EMAS in Poland: Performance, Effectiveness, and Future Perspectives

Our article presents the results of studies on performance and effectiveness of the eco-management and audit scheme (EMAS) system. Therefore, the aim of the article is to analyze the indicators monitored by the EMAS-registered organizations in Poland, to determine the strengths and areas for the implementation of corrective or improvement actions, and to develop recommendations in building effective environmental management systems, monitoring indicators, and revising the EMAS system. The research was conducted in 2013-15 on a group of organizations registered in the EMAS system in Poland. The conclusions of the research enabled us to develop recommendations on potential improvements to EMAS and proposals for amendments while auditing the regulation requirements. The recommendations have been prepared for various interested parties, taking into consideration their competence, powers, and capacity for implementing the suggested actions. These recommendations have been divided into three levels. The first group consists of recommendations at the level of the organization, the second group consists of recommendations at the national level, and the third group are the actions suggested for implementation at the international level.