Are you looking for ways to improve the effectiveness of your environmental management system (EMS) implementation? These two essential strategies can make the difference between success and failure.
Strategy One: Support from senior management
The whole organisation from the top down must understand the benefits of implementing an EMS and the importance of working together to make it a success. To make this happen, it is crucial to:
- Identify who will be involved in the project, from management to operational teams.
- Raise awareness about EMS among all stakeholders to make sure everyone understands the benefits and their role in contributing to a successful implementation. Sharing success stories from other organisations can give project members a better understanding and greater confidence.
- Secure the commitment of senior management from start to finish and engage them in regular progress reviews.
- Incorporate your EMS goals into your company’s environmental policy for a sustainable approach.
Strategy Two: Connecting the dots
Implementing an Environmental Management System requires a project manager to take overall responsibility, but to keep the project ‘alive’ and ensure its long-term success, responsibility for day-to-day implementation should be shared across the whole organisation. To achieve this, the project manager should:
- Coordinate with representatives from the different departments involved in the project to set goals. For example, in a textile factory, the purchasing department can work with the EMS project manager to set sustainable objectives for the purchasing of raw materials.
- Communicate progress internally and externally through formal reports and informal discussions with other managers.
- Acknowledge the contribution of those who help to achieve the organisation’s environmental objectives – this can have a positive impact by motivating employees to become involved in the EMS project.
Be proactive in adopting innovative approaches to enhance the organisation’s environmental management by staying up to date with industry best practice and what competitors are doing to address current and upcoming environmental challenges.
Engage with customers about relevant projects and how they will benefit.