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9001 - QS-9001 Information Exchange
Subject: PART 1: ISO 14000 SURVEY - Feb-1997
Date: Wed, 19 Feb 1997 20:42:18
-0500
From: "MJ \"Mark\" Saarelainen" <mjsus@ix.netcom.com>
To: (Recipient list suppressed)
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PART 1: ISO 14000 SURVEY RESULTS - 2/19/97
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Question 1: What are top management's typical attitudes toward environmental management and improvement in your opinion?
"Top management is committed to continuous improvement. They also agree that environment is important for the future of the organization but up to now there is no much exigencies from clients."
"Skeptical, looking for economic justification, finding it in design-for-environment more than cost savings."
"MANAGEMENT IS PROACTIVE TOWARDS IMPROVEMENT THAT PROVIDES RESULTS ON THE BOTTOM LINE. ONE OF THEIR CONCERNS FOCUSES AROUND THE COST OF IMPLEMENTATION OF ANY SYSTEM, ENVIRONMENTAL OR NOT. ANOTHER AREA OF CONCERN IS THE ISSUE THAT THERE IS VERY LITTLE INFORMATION OR CASE STUDIES THAT DOCUMENT THE BENEFITS."
"They were involved and see the importance of this topic"
"Our production and our products are inherently environmental friendly, therefore the institutionalized "environmental management is redundant"
"I am the primary motivator toward ISO 14000 compliance because the great benefits of our ISO 9002 Quality Management System will be very beneficial in the environmental arena. However, in most cases top management's attitude is: "We are busy and it will cost money. Show me the competitive reasons or the trade barriers or the financial benefits."
"Do what we have to for regulatory compliance."
"Not ANOTHER policy statement!' and other disparaging remarks."
"Top mgt. of the bigger companies (MNCs) are aware and support it in their biz plan. The small biz are busy taking care of the bottom-line and may not focus on the green issues."
"IMHO ONLY... very concerned from both a physical and emotional perspective. Physically, our organization won an International award in 1996 for environmental awareness and engineering. This award measures not only the degree of "environmental friendliness" of the products, but the manufacturing process, facilities, personnel contributions, etc. Emotionally, we strive constantly to provide training, opportunities, community involvement, etc. to foster and improve the emotional well being of our employees and neighbors."
"Top management's typical attitudes towards environmental management and improvement: Our management is very supportive of our efforts to appropriately manage our environmental requirements, impacts and commitments. To improve our environmental performance, goals for emissions reductions are established and appropriate resources are applied to meet the goals."
"It is similar to training/education. When the "bean counters" need to find a place to trim the budget, these programs are the first to go. The logic is that there is not a good benefit/cost relationship."
"By late March 1997, Secretary of Energy nominee, Federico Peña, could sign a department memorandum/policy statement that encourages DOE contractors to implement an environmental management system (EMS) based on ISO 14001. While the memorandum, addressed to DOE secretarial officers and operations office managers, does not contain mandatory language, it encourages DOE operations to consider ISO 14001 as a tool for demonstrating improved environmental performance to stakeholders."
"Response: There is presently a mixed set of attitudes. Some larger companies are embracing ISO 14,000 as part of a strategic environmental management strategy and integrating it into business decisions. Others have opted a somewhat resentful attitude toward the effort to make ISO 14,000 sound like it is an absolute requirement to do business. There is a third attitude set that is fearful of ISO 14,000 as it may represent added cost and commitment of scarce human resources. Bottom line? The Educational institutions (read us) need to get the factual word out about ISO 14,000 as another tool and not just another set of Regs. The response of industry is quite similar to their response to ISO 9001 when those standards first came out."
"Very superficial. There is no clear thinking as to the importance for the organization or the community (environment). Mostly it is seen as something "we will end up doing because it will be required in order to stay in business".
"Our top management has been unaware of importance of corporate environmental consideration and implementation of ISO14001 or BS7750, but he is realizing a situation around him that leading companies have great interest in corporate environmental control and certification of ISO14001 or BS7750."
"The top management of the company was driven towards certification to BS 7750 by legal compliance primarily. Following a water pollution prosecution for breach of discharge consent, the company was fined a small amount, but received bad local publicity. Top management saw accreditation as a means of cleaning up their act and being seen to do so. Also at higher Group level, a dictate was issued that all manufacturing units would be operating an EMS by 1997. Note the dictate did not specify an accredited EMS. I would say from this, that in this particular company, that top management viewed EMS as a complementary system to ISO 9001 that would enable them to receive some protection from negligence actions, avoid bad publicity due to pollution incidents, and save money off the bottom line in waste management rationalization. This was demonstrated at other manufacturing units."
"Today fewer company top management officials feel an obligation to the environment than was believed and/or practiced prior to 1992. Wise corporate management today has begun the process of integrating ISO 9001 AND ISO 14000 based operating standards into their business processes."
