1. Decide, commit and make a senior person responsible for the system.
   This person, trained in environmental affairs, will report direct to the CEO.
2. Form a Task Force and review need for an EMS advisor.
   Select up to eight personnel from a cross section of grades and functions.
3. Conduct EMS assessment using ISO 14001 and report.
   Report will identify adequacy of as-is procedures and need for new procedures.
4. Publish Environmental Policy, Objectives, Targets and Action Plan.
   Deploy Policy from the top to develop agreed Objectives, Targets and Plan.
5. Develop leaders to create and sustain employee awareness.
   All leaders & Task Force must learn so they understand and can explain.
6. Define organizational structure and responsibilities.
   Keep this up to date with names and job titles as a formal document.
7. Involve employees in developing and improving their system.
   By awareness sessions, flowcharting, team reviews and experience feedback.
8. Decide on the document coding procedure.
   Use this from day one of developing system documentation.
9. Flowchart key processes showing all interfaces.
   Start with core processes and then tie in the support processes.
10. Code all forms in line with agreed coding procedure.
    Every form should belong to a process, remove redundant forms.
11. Correlate all forms to flowcharts.
    Every form should have a place, if not check completeness of flowchart.
12. Review flowcharts for accuracy.
    By "accuracy" we mean what actually happens!
13. Develop and use flowcharts as documented procedures.
    Ensure process objective(s) also address environmental aspects.
14. Review, reconcile, approve and issue as-is procedures.
    Involve everyone and do not ignore comments. Process owners may approve.
15. Prepare new procedures and train staff to implement them.
    These may include: EMS auditing and dealing with emergencies.
16. Issue new procedures and the environmental management program.
    This will be the first program implemented by the EMS.
17. Describe the whole system in an EMS manual.
    Keep it slim and simple for customers, every employee and suppliers.
18. Launch the system and respond quickly to revision requests.
    Throw a well-deserved party! Invite continuous improvement.
19. Start auditing to continually improve your integrated system.
    Your trained audit team will come from action 15. Cover suppliers too.
20. Conduct preassessment at least two months before any Registrar.
    Use a registered systems auditor and ensure all corrective actions are up to date.

EMS Action Planning Checklist