information about communication based on iso 14001 · information about communication based on iso...

I n f o r mat I o n a b o ut com mu n I cat I o n ba s e d o n I s o 14001 | 1V e r s I o n j u ly 2005

Information about communication based on Iso 14001


We at SCCM are convinced - and our experience has proven - that

any organization, large or small, will achieve better environmental

performance by using the ‘plan-do-check-act’ approach outlined

in the ISO 14001 standard.

Copyright SCCMall rights reserved. nothing included in this publication may be made public, and/or reproduced by means of printing, photocopying, microfilm or any other method, without the prior written permission of sccm.

Disclaimeralthough the utmost care has been taken with this publication, errors and omissions cannot be entirely excluded. sccm therefore accepts no liability, not even for direct or indirect damage, occurring due to or in relation with the use of the content of this publication.


content

the purpose of this publication 4

Introduction 5

C H A P T E R 1

1 communication within your organization based on the articles in Iso 14001 6

C H A P T E R 2

2 When do you also opt for external communication about environmental aspects? 10

C H A P T E R 3

3 When you answer ‘yes’: external communication based on articles in the Iso 14001 standard (2004 version) 10

C H A P T E R 4

4 When is external communication about environmental aspects/environmental management system required/expected? 15

C H A P T E R 5

5 How do I handle required external communications with government authorities? 16

C H A P T E R 6

6 last but not least: communication – internal and external – during set-up/implementation of the ems 19


the purpose of this publication

A practice-oriented publication about communication based on ISO 14001 the better a company’s environmental management system, the more it can profit, and in many ways. Good communication is an important component of the quality of the environmental management system. communication is, appropriately, mentioned in several places in the Iso 14001 standard. this publication explains the elements of this communication and how to use them. Possible communications objectives, potential target groups, possible frequency and concrete means of communication are set out in a clear format.

an adequate environmental management system implies proper communication, both within an organization and with its surroundings: customers, suppliers and subcontractors, and of course the government. research done by sccm shows that good communication usually improves the organization’s relationship with the government authorities and gives added value to its environmental management system.

this publication is purely an aid. organizations are free in how they use the suggestions. the organization itself chooses with whom, how, how often, and when it communicates. the only fixed guidelines are for external communications with the competent authority. you’ll find these well arranged with examples of the approach to use. you can choose to read through everything, or scroll right to the information you need and/or the straightforward sample diagrams.


Introduction

Why is communication a part of an ISO 14001 management system?the government has a need for better communication with Iso 14001-certified companies; research by sccm has also shown that it also promotes a better relationship between the two parties. open communication enhances the appreciation of the Iso 14001 certificate and creates a foundation for a new way of dealing with each other.

Various articles in the Iso 14001 standard entail some form of communication. a management system cannot be set up or implemented without communication, both within the organization and to the outside world. However, the 14001 standard does not set any measurable requirements as to the intensity or detailed set-up of communications. the details can be worked out in several ways, and largely depend on the management’s degree of ambition with regard to the environment. the more ambition a company has, the more intensive its internal and external communications will be. the organization’s view of the importance of communication will also determine the form it takes.

communication goes in two directions. transmitting information to another party is one direction, but the other party’s response is also important. by working with employees, the competent authority, customers and its neighbours, a company can find solutions and points for improvement. this improves the management system, and the company reaps the benefits. Good communication can prevent complaints and problems with the environmental licence, clarify priorities and lower costs.

Implementation of communication activities is based on:> the requirements in the Iso 14001 standard;> the organization’s view of the importance of communication;> as well as the requirements set by legislation, regulations and licences.

these basic elements for communication are discussed in more detail in this publication. communication with government authorities and communication during the implementation and development of an environmental management system are given more focus in separate chapters.

‘But my organization isn’t that big!’communication isn’t only something for larger big-budget organizations that have their own communications departments – any size organization can communicate on its own scale, and it doesn’t have to cost a lot. What’s important is an open attitude, as well as the conviction that being candid about matters and listening to the wishes of employees and others in the vicinity lead to better results.


