1. Environmental Management System – Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue Service
Basic overview of an EMS
Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service have had an ISO certified Environmental Management System (EMS) in place since The EMS provides a framework for measuring and improving the service’s environmental performance and ensures compliance with environmental legislation. Findings from the EMS informed GMFRS’ Sustainability Strategy which includes a set of structured targets and an end goal of becoming carbon positive by 2050.
The journey so far – what has been achieved
Part of the EMS’ criteria is communication of the system’s requirements with all internal stakeholders. Ultimately this meant ensuring all GMFRS staff and those that work on their behalf (such as contractors and volunteers) were aware of the service’s Environment Policy, progress that is made against targets and some other site based requirements for example correct waste disposal processes.

2. GMFRS knew that to really engage with staff different approaches would be needed for different roles. Senior Management buy-in was established initially through a series of high profile guest speakers invited to present on the importance of sustainability in business. Speakers included leaders at BT, members of the construction community and the CEO of Kingfisher. A call for Environment Champions at fire stations led to more than 120 firefighters volunteering for the role. Incorporating an environmental section into Health and Safety training (mandatory for every single person in the service) has been another highly successful way to capture all employees whilst competitions to find the service’s greenest station and office (the Green Hose and Green Impact Awards) have added an element of fun to sustainability messages.
By gaining the buy-in of people across the organisation and setting a strategy with clear
targets, measures to reduce the service’s environmental impact were successfully
implemented. Examples include energy efficiency projects such as roof insulation, boiler
replacements and solar panels, waste reduction and recycling initiatives, water monitoring
programmes and even specialist training for Fire Fighters to help them minimise
environmental impact during incident response. Parts of the fleet have been transitioned
to electric vehicles and fire engines themselves have been retrofitted to be three quarters
of a tonne lighter generating significant reductions in fuel. The result of establishing the EMS has been a carbon footprint reduction of 40% and cost savings of £3.5 million
since 2009.
The transition to the 2015 standard
In 2015 the ISO EMS standard underwent a significant update moving away from the old mantra of preventing pollution to a new, more holistic model of control and influence over the broader issues of environmental sustainability. The new system considers an organisation’s impact on the environment but also the environment’s impact on the organisation and the risks and opportunities that may bring.

3. Senior leadership were engaged in the new system from the outset with several workshops held with them and representatives from the most relevant departments. The first exercise carried out was to identify any environmental issues that could affect the Fire service’s operations. To support this process the service’s PESTLE analysis and Risk Register were used, both of these processes already horizon scan for any external issues that may affect the service and include an environmental category. The predominant environmental issue identified was the increase in flooding events. Later workshops mapped stakeholders and their requirements, reviewed environmental aspects and identified and ranked risks and opportunities.
The EMS and in particular any new environmental aspects, compliance obligations or risks and opportunities are raised as part of an annual Management Review. This was a pre-existing process that ensures continuous awareness with the organisation’s leadership as well as direction on high level decisions. It was also an easy way to meet the new system requirement to demonstrate leadership commitment to the EMS.
Future plans
GMFRS achieved certification to ISO 14001: 2015 in July However, the new system has
highlighted emerging industry expectations that have not previously been on GMFRS’ agenda
but will now be incorporated into the next service sustainability strategy (set to begin in 2020).
In particular the consideration of all aspects from a lifecycle perspective, which for the fire and
rescue service will play a big part in shaping the future procurement of goods and services.
How to engage suppliers to deliver their service or manufacture their product in a more environmentally sustainable and socially ethical way considering the whole life cycle of that commodity whilst also providing the goods at the best value and highest quality will be increasingly essential for the service and any other organisation in the future.