Benchmarking The Worst in Business

[cokyat]

I just want to share this...usualy when I visited a company to conduct a benchmarking, I normaly would recommend to visit the worst in business, contrary to what is the exact definition of benchmarking, that is, to set a standard based on the observed good practice from a company visit or tour. Through this, I can come up with a report that states...what this company lacks and what should NOT be done in the company that I work with, say for example, last month we came to a remote place in the Philippines to visit a Plating Company and since the purpose of our visit is mainly to benchmark their process parameters in Electroplating, I took a close observation on how they manage their Waste Disposal...I took this oportunity to observe because we are planning to have our ISO14001:2004 certification by November, 2006. During the visit, I observed that they just throw their used Chromium waste in the sewage without treating them, I also discovered that, after the plant tour, I read the Department of Env. and Natural Resources (DENR),local standards, Chromium is one of the chemicals in the priority list. and therefore must not be disposed in the sewage without proper treatment.

I concluded that therefore, that during a benchmarking activity, you also need to observe the BAD PRACTICES and will later help you in the business...


Stay cool!!!

[RosieA]

Yikes, Cokyat! What a find!

This company might want to check in with some of the US companies now paying big bucks to clean up area waterways or ground water that they've polluted over the years. An ounce of prevention = a pound of cure.

Certainly, any visit to another company helps to show you the things they do both good and bad.

I'd try to avoid using that plater if I were you. Sometimes companies have to be hit in the pocketbook before they act "responsibly"

[Sidney Vianna]

Originally Posted by cokyat

I took this oportunity to observe because we are planning to have our ISO14001:2004 certification by November, 2006. During the visit, I observed that they just throw their used Chromium waste in the sewage without treating them, I also discovered that, after the plant tour, I read the Department of Env. and Natural Resources (DENR),local standards, Chromium is one of the chemicals in the priority list. and therefore must not be disposed in the sewage without proper treatment.

I don't know the state of Environmental regulation and the enforcement of such laws in the Philippines, but from what you describe, the organization is violating some laws. I do hope that you take action, once you became aware of such despicable practices. Just another example of irresponsibility promoted under the auspices of "progress" and globalization.

[Ajit Basrur]

Incidently, Chromium is one of the Restricted Substances as listed in the RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) directive, http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/pri/en/oj/dat/2003/l_037/l_03720030213en00190023.pdf#search='rohs%20directive'

In fact one of my gurus for Internal Auditing had told me to keep all senses fully activated viz. the eyes, ears and nose

[cokyat]

Yes Sidney...
This has to be reported to the authorities and the company who made such violation must be informed not because this company is not aware of the requirements of ISO14001 does not mean that they are exempted from the law.There are a lot of companies/plants here in the Philippines which are being shut down because of bad practices and just recently I read a news saying one big and famous fastfood company was closed by the Department of Environment because of disposing voluminous amount of used cooking oil in the sewage.

[cokyat]

Originally Posted by Qualityalways

Incidently, Chromium is one of the Restricted Substances as listed in the RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) directive, http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/pri/en/oj/dat/2003/l_037/l_03720030213en00190023.pdf#search='rohs%20directive'

In fact one of my gurus for Internal Auditing had told me to keep all senses fully activated viz. the eyes, ears and nose

TRUE