C H A P T E R 1

communication within your organization based on the articles in Iso 14001

the intensity of communication thus goes along with the level of ambition as to environmental performance. an organization that is ambitious in this area will opt for an intensive form of internal communication. the importance of the environmental policy for the organization and the role of its employees at all levels merit continuous attention. several articles in the Iso 14001 standard relate to it.


expl

anat

ion

of in

tern

al co

mm

unic

atio

n po

ints

in Is

o 14

001

ART

.

ISO

140

01

TEx

T O

f TH

E ST

An

DA

RD

(n

OT

vER

BA

TIM

)n

OTE

SH

OW

TO

CO

MM

un

ICA

TE

14.

2th

e en

viro

nmen

tal p

olic

y de

fined

and

est

ablis

hed

by

man

agem

ent i

s com

mun

icat

ed to

all

of th

e or

gani

zatio

n’s

empl

oyee

s.

the

star

ting

poin

ts o

f est

ablis

hed

envi

ronm

enta

l pol

icy

can

usua

lly fi

t on

one

a4 sh

eet o

f pap

er.

> di

rect

or o

ffici

ally

sign

s sta

tem

ent o

f prin

cipl

es o

f

envi

ronm

enta

l pol

icy

> fr

ame

and

hang

this

doc

umen

t in

vario

us lo

catio

ns

in

the

orga

niza

tion

> in

corp

orat

e te

xt in

oth

er d

ocum

ents

, suc

h as

ann

ual

re

port

>

inco

rpor

ate

text

in e

nviro

nmen

tal h

andb

ook

(d

igita

lly a

lso)

>

plac

e on

inte

rnet

/intr

anet

site

24.

4.1

task

s, re

spon

sibi

litie

s and

aut

horit

y re

gard

ing

the

envi

ronm

enta

l pol

icy

mus

t be

defin

ed, d

ocum

ente

d an

d co

mm

unic

ated

in o

rder

to h

ave

effec

tive

envi

ronm

enta

l m

anag

emen

t.

ther

e m

ust b

e a

cohe

rent

rela

tions

hip

betw

een

the

resp

onsi

bilit

ies a

nd ta

sks r

elat

ed to

env

ironm

ent

at th

e va

rious

leve

ls w

ithin

an

orga

niza

tion.

the

se

resp

onsi

bilit

ies a

nd ta

sks c

an b

e de

fined

in m

eetin

gs w

ith

empl

oyee

s and

laid

dow

n in

task

des

crip

tions

stat

ing

who

is re

spon

sibl

e fo

r wha

t ele

men

ts o

f the

man

agem

ent

syst

em. W

ithin

thes

e ta

sk d

escr

iptio

ns p

aram

eter

s can

be

out

lined

for b

ringi

ng u

p id

eas f

or im

prov

ing

envi

ronm

enta

l per

form

ance

.

> m

eet w

ith e

mpl

oyee

s ab

out r

espo

nsib

ilitie

s >

task

des

crip

tions

> Is

o 14

001 h

andb

ook

34.

4.1

upp

er m

anag

emen

t app

oint

s a re

pres

enta

tive

of th

e m

anag

emen

t tea

m, w

ho re

port

s to

uppe

r man

agem

ent

abou

t the

per

form

ance

of t

he e

nviro

nmen

tal

man

agem

ent s

yste

m, s

o th

at th

ey c

an a

dequ

atel

y as

sess

it.

thi

s per

son

can

also

sugg

est i

mpr

ovem

ents

.

the

repr

esen

tativ

e fr

om m

anag

emen

t dra

ws a

repo

rt

base

d on

the

resu

lts o

f int

erna

l aud

its, t

he in

tern

al

eval

uatio

n of

com

plia

nce

with

legi

slat

ion

and

regu

latio

ns

plus

resu

lts o

f mon

itorin

g.

> in

tern

al re

port

abo

ut p

erfo

rman

ce o

f env

ironm

enta

l

man

agem

ent s

yste

m

44.

