ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (EMS)

The Environmental Management Systems composed of about 12 standards – was first conceptualized when the Rio Summit on the Environment held in 1992 generated a commitment to protect the environment across the world. The environmental field emerged as a steady growth of national and regional standards. The British Standards Institution has BS 7750, while European Union has environmental management auditing, eco-labeling plus the eco-management and audit regulations. 

The increasing awareness on environmental impact is an outcry that is far more intensified by the combined efforts of the local and national governments, regulators, trade associations, customers, employees, and shareholders.

The standard is not limiting; it is relevant to all types and sizes of organizations and is designed for diverse geographical, cultural, and social conditions. ISO 14001 is relevant to every organization, including: single site to large multinational companies; high risk companies to low risk service organizations; manufacturing, process and the service industries, including local governments; all industry sectors including public and private sectors; and original equipment manufacturers and their suppliers.

Advantages of EMS

To further understand the importance and benefits of Environmental Management Systems (EMS), I visited manufacturing plants and government agencies as case study. I further learned there are numerous advantages incurred: Improved management of environmental impacts; set targets to reduce energy use, water use and waste to landfill; initiated and maintain procedures to improve efficiencies; defined key responsibilities for achieving targets; regularly assess progress towards achieving set objectives; ensures due diligence and on-going consideration of legal and other environmental requirements; monitor and measures environmental performance against key indicators; achieve cost savings; show leadership, nationally and/or internationally; obtain competitive advantage; compliance as required by clients, customers and/or regulators; and build goodwill from customers, employees and stakeholders.  

Environmental Management Systems verifies compliance with current legislation and makes insurance cover more accessible. Moreover, it helps produce objectives for improvement and a management program to achieve them, with regular reviews for continual improvement. 

There is no law that mandates companies in the Philippines to be Environmental Management Systems (EMS) certified. However, there are listed Philippines Environmental Laws that must be strictly complied by any nature and size of organization as guided and monitored by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Local Government Units. EMS ensures that organization is compliance through the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle of the EMS towards continual improvement. The following are enlisted Philippine Environmental Laws that is strictly monitored by the DENR and NGOs for strict compliance: 

• Republic Act 6969 Toxic Substances, Hazardous and Nuclear Waste Control Act of 1990
• Republic Act 9003 Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000
• Republic Act 9275 Philippine Clean Air Act of 2004
• Republic Act 8749 Philippine Clean Water Act of 1999
• Presidential Decree 1586 Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) Statement of 1978

Implementing an EMS generally turns the favour to the company in terms of the bottom line. Cost savings and reduced expenses, liabilities, insurance premiums, and waste management costs can be made through improved product quality, competitiveness, and enhance market responsiveness.

Challenges of EMS in the Philippines

To date, there are 14,000 companies worldwide certified to Environmental Management Systems and majority are from Japan (2,600), Germany (1,600), United Kingdom (1,200), Sweden (650), USA (590), Taiwan (500), Netherlands (475), Korea (460), Switzerland (400) and France (360). 

There are companies in the Philippines that are Environmental Management Systems (EMS) certified. However, priority is not given emphasis. As inquired, most company in the Philippines are Chines owned, and if Chinas has no considerations in protecting their own environment, how much more of the Philippines. In support to this analysis, it is through enough based on my personal experience auditing our Chinese owned suppliers; as auditor, I question their views on ISO 14001:2004 and plans of being certified? 100% of them have set it as least priority and that they view it as waste of money. Furthermore, they are after profit as they deliver products that comply with customer requirements. In addition, there are five (5) more road blocks identified for EMS implementation success in the Philippines:

1.      Budget and Allocation are not typical or private sector – Budget allotment for EMS certification requires serious amount of investment. Training alone will cost P 30,000.00 to complete an EMS course from awareness program, documentation and auditing; third party accreditation fee will ranges from P100, 000.00 to P250, 000.00 depending on choice third party service provider; and the amount required for restoration, improvement of building infrastructures enable to comply with the system. 

Example: The Cleanway Technology in Silang, Cavite; during our field trip, I was able to asked their coordinator on investment they put in to be ISO 14001:2004 certified and the answer was approximately P600,000.00 inclusive of equipment and facilities upgrade.

2.      Changing Priorities Overtime – EMS certification is always on the least priorities of every company unless required by some of their major customers. Management has always thought of equipment upgrade, technology acquisition, research and development of products which is an endless commitment with fast pace of technology and development turnover. 

3.      Frequent Changes in Leadership and their goods – In the corporate and manufacturing set-up there is a rapid change over and movement of personnel in particular to management level, either for promotion and/or pirated by other companies, thus, pending EMS programs immediately puts on hold with changes of leadership that has other set of priorities.

Example: Cleanway Technology – In 2009 the company was bombarded with environmental issues and concerns by the Eco Waste Coalition and the Green Peace Movement due to hazardous waste found on their waste water effluents. The same year, there was a complete changes made of leadership and management team, and evidently they geared towards environment protection with its combined Quality Management System and Environmental Management System certification. 

4.      Finding the best element to motivate employees – Whenever we speak of certification the first thing that employees think of  was additional job, Key Performance Index (KPI) monitoring and more sleepless nights. In reality. EMS certification requires a tedious work to begin with, and each key personnel are given task in documenting, checking and monitoring requirements in reference to ISO 14001:2004. Encouraging employees to participate is difficult enough specially if there is no wage increase involve.

5.      Lack of familiarity

 Case Study

  

(1) Landbank of the Philippines

Environmental Policy

In pursuit of its role as the dominant Financial Institution in country side development, LANDBANK shall adhere to actively promote environmental protection and sustainable development by incorporating effective environmental management practices in all its agrarian and banking operations, services and decisions.