"In Spain, management is not aware of what environmental management entails. Most tend to ignore it since enforcement is close to non-existence. The only firms that are involved in some form of environmental management tend to be multinationals and a few large companies such as the sparkling wine producers who export abroad."
"Positive, supportive and care"
"Not Aware of ISO 14000, and have even backed away from ISO 9001"
"Big multinationals: The importance in the longer term is recognized, but not "yet" the most important focus area. "
"SME's: without indicating clear business benefits such as productivity increase, EM is considered an additional bureaucratic burden only."
"We wait and we watch. We don't intend to break any laws but also don't aim for 'market-leadership' in environmental management initiatives. In the lower echelons the awareness with respect to environmental management is growing slow but steady."
"Variable, but as long as money can be saved (at limited or no additional cost) they tend to go along"
"Positive in general, but not many visible commitments."
"Depends on the country ore part of world, but from Scandinavia, they are positive if: A. They think it is money to save B. The market demand is obvious In China and India they are positive if; A. They really think it gives benefits from to the environment In Eastern Europe it is different from the above."
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Question 2: Has your top management defined and/or documented its environmental policy and objectives?
"THE TREND WE HAVE NOTICED IS THAT TOP MANAGEMENT HAS REVISED THEIR POLICIES AND OBJECTIVES, BROADENED THEIR VISION REGARDING THEIR ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES AND OBJECTIVES."
"Yes on a high level"
"Environmental policy/objectives: Our environmental policy is included in an overall environmental, health and safety policy. This policy is supported by management and widely distributed. Environmental objectives are established at the divisional level and presented to management for their approval and support."
"Yes, we have an environmental policy statement. Each commanding officer changes a word or two and underlines for his effect. We just set our first real objectives. The are not per ISO 14001 but they are a start."
"Response: As an educational institution, our policy relates to developing educational programs and offering technical support to companies to implement ISO 14,000 strategies."
"Only a select few major corporations have begun and/or completed this process. It has been my observation that only those corporations who have incurred significant monetary fines in the past and the environmentally proactive companies have developed and implemented environmental policy objectives."
"Under preparation"
"Only in very general terms."
"A policy exists at group level but is not very specific. The manufacturing unit in question is still deciding whether to pursue accreditation. No objectives have been defined."
"No. The present activity consists of learning what is going on."
"No"
"I am running a small EM consultancy (5 persons), and we haven't created any other environmental policy except our mission "to increase environmental consciousness among our clients". Objectives relate to customer satisfaction. "
"No. A big company usually has some environmental organization to control conformance to environmental legislation, which will help top management have little attention to environmental issues."
"Definitely, both in ISO standards and in personal memos from the CEO."
"Rarely"
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Question 3: Are you currently integrating or planning to integrate both quality management (ISO 9001) and environmental management (ISO 14000) systems?
"Yes. I have three clients who are currently in the process of developing and integrating both management systems."
"Yes, we are planning to integrate the two together"
"No"
"Integration of ISO 9001 and 14000: We are considering the integration of these systems, where appropriate. Because our ISO 9001 systems were established at the divisional level, integration of 14000 will be determined at a divisional level."
"THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE FIRMS WE PROVIDE SERVICES TO (ISO14000) ALREADY HAVE IN PLACE SOME TYPE OF QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM. WHAT WE ARE SEEING IS THE USE OF THE QUALITY SYSTEMS COMPONENTS TO IMPLEMENT THE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS. BOTH 9001 AND 14000 HAVE A VAST AREA OF DUPLICITY THAT COMPANIES HAVE RECOGNIZED AND ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE."
"We have integrated ISO 9001. We think to do it step by step. I think that we over a few year go for ISO 14000."
"Not directly, but in many customer projects yes."
"I am attempting top do this with my clients. I just got and read the 14000 document and plan to integrate it with Qs/ISO 9001 implementation projects. I have already started this at one client facility."
"This is still largely unanswered, although in my PER report, I recommended that the EMS be run by the quality manager, who would have overall responsibility for the documentation and Environmental Management programme, although the "legwork" would be done by the H&S adviser, who has a strong interest in environmental matters from a professional viewpoint. I feel that in this company, quality and environment management systems would be easily integrated, and that this would be the best way for them to go, as the company understands ISO 9001 well. The question of H&S integration is much more thorny.
"Currently not. In the future, let's say between now and 2 years I expect some developments in this area. In the Netherlands there is a trend to integrate management systems for quality, environment and also occupational health and safety. That is, what I intend to do, step by step."
"ISO 14000 is being integrated into as many of the existing systems as possible. In many cases, the ISO 14000 documentation refers to ISO 9001 documents."
"Many companies in the UK have 9001, so the majority implementing (or planning to implement) 14001 build on 9001"
"No at the moment. I will introduce Seiwa Manufacturing, a Japanese small company to manufacture minimized welding machines which recently expressed management policy that they would establish an integrated management system in conformance to both ISO9001 and ISO14001 and get integrated certification in 1998. A Japanese big company has difficulties of management system integration because of sectionalism i.e. quality assurance and environmental control sections in separation between which have poor communication and cooperation. A small company is free from such sectional barrier and top management can play company-wide and effective control."
"We are currently integrating both ISO systems. Your posts have been instrumental in this development."
"Yes as a consultant for companies in Scandinavia."
"We are not at the point of implementing either system."
"We have already done a diagnosis, evaluation of the management of environmental subject in our organization. The conclusion is that we have already 60 % of an environment management system to be certified according to ISO 14.001. So we intend to implement a system and get ISO 14001 CERTIFICATION next year. "
***********************************
M J 'Mark' Saarelainen
P.O.Box 1672, Roswell, GA 30077, USA
Tel: USA-(770)-998-7855
FAX: USA-(770)-232-1425
Email: mjsus@ix.netcom.com
DISCLAIMER:
No thought written in this message is a statement of any
organization by which I am employed or for which I work.
Subject: PART 2: ISO 14000 SURVEY RESULTS - 2/22/97
Date: Sat, 22 Feb 1997 15:39:02 -0500
From: "MJ \"Mark\" Saarelainen" <mjsus@ix.netcom.com>
To: (Recipient list suppressed)
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PART 2: ISO 14000 SURVEY RESULTS - 2/22/97
**********************
Question 1: What are top management's typical attitudes toward environmental management and improvement in your opinion?
"Top management believes that environmental management is being taken care of (and it is), but the orientation is very end-of-pipe. Significant improvements have taken place in the last 20 years."
"I am not sure in other companies, but in ours, the top management is very serious about environmental management and has established critical success factors and declared accountability for management's performance against these corporate EHS policies, goals, and objectives."
"CYNICAL"
"Not going to get serious about it until there are sufficient market drivers...."
"Our top management really begin to change his mind about environmental management and improvement , but the problem don't change, the cost !!"
"Embraced, as a prime 'corporate goal', but not evident in management practice or leadership, beyond reactivity to political agenda. Hence, suggested improvements live or die according to perceived political gain."
"A negative one, justifying it by arguments like "It is expensive", it is a lengthy process". etc."
"There are no typical attitudes! The spectrum goes from a very progressive point of view, that includes ethical values, and strives to gain real competitive advantages on the long run, to a very reactive behavior that is only forced by the notion "if we don't do it, they will kick us out of the market. But I don't see any sense in it"
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Question 2: Has your top management defined and/or documented its environmental policy and objectives?
"Yes, we have a public environmental policy. Objectives are mostly dealing with regulatory requirements."
"Yes."
"Actually, we're at the end of redaction phase, and we intend to begin the pre-audit nearly in the month of may."
"NO"
"A subordinate section (mine) has defined a policy and is pushing it forward. Government bureaucracy has been slow overall to adopt ISO14000 (and ISO 9001). Goes through a process of suspicion; lip service; career opportunism; and finally, if you are lucky, actual pursuit and embrace. Members of our senior management are variously placed through that spectrum: those of us pushing from below await the messiah."
"I can speak, for example, for the companies that are in our project to integrate QMS and EMS, and yes, indeed, they all did. But all companies that are striving to certify according to ISO 14001 or EMAS are doing this."
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Question 3: Are you currently integrating or planning to integrate both quality management (ISO 9001) and environmental management (ISO 14000) systems?
"We do plan to integrate the ISO 9002 and ISO 14001 systems as much as possible."
"Some of our operating units have already integrated ISO 14000 with their ISO 9001 systems. However, in the corporate office, we have not yet done so. Once we have successfully become certified to ISO 9001, it is anticipated that we will integrate existing EHS policies with this system."
"NO"
"No. Not organizationally. Status quo is considered adequate: systems hinder political opportunism and reactivity. ISO 14000 is the only 'quality' type initiative in the organization at present or for the foreseeable future, but I am hopeful of exciting others to adopt QM principles. By instituting 14000 for environmental management, I impose it on the entire organization, but it has little if any effect on other sections. Management styles and systems are left to individuals. (what do you say to that!)"
"The above mentioned companies: two of three yes, the third is waiting till the release of ISO 9001, revision 2000"
"Yes"
"Yes, we're currently integrating both systems."
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M J 'Mark' Saarelainen P.O.Box 1672, Roswell, GA 30077, USA Tel: USA-(770)-998-7855 FAX: USA-(770)-232-1425 Email: mjsus@ix.netcom.com
DISCLAIMER: No thought written in this message is a statement of any organization by which I am employed or for which I work.
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