An environmental management system is an approach that allows organizations to identify, monitor, and control their environmental policies.
When such a system is truly effective, it can reduce: material costs (due to less waste); scraps and waste; energy consumption.
The system is also capable of ensuring: compliance with current legislation; a constant search for market opportunities among environmentally conscious customers; increased employee satisfaction, as they actively contribute to maintaining a safe and environmentally friendly workplace.
To continuously improve an environmental management system, periodic audits should be conducted to closely examine daily activities and assess which areas can be enhanced in terms of environmental sustainability.
Such an audit can be very simple and focus on verifying the alignment of work with corporate policies to ensure that every activity is carried out as effectively and efficiently as possible from an environmental standpoint.
For example, it could involve checking whether equipment is left on when not in use for extended periods, what types of waste are disposed of in trash bins, or how often paper is used on only one side.
Taking it a step further, purchasing policies could be reviewed to make them increasingly mindful of environmental aspects, and an assessment could be made of how individual activities within the organization impact the environment and how they can be improved, even slightly (remember, oceans are made up of tiny drops of water!).
Specifically, it is necessary to evaluate the significance of each action’s impact and examine the available options to save resources, reduce costs, and enhance processes. A crucial part of this assessment should focus on identifying potential environmental risks, which may include:
- the storage and use of hazardous substances (irritants, explosives, flammable, corrosive, oxidizing, or carcinogenic materials);
- inadequate heating or cooling of work environments;
- waste disposal;
- air emissions and pollution in general.
By conducting regular, precise assessments, organizations can continuously seek opportunities to improve their environmental impact, leveraging, for example, suggestions from employees working in different areas. These employees, having firsthand experience with daily operations, are often best positioned to identify inefficient practices.