Commitment: Comply with applicable environmental laws, regulations and covenants that it subscribes to.

Metric: 94% energy efficiency rating under the National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Program in Government Buildings and was awarded the Blue Rating Recognition by the Laguna Lake Development Authority with respect for the Bank's compliance to environmental standards and regulatory requirements.

Commitment: Implement effective pollution control and waste management programs, practice conservation of natural resources and conduct appropriate environmental risk assessment and management.

Metrics: "Proper Use of LANDBANK facilities", "Anti-Smoke Belching Campaign Program" wherein the Bank coordinates with DENR for the implementation of a free annual emission and refrigerant testing for its Bank-leased vehicles and employee-owned vehicles, "No Smoking Policy" and "Emergency Preparedness and Response Program". 

Commitment: Enjoin its employees to be aware and be actively involved in the implementation of its environmental management system (EMS); inform and influence its stakeholders including clients, suppliers and business partners to align with bank’s EMS program.  

Metrics: Green Procurement, Manila Bay Clean Up, Adopt-a-watershed

(2) Corrugated Carton Manufacturing Company

EMS Project No.1: Expanding Use of Alternative Paper Grades via Optimization of Furnish Formulation

With customers demand of high quality products, accumulated rejects and production scrap that created a problem in solid waste management and demand for material availability that meets standard requirements; The company had decided to 100% recycle scrap and rejects and convert it to paper roll designed to cater their demands and needs. The project had been successful that generated positive return of investment.

Sustainable Development Advantage

Environment	Reduced resources: every ton of recycled paper saves almost 400 gallons of oil, three cubic yards of landfill space, and 17 trees Compliance to Republic Act 9003 Ecological Waste Management Act of 2003
Economic	Annual Savings: P9,216,000.00 Competitive Cost Production of Quality Paper Roll Ensures Material Availability to cater customer needs
Social	10% of acquired savings is rewarded to project proponents Competency and career growth Incentives

EMS Project No. 2: Reducing Fuel Consumption by Utilizing Cassava Starch for Glue Formulation

To produce a corrugated board you need to have heat, paper roll and adhesive. In 2007 marks the great recession fuel price was marked at its highest price and followed in price hike of all commodities such as corn starch that is used for adhesive. In response, the management ordered to reduce fuel consumption. The EMS team came up of hitting two birds with one stone by utilizing cassava starch (that is cheaper) instead of corn starch. The structure of Cassava starch is much shallow that it requires less heat and water to reach its gel point which is critical to any form of adhesive. 

 

 Sustainable Development Advantage

Environment	Reduced fuel consumption from 32.90 Li/Mt (2007) to 24.58 Li/MT (2008) Reduced emission of greenhouse gases Compliance to Republic Act 9275 Philippine Clean Air Act of 2004 Reduction of chemical usage
Economic	Annual Savings: P5,900,000.00 Maximized usage of cassava starch at cheaper cost
Social	10% of acquired savings is rewarded to project proponents Competency and career growth Incentives Generates income to local farmers of cassava

(3) Glass Manufacturing Company

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PROJECTS 2007

GOAL	METRIC
Installation of two water tanks (23,000 ltr ea.) to run wash booths by May 2007. Estimated saving of 2,000 liters / Production Day	% Reduction of Domestic Water Consumption; Support Sustainable Development Metric
Reduce lighting energy consumption in L1 by 20% compared to 2006	Conversion of hot water boiler to solar paneled unit outdoor cleaning blocks by July 2007
Raising (environmental) awareness for all employees by conducting training awareness session by April 2007	Training Completed
Develop and improve documentation process which records “Recycling –Only” waste in metric tonnes/pa for Cavite operation to achieve Sustainable Development metric of 25% of total waste	Process in place

EMS Continual Improvement Projects:

•  Maintain ISO 14001:2004
• Implement Solar Hot Water System
• Solar light for Sign
• Replacement of possible asbestos containing doors at Building B
• Removal of Asbestos cladding
• Fluro tubes recycling
• Upgrade underground diesel tank system

EMS Research Project: Beach in a Bottle

Glass is one of the most challenging materials to recycle. While uses of recycled glass have been developed – glasscaping and landscaping – many cities incur net costs to recycle the materials; to combat higher costs, they had studied using recycled glass to renourish the county’s beaches and coastal water. 

Using recycled glass as a supplement to sand for beach renourishment is attractive because of its potentially reduced cost compared to natural sand. By also helping to solve a waste disposal issue, using recycled glass for beach sand could truly be a win-win situation.

Geotechnical comparisons of sand and glass were conducted. Samples of beach sand and processed cullet were analysed to compare grain, size distribution, color, carbonate content and grain angularity. The recycled glass cullet and natural sand were found to be geologically compatible.

(4) Electronics Company

Four (4) “R” of Greening

REDUCE	Making use of natural lighting before using electric lights Changing incandescent bulbs to compact fluorescent lamps  Digitizing documents whenever possible to reduce paper consumption  Exchanging gas guzzling vehicles for fuel-efficient diesel vehicles that can partly use bio-diesel Considering allowing some employees to work from home which reduces their need to use transportation going to and from the workplace
REUSE	Refilling of printer ink cartridges  Refurbishing old furniture Reusing reusable coffee mugs and other dishware and eliminating disposable plastic and Styrofoam dishware
RECYCLE	Effective recycling of Fluorescent Light Fixture: Aluminum from tube ends is subsequently recycled into cast products such as ingot used for foundry application Phosphor powder from the fluorescent tubes is used in the manufacture of fertilizer products being sold into Australia’s agriculture industry Glass from the tubes and lamps are separated and recycled into glass wool used to insulate homes Mercury is distilled from the separated powders and then re-used in the manufacture of dental amalgam
REFOREST	Treebank Project Adopt-A-Hectare Project