Environmental Management System

Texas Woman's has recently implemented an Environmental Management System as described in University Regulation and Procedure (URP) 04.120 - Environmental Sustainability. This page will be updated as the effort progresses. In the future, this page will include metrics on the university's environmental performance, as well as information on the progress towards particular objects and targets set by the university administration.

Environmental Management System (EMS)?

An EMS is a formal system for managing an organization's environmental impacts following a "plan, do, check, act" methodology. An EMS does not guarantee that an organization will become sustainable or meet any particular environmental goal, but it allows for better decision-making when it comes to an organization's effects on the environment.

What does this mean for Texas Woman's? 

04.120 - Environmental Sustainability includes an environmental policy statement, as well as procedures for determining the university's environmental "aspects" and "impacts", determining the significance of those impacts, and setting objectives and targets for environmental improvement projects. 

Definitions

“Environmental Aspect” means elements of TWU’s activities that interact or can interact with the environment. Examples include energy use, waste generation, air emissions, land use, etc.

“Environmental Impact” means a change to the environment, whether adverse or beneficial, wholly or partially resulting from TWU’s Environmental Aspects.

“Environmental Objective” means an overall environmental goal, consistent with the environmental policy statement TWU sets itself to achieve.

"Environmental Target” means a detailed performance requirement, applicable to TWU, or portions thereof, that arises from the environmental objectives and that needs to be set and met in order to achieve those objectives.

“Environmental Management Program” means the specific means for achieving Environmental Objectives and Targets. These programs define the principal actions to be taken, those responsible for undertaking those actions, and the target completion dates.

 

Page last updated 8:05 AM, March 21, 2025