Steps to Environmental Management Scheme (STEM)
The scheme helps businesses to improve their environmental performance through a series of assessments and certificates (blue, silver and gold).
This scheme is free and open to members of the Low Carbon Kent business network. You can join the network if you aren't already a member.
Contact us directly for more information:
- Email: lowcarbon@kent.gov.uk
- Telephone: 03000 41 51 11
- Post: Low Carbon Kent, 1st Floor Invicta House, County Hall, Maidstone, ME14 1XX
We can offer you support in completing assessment forms.
The scheme can:
- enhance your green credentials
- help you achieve nationally recognised accreditations such as Carbon Trust Standard, BS 8555 and ISO 14001
- help you to comply with the law
- save your business money by removing inefficiencies.
STEM has 3 levels - blue, silver and gold. These levels correspond to the 3 phases of the National Standard BS 8555.
Each level takes about 4 months to complete and we estimate that businesses can reach gold level in around 12 months. Some businesses may be able to achieve this faster if they have already started improving their environmental performance.
View a list of STEM accredited businesses.
Blue
A business that has top management support for its environment programme and has carried out a baseline assessment of their current situation.
Silver
A business that has measured its carbon footprint and taken action to reduce it. The business has identified the resources, legal requirements, training and communications needed for its environmental programme.
Gold
A business that is measuring and monitoring its environmental impacts and has taken action to reduce them. The business has reported its progress to Low Carbon Kent and other stakeholders.
The STEM certificate is valid for 12 months. You will have to re-submit your assessment annually to keep your accreditation. Please email us at lowcarbon@kent.gov.uk with your certificate number when your accreditation is due to expire and we will advise you on what to do.
Your businesses may also be audited by an advisor. You will be given 2 weeks' notice of this audit and a list of the documents you need to present as evidence. We can provide advice to help you with the audit.
Once you have achieved the gold level of STEM, your business will be in good position to apply internationally recognised environmental certification such as Carbon Trust Standard, BS 8555 and ISO 14001.
More information about the Carbon Trust Standard and certification for small and medium-sized employers (SMEs) is available from the Carbon Trust website.
More information about BS 8555 and ISO 14001 is available through the IEMA Acorn Scheme and Tarian Inspection Services' Seren Scheme.