Geography For Schools

Over the last few years there has been a realisation that environmental and resource issues are important if a company is to be considered “socially responsible”.

The introduction of internationally recognised systems for environmental management such as ISO 14001 and EMAS have given organisations the chance to be open about their commitment.

Internal and external auditing has also given companies the chance to share good practice and innovative ideas.

Commitment

It is important that an EMS has the support of the senior management within a company and that the management are seen to actively support the notion of reduced environmental impact.

There may be cases where gaining environmental accreditation has been seen as a publicity exercise. This is not a good foundation for fundamental change, however, as schemes can falter once the exercise has been carried out and the organisation shifts its goals to other areas of the business.

An EMS is about setting realistic, useful and challenging objectives for an organisation in a cycle of continuous improvement.

Steps in the EMS process

There are a number of steps an organisation should follow when implementing EMS

• Commitment (see above!)
• Policy
• Planning
• Implementation and operation
• Communication
• Documentation
• Emergency procedures
• Checking and corrective action
• Management review
• Policy

Policy

Many companies now have an environmental policy. This is a statement of their general attitude to environmental aspects of their business and a proclamation of intent to uphold certain values and ideals. SAC have an environmental policy which can be accessed from this page.

Planning

Once you know the general direction you are heading in, the next step is to figure out how you can get there. Companies are now subject to environmental legislation and are required to look at the environmental aspects of their operations and procedures and considering how any impacts could be reduced.

Communication with staff at all levels can help identify practices and protocols that are either misunderstood or poorly controlled by management or staff. In some cases simply explaining why doing things a certain way is important is all that is required.

During discussions objectives and targets can be set which are both fair and achievable. Both technical and management solutions should be considered.

Getting different departments within an organisation to discuss matters they might consider unrelated can lead to new insights and efficiencies. The environmental aspects of a company should be looked at as a system rather than a collection of unrelated operations.

A programme setting out timescales and milestones can then be produced.

Implementation and operation

At this stage it is important that everyone knows their own responsibilities and those of others. If required training in environmental awareness and specific protocols should be provided.

It is important that everyone recognises that the company is committed to this process and it is not merely going through a meaningless paper exercise.

Any equipment purchases or modifications should also be carried out at this stage.

Communication

Once the plan has been implemented it is important the people communicate effectively to ensure a smooth period of transition. If something requires further changes to make it work effectively it is important that this is recognised and corrected, and an attitude of "told you so" does not ensue, undermining the whole system.

Communication of the environmental message should take place before, during and after implementation to ensure that environmental matters maintain a positive thrust rather than petering out due to a lack of feedback.

Documentation

Recording performance and actions throughout the period ensures that the results of changes can be understood and that the process has followed the original plan.

It is important that appropriate methods and paperwork for recording performance and actions are provided so that changes can be judged and progress towards objectives maintained.

Emergency procedures

Accidents do happen and these can have effects on the environment. Any risks that are being taken should be acknowledged and minimised, and a plan of action drawn up in case they occur.

The fuel fires at Luton in 2010 were a case in point, where the identification of some of the fluids in tanks and the protocol for dealing with drainage and contamination of the effected area led to problems for the firefighters and inevitable consequences for the environment.

A "what if" approach should be adopted so that reaction to any situation is quick and effective.

Checking and corrective action

Periodic reviews of whether objectives and targets are being met should be undertaken. It may require changes to procedures or re-allocation of resources to get back on track. This is where carefully considered documentation can help clarify shortcomings in management or processes.

Management review

At the end of the cycle a review of the operation in terms of what has been achieved should be undertaken. A critical analysis of performance against objectives and targets can be carried out, and if the changes are staged over a number of years progress can be assessed.

Opportunities for further improvements should be recognised and fed back into the environmental policy. Once this is done, a further cycle of planning, implementation, communication, etc can be embarked upon.

John Macdonald,
Lecturer