Environmental Management

Many organizations and businesses now recognize that environmental issues, whether compliance with regulations, meeting the environmental goals of clients and customers or ensuring their operation is conducted in an environmentally sustainable manner, form a key part of their operation and should be addressed within their management structure. The environmental management formats can range from a “compliance officer” to “vice-president of environmental affairs” and operate within a broad range of structural formats through to a system (EMS) that is registered under ISO 14001 (www.iso.org).

The first and most critical stage is developing a corporate policy, with supporting documentation, that sets out the goals and objectives of the activity. A trained environmental management specialist can then work with management to identify the aspects and associated environmental impacts that define the enterprise or activity. Then working with management, objectives can be defined (e.g., must ensure the wastewater meets a specific COD or BOD concentration) and thus targets and goals as to providing a continued improvement in environmental performance. Many organizations now include in their annual reports, a discussion of their environmental performance, how they met their current goals and how they plan to meet future objectives. These targets and objectives are routinely linked to corporate expenditures and revenues.

In the 1980’s, most organizations and corporations ensured that they complied with one or more regulations and permits. Gradually, larger organizations recognized that good environmental stewardship meant more than just meeting regulations; it meant defining individual goals and ensuring an environmentally sustainable operation. As larger organizations and corporations set up environmental management systems, they required their suppliers to also have matching systems, so that a product or service could be reviewed in terms of its life cycle and the associated impact on the environment.

Land & Sea Environmental Consultants Ltd. includes senior staff that are trained and certified Environmental Auditors and Environmental Management System Auditors, the latter as recognized under the ISO system. Staff have worked with large industrial corporations, government agencies and small corporations to set up various environmental management systems and to assist in meeting goals and objectives. Staff have also worked with groups to meet the requirements for ISO 14001 registration.

To assist in implementation of an EMS, Land & Sea can work with staff by providing awareness seminars, various training courses, specific training for internal auditors and/or a review of organizational structure and job requirements.