra Asri Group

Now you already know the definition and the aim of an environmental management system. To get to know more about the system, read the environmental conservation efforts carried out by Chandra Asri Group below:

1. Protecting the Sea Ecosystem

Chandra Asri Group protects the sea ecosystem by installing an oil boom. An oil boom is the port safety standard in the shape of oil- and water-resistant rubber or plastic. It works to limit the movement of oil spills in the sea.

Moreover, it increases the sea cleaning effectiveness from oil spills, prevents the spread, and protects the beach and sea ecosystem.

2. Managing Waste

Chandra Asri Group tries to minimize operational waste by sorting trash in the office, composting food, reducing paper waste, reusing waste, and recycling waste oil.

3. Reducing Emissions

We commit to minimizing emissions and avoiding air pollution by monitoring and processing the emission levels. Some of the efforts made are energy efficiency, minimizing combustion, and so on.

4. Managing Water Resources

We manage the water source efficiently and reduce water waste. Chandra Asri Group also ensures that the wastewater meets the standard before being channeled back to the environment.

Through these efforts, Chandra Asri Group obtained environmental awards that demonstrate our commitment to protecting the environment, such as the Best Environmental Program, the Best Community Program, and the Best CSR & ESG Leadership at the 17th Annual Global CSR & ESG Summit & Awards 2025, and many more.

That is the information about the environmental management system you can learn. As a leading chemical, energy, and infrastructure company in Southeast Asia, Chandra Asri Group commits to environmental conservation, as seen in their efforts in protecting the ecosystem.