Dear all,
since everybody is talking about process orientation in management systems I wonder if you could give me an example for a core process in environmental management system. I learned that customer orientation idicates a core process. In the matter of quality management systems I do understand, but not in environmental matter.

Thanks a lot,

Grimmet

Dear all,
since everybody is talking about process orientation in management systems I wonder if you could give me an example for a core process in environmental management system. I learned that customer orientation idicates a core process. In the matter of quality management systems I do understand, but not in environmental matter.

One example could be related to environmental release reports. Do you have to make routine reports of quantities released to your regulator? If so, we would want to control that process, from the collection of the data, through the processing and review, to the deliverable to the regulator.

One example could be related to environmental release reports. Do you have to make routine reports of quantities released to your regulator? If so, we would want to control that process, from the collection of the data, through the processing and review, to the deliverable to the regulator.

Thanks Steve,
I'm not sure though, isn't this just a procedure? How do you distinguish procedure and process? I mean, sure we have to prepare several procedures for environmental matters, but what is the new idea of process orientation?

Think generically about the word customer, or substitute stakeholder. In effect a process generates an output (physical, informational, etc.) that someone else wants/needs.

Thanks Steve,
I'm not sure though, isn't this just a procedure? How do you distinguish procedure and process?

I'd say generically that a process may encompass many procedures. And may have links to other processes. For example, we don't just want to report release data, but also minimize the releases themselves. So we may have various waste minimization procedures that have an interaction with the measurement process. The borderlines between procedures, processes, and systems can be fuzzy, but it does help to draw your system boundaries broad and to look at interations that occur. This is the strength of the "process approach" is understanding and managing the interactions.

Dear all,
since everybody is talking about process orientation in management systems I wonder if you could give me an example for a core process in environmental management system. I learned that customer orientation idicates a core process. In the matter of quality management systems I do understand, but not in environmental matter.

Thanks a lot,

Grimmet
Grimmet

What you need to do is to identify and manage the environmental "aspects" of how you run the business - you don't necessarily have "environmental processes" (although a risk assessment would be one), but rather you need to look at how you operate (ie your "processes") and assess what affect they may have on the environment. "Process orientation" is seeing how you do things in terms of start to finish of a job or project rather than what is done in a department. "Core processes" relate to what is key to the business, compliance to chosen standards will affect such processes in different ways.

Dear all,
since everybody is talking about process orientation in management systems I wonder if you could give me an example for a core process in environmental management system. I learned that customer orientation idicates a core process. In the matter of quality management systems I do understand, but not in environmental matter.

Thanks a lot,

Grimmet

Why?

The identification of core processes isn't required so why are you expending resources on the unnecessary?

Grimmet

What you need to do is to identify and manage the environmental "aspects" of how you run the business - you don't necessarily have "environmental processes" (although a risk assessment would be one), but rather you need to look at how you operate (ie your "processes") and assess what affect they may have on the environment. "Process orientation" is seeing how you do things in terms of start to finish of a job or project rather than what is done in a department. "Core processes" relate to what is key to the business, compliance to chosen standards will affect such processes in different ways.

Peter is spot on here.

IMHO the only "core process" of ISO 14001 is environmental risk management for your "business processes":

identifying your hazards(environmental aspects)
defining the applicable law & regulation for that environmental aspect
assessing the control measures in place (training, procedures, work instructions, physical measures, etc.)
assessing the risk of the hazard (taking into account the control measures in place)
defining additional measures required to make sure the environmental risks are acceptable


All other paragraphs of the ISO 14001 relate to the process described above (mostly they specify required organizational control measures).

I attached here an example of a process output (ISO 14001 ) in Stainless Steel production.
I hope may be useful for somebody
By Cavanna

http://www.worldstainless.org/NR/rdonlyres/86F2D770-0096-4C70-9093-7EB930B5D34B/459/LCIGeneralintroductionMay06.pdf

:bigwave:

We kept the identification of processes really simple. We structured them in the same manner as the ISO standard as they were easy for everyone to comprehend. The system is based on the Plan Do Check Act.

1. Management Processes
e.g. Strategic & Business Planning (where all the objectives and targets are determined)
Management Review

2. Resource Management
e.g. Provision of Resources - Training for individuals working for or on behalf of our company.
Planning of Facilities - workspace, equipment, maintenance activities, etc.
Continngency Planning

3. Realization Processes for Manufacturing and/or Service Companies
e.g. Quality Planning; Sales Process; Design & Development; Purchasing, etc.

4. Meaurement, Monitoring & Analysis Processes
e.g. Process Monitoring; Competency Analysis; Audit Program; Continual Improvement.
The results of these processes are assessed at management review. Possibly objectives and targets need to be revised or new ones established.

Please see the attachment for additional information. Hopefully some of this might be helpful.

Jade