4.2

the

orga

niza

tion

mus

t est

ablis

h, im

plem

ent a

nd e

xpla

in

proc

edur

es w

ithin

the

envi

ronm

enta

l pol

icy.

this

mak

es

empl

oyee

s aw

are

of th

e or

gani

zatio

n’s e

nviro

nmen

tal

polic

y, th

e m

ajor

env

ironm

enta

l effe

cts a

ssoc

iate

d w

ith

thei

r job

s, an

d th

eir o

wn

resp

onsi

bilit

ies a

nd th

e po

tent

ial

cons

eque

nces

of d

evia

ting

from

est

ablis

hed

proc

edur

es.

empl

oyee

s can

onl

y be

exp

ecte

d to

und

erst

and

the

envi

ronm

enta

l asp

ects

invo

lved

in th

eir w

ork

if th

e w

hys

and

whe

refo

res o

f the

pro

cedu

res a

re e

xpla

ined

. the

en

viro

nmen

tal a

spec

ts re

gist

er (s

ee s

ccm

pub

licat

ion

on e

nviro

nmen

tal a

spec

ts) m

ust b

e ad

apte

d to

spec

ific

depa

rtm

ents

or p

rodu

ctio

n pr

oces

ses.

ther

e m

ust a

lso

be co

ntin

ued

com

mun

icat

ion

abou

t the

why

s and

w

here

fore

s of e

nviro

nmen

tal r

esul

ts a

fter

env

ironm

enta

l m

anag

emen

t sys

tem

has

bee

n im

plem

ente

d (s

ee a

lso

ch 6

).

> in

tern

al m

eetin

gs w

ith e

mpl

oyee

s, e

xpla

inin

g

proc

edur

es (a

lso

see

‘Whe

re d

o I g

o fr

om h

ere’

bel

ow)

> in

form

atio

n ca

mpa

igns

for e

mpl

oyee

s>

reco

rds

of e

nviro

nmen

tal a

spec

ts a

nd d

iscu

ssio

ns o

f

resu

lts d

urin

g m

eetin

gs


ART

.

ISO

140

01

TEx

T O

f TH

E ST

An

DA

RD

(n

OT

vER

BA

TIM

)n

OTE

SH

OW

TO

CO

MM

un

ICA

TE

54.

4.3

the

orga

niza

tion

puts

pro

cedu

res f

or in

tern

al

com

mun

icat

ion

abou

t env

ironm

enta

l asp

ects

and

th

e en

viro

nmen

tal m

anag

emen

t sys

tem

on

pape

r, im

plem

ents

them

and

kee

ps re

cord

s of t

hem

. th

is is

a b

asis

for m

eetin

gs w

ith e

mpl

oyee

s in

diffe

rent

po

sitio

ns a

nd le

vels

.

Proc

edur

es c

an st

ate

the

subj

ects

of a

nd p

roce

dure

s fo

r int

erna

l com

mun

icat

ions

at d

iffer

ent l

evel

s, as

wel

l as

who

is re

spon

sibl

e fo

r im

plem

entin

g th

e pr

oced

ures

ag

reed

upo

n an

d, if

nec

essa

ry, f

or re

port

ing

abou

t th

e in

tern

al m

eetin

gs.

> in

tern

al re

port

s ab

out h

ow to

com

mun

icat

e in

tern

ally

ab

out e

nviro

nmen

tal a

spec

ts a

nd th

e en

viro

nmen

tal

m

anag

emen

t sys

tem

(als

o se

e ‘W

here

do

I go

from

he

re’ b

elow

)

64.

5.5

the

orga

niza

tion

supp

lies m

anag

emen

t with

info

rmat

ion

abou

t the

resu

lts o

f the

inte

rnal

aud

its.

the

man

agem

ent r

epre

sent

ativ

e dr

aws u

p a

repo

rt.

> in

tern

al n

otic

e w

ith re

sults

of a

udit

74.

5.5

Proc

edur

es fo

r int

erna

l aud

its (i

nclu

ding

pro

cedu

res f

or

repo

rtin

g th

e re

sults

of i

nter

nal a

udits

) mus

t be

laid

dow

n on

pap

er a

nd b

e im

plem

ente

d, a

nd re

cord

s mus

t be

kept

.

the

resu

lts o

f int

erna

l aud

its a

re a

n im

port

ant i

nter

nal

com

mun

icat

ions

inst

rum

ent.

they

are

a b

ench

mar

k fo

r ot

her d

epar

tmen

ts fo

r poi

nts f

or im

prov

emen

t and

als

o pr

omot

e pl

ayfu

l ‘co

mpe

titio

n’ b

etw

een

depa

rtm

ents

.

> re

sults

of i

nter

nal a

udit

as b

ench

mar

k on

pap

er

84.

6 In

form

atio

n, in

clud

ing

com

plai

nts,

from

inte

rest

ed

outs

ide

part

ies,

is im

port

ant m

ater

ial f

or th

e m

anag

emen

t rev

iew

.

In th

e m

anag

emen

t rev

iew

info

rmat

ion

from

out

side

is

use

d to

det

erm

ine

whi

ch im

prov

emen

ts h

ave

been

co

mpl

eted

or a

re fe

asib

le.

> in

tern

al n

otic

e ab

out i

nfor

mat

ion

or co

mpl

aint

s

rece

ived

from

out

side

94.

7th

e or

gani

zatio

n m

ust p

ut p

roce

dure

s on

pape

r, im

plem

ent t

hem

and

kee

p re

cord

s abo

ut p

oten

tial

emer

genc

ies a

nd a

ccid

ents

. Hav

ing

this

on

pape

r ena

bles

em

ploy

ees t

o re

cogn

ize

(iden

tify)

em

erge

ncie

s and

ac

cide

nts w

ith p

oten

tial i

mpa

cts o

n th

e en

viro

nmen

t. th

ese

proc

edur

es in

clud

e a

plan

for r

espo

ndin

g to

thes

e si

tuat

ions

, an

emer

genc

y re

spon

se p

lan.

the

se p

roce

dure

s ca

n be

exp

lain

ed in

mor

e de

tail

in th

e in

tern

al a

nd

exte

rnal

com

mun

icat

ion

plan

s.

empl

oyee

s mus

t kno

w w

hat c

onst

itute

s em

erge

ncie

s an

d ho

w to

resp

ond

to th

em.

> in

tern

al co

mm

unic

atio

n pl

an a

bout

resp

ondi

ng

to

em

erge

ncie

s

> in

form

atio

nal m

eetin

g >

emer

genc

y re

spon

se d

rills

, sup

port

ed b

y

com

mun

icat

ion


Where do I go from here? Choosing internal communication objectives and linking them to communication instruments

below is a sample diagram of how objectives and communication instruments can be linked.

G OA l O f I n T E R n A l COM M u n I CAT I O n COM Mu n I CAT I O n I n ST R uM E n TS TO u S E

from art. 4.4.2 task 4 and 4.4.3 task 5

Informing employees of objectives and results defining concrete objectives from the environmental management system and publishing a periodic progress report makes it clear that the system is working. this increases employee motivation to make a contribution. one point of attention when formulating the objectives is that it should be easy to follow the results, by element and by division of the organization.

Encouraging employees to improve environmental performance many ideas for improving environmental performance are already present within the organization. the secret is to develop them.

Encouraging willingness to follow different procedures often technical and/or organizational changes are needed to improve environmental performance. resistance to change is a general phenomenon. Willingness to change can be influenced by knowing about solutions used by competing companies and coming changes to legislation and regulations, and of course by emphasizing the benefit(s) of the change to employees.

Example:a printing firm was cleaning printing plates with a certain chemical which although legally allowed, had an environmental aspect (evaporation into the air) as well as the occupational safety aspect of a potential effect on human airways. the printers were opposed to changing products, given that alternatives in the past had not cleaned the plates as well. a completely new way of cleaning the plates was sought, working with the printers. all objections were weighed, whether on grounds of procedure, time spent, or whether they fit within the production procedures. the printers were also informed about possible improvements in occupational safety and health and environment. a collective decision was made as to which technology best fit with everyone’s wishes and requirements. the result? the new method not only pollutes less and is less hazardous to human health, it takes less time to use and gives better results.

> articles in employee newsletter, in which management also airs its views> e-mail messages> fixed space on intranet site> sections in reports at various levels in the organization

> suggestion box (physical