Environmental Management System (EMS) in an Organisation

environmental Management System (EMS) in an fundamental law1. How would you summarise the purlieual challenge faced by industry at the current time?Since the start of the industrial age, frugalal growth and the surround have much been in conflict (Florida and Davidson, 2001). Motivated by more than just altruistic concerns (Florida and Davidson 64) umteen companies atomic number 18 now taking go-ahead and incorporating the environment into their business organisation strategy. The environmental challenge to industry comes from a bulky number of sources, but it can generally be narrowed downcast to three leadions, commonly known as the green triangle (Gale, 1996). startly, environmental laws and regulations are forcing industry to improve their environmental act. Secondly, there is a neediness to improve bon ton image (Morrow and Rondinelli, 2002), and pressure comes from customers or voters who are implicated in less environmentally harmful goods or services (Gale, 1996). Thirdly, an environmental challenge comes from the financial, banking and insurance communities who are concerned ab turn up the monetary value of environmental accidents or mismanagement (Gale, 1996). In fact, good environmental management leads to bring down risk which is upliftedly valued by the financial markets (Feldman et al, 1996).2. Describe the relevance of the First Law of Thermodynamics and the Law of Conservation of dope to the economic musical arrangement.The First Law of Thermodynamics is the fundamental principle of physics that the total energy of an discriminate system is constant despite national changes, and the Law of Conservation of Mass is the principle that matter cannot be created or undo. These laws apply to the economic system as an irreducible whole that develops, maintains, and reproduces, or renews itself be mobilizing real(a) and energy captured from the environment (Ho, 2005). This is occurrencely significant to the relationship betw een the environment and economic systems, as the latter essentially depends on the flow of resources from the earthy environment. Therefore, any entropic costs can either be endured by the economic system or the environment. Consequently, when the cost of valuable (non-renewable) ecological resources consumed or destroyed are not properly aspiren into account, the entropic burden falls on the ecological environment rather than on the economic system (Ho, 2005).3. What does the bourn sustainable development mean for industry?The Bruntland Commissions widely apply comment of sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the set up without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs (WCED, 1987 43). It is often argued that this definition is intentionally vague with the intent of creating a consensus. And create a consensus it has no one in their right mind is a weest sustainable development (The Economist, 2002) and many international faces, national and local governments, and businesses have in corporated the concept into their plans. For industry, the depot has extended to include the simultaneous consideration of economic growth, environmental protection, and fond equity in business planning and decision making (Rondinelli and Berry, 2000 1). umpteen businesses, then, have taken on the concept of sustainable development, and have tack into practice business plans that allow them to meet their needs in the drink whilst taking the environment into consideration, thereby ensuring that their industry can continue into the future. any industry that is really striving for sustainable practices must be phasing out its use of substances that are systematically at odds with a sustainable world, while measuring what share of the worlds limited regenerative contentedness is occupied by its use of renewable resources (White, 1999, in OECD, 2001 11).4. What are the subjectiveness benefits for a company flourishin gly responding to the environmental challenge?The potential benefits (economic and environmental) for a company successfully responding to the environmental challenge are too many to include them all, so only a limited selection impart be discussed here. Though the resulting environmental benefits may not create direct economic benefits for the company, the policies attract (and keep) customers by establishing a strong image of corporate responsibility (Morrow and Rondinelli, 2002163). In economic terms, though environmental sensitivity is often viewed as being at odds with cost-effectiveness, a study of organizations that carry out environmental Management Systems (EMS) found that the majority believe the benefits outweigh the drawbacks (Darnall et al, 2001). virtually examples of how reacting to the environmental challenge can save companies money are by improving efficiency and reducing the costs of energy, materials, fines and penalties (Morrow and Rondinelli, 2002 162). A s mentioned previously, a company that can surmount their environmental incidents and liabilities not only gains from losing those fines, but as well as profits from decreasing risk, and becoming more attractive in the financial market.5. Describe the relative advantages of anticipatory controls over continuing controls. exercise examples to adorn your answer.Environmental controls can be described as mechanisms that are used to limit environmental harm. A fundamental aspect of designing an EMS system is developing the controls that will be used. Environmental aspects (see below) must be determine to determine the specific deftness operations and activities associated with significant environmental aspects (The Lexington Group, 2005 40). From this, suspend control procedures can be created for each activity to limit environmental impacts.Anticipatory controls are more advantageous than continuing controls because they allow an organization to attempt to avoid environmental ha rm in the first place, and take into account potential, impending environmental harm. If controls are changed in anticipation of a possible environmental impact, this control can attempt to curb revile before it happens. The alternative is continuing control that only changes after an issue causes environmental damage and proves that the controls need to be changed. Given the irreversibility of much environmental damage, the advantage of anticipatory controls seems clear.6. How would you describe the relationship between environmental aspects and impacts? Use examples to illustrate your answer.The ISO 14001 definition of environmental aspects are features or characteristics of an activity, product or service that affect, or can affect, the environment (Praxiom query Group, 2005), and environmental impacts are changes to the environment that can be positive or negative (Praxiom query Group, 2005). Environmental impacts are produced by environmental aspects. For example, many indu stries often overcompensate oil or other hazardous materials. When these activities are taking place, a possible environmental aspect is the potential for accidental spillage (The Lexington Group, 2005 35). The effect of this environmental aspect, or the environmental impact, is the contamination of soil or wet (The Lexington Group, 2005 35). When determining the significance of an environmental aspect, it is important to take into consideration the probability, scale, severity, duration, and cost of reduction, of the environmental impact (The Lexington Group, 2005).7. What is the role of the Environmental Policy and how is it defined by the International Organisation for Standardization (ISO)?An Environmental Management System (EMS) is a systematic approach for managing an organizations environmental issues and opportunities (The Lexington Group, 2005 15). The heart and head (same as last) of the EMS is the environmental form _or_ system of government, defined by the ISO as a s tatement that expresses a commitment to the implementation and maintenance of an organizations environmental management system and the improvement of its overall environmental performance (Praxiom Research Group, 2005 1). The role of environmental policy is to prevent any environmental damage, as well as to ensure any industry is detect any legal or other requirements. An environmental policy should in like musical mode craft environmental goals, and function as a basic manikin for action.8. What training needs should be considered when implementing an environmental management system (EMS)? potent training programs, including those that raise the environmental awareness levels of all people in the organization, are a critically important element in implementing and maintaining the EMS (The Lexington Group, 2005 14). A training program must deal with the importance of the environmental policy with all of the employees, as they must understand and sleep together the commitments f or the EMS to be successful (Anthony, 2001 4). Additionally, for an EMS to be successful, all employees must appreciate and comprehend their particular roles and responsibilities, as well as the possible consequences of not following operating procedures (The Lexington Group, 2005 25). Employees of a given organization should be able to associate and understand how their particular function fits into the wider environmental policy (Anthony, 2001). Depending on who uses or has access to the installment, it may also be advisable to train people other than internal staff, or at least raise their awareness of the EMS (Anthony, 2001).9. What role does canvass play within an EMS and what are the key features of a successful scrutinize?An audit within the EMS system is a systematic, documented, objective review of the manner in which environmental aspects of a program, project, facility or corporation are being managed (APPEGA, 2004 7). The audit is necessary both to determine the desig n of the EMS at the start, as well as evaluate the progress of the EMS on a continual basis. An environmental audit at the start ensures that an industry has a good understanding of its environmental effects before it designs a competent strategy to reduce its impact (OECD, 2001 41). The EMS audit is a crucial necessity for any facilitys EMS to ensure that the facility is meeting the requirements of the EMS, and that it is being properly kill and sustained (The Lexington Group, 2005). For an audit to be successful, it is resilient that it be independent, objective and cold-eyed (Praxiom Research Group, 2005). A sound audit must also shrink on priorities, such as particular operations that are associated with high risk, or activities that were singled out in a previous audit.10. How might you gain elderly management flattery for the implementation of an EMS and why is such sycophancy important?The Lexington Group, a management consulting firm, states that gaining the full and complete support of senior management is the single most important challenge in establishing a formal EHS management system in an organization or facility. Without the full support of the senior management, an EMS is unlikely to succeed. For example, senior management may approve an EMS but not really be committed, with environmental ripple being rhetoric rather than reality (The Lexington Group, 200547). An EMS may not be a high priority because the senior management does not recognize the potential benefits. Making the case about the benefits of an EMS may be vital to gaining genuine senior management support. Presenting an account of improved community relations, higher(prenominal) employee productivity, reduced safety incidents, and reduced insurance premiums, all within the mannikin of cost-reduction, may be the means of gaining the necessary senior management approval (The Lexington Group, 2005).Works CitedAnthony, A (2001) ISO 14001 Environmental Policy (4.2), available fro m http//www.deq.virginia.gov/ems/pdf/mod5.pdfAPPEGA (2004) requireline for Environmental Practice, available from http//www.apegga.org/pdf/Guidelines/18.pdfDarnall et al (2001) Environmental management systems Opportunities for improved environmental and business strategy?, Environmental Quality Management, 9(3) pp 1-9.The Economist (2002) The Johannesburg Summit Sustaining the poors development, 29 August 2002.Feldman, S, Soyka, P. and Ameer, P (1996) Does Improving a Firms Environmental Management System and Environmental Performance Result in a Higher Stock Price?, ICF Kaiser International.Florida, R and Davidson, D (2001) Gaining from thousand Management Environmental management systems inside and outside the factory, calcium Management Review, 43 (3) pp 64-65Gale, R (1996) ISO 14001 to Tackle Green Triangle, available from www.web.net/ecoeco/iso14000.htmHo, Mae-Wan (2005) are frugal Systems Like Organisms?, available from www.i-sis.org.uk/hannove.phpThe Lexington Group (200 5), Best Practice Guide Application of ISO 14000 Environmental Management Systems (EMSs) for Municipalities, available from http//www.iie.org/programs/energy/pdfs/Applic%20ISO%2014000%20for%20Municipalities.pdfMorrow, D and Rondinelli, D (2002) Adopting Corporate Environmental Management Systems Motivations and Results of ISO 14001 and EMAS Certification, European Management Journal, 20(2), pp 159-171OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) (2001) Encouraging Environmental Management in Industry, Science, Technology, Industry credit line and Industry Policy Forum Series, available from http//www.oecd.org/dataoecd/10/32/2090553.pdfPraxiom Research Group (2005), ISO 14001 2004 Plain English Definitions, available from www.praxiom.comRondinelli, D and Berry, M (2000), Environmental citizenship in multinational corporations social responsibility and sustainable development, Chapel pile University of North Carolina.WCED (1987) Our Common Future, the Brundtland Rep ort, Oxford Oxford University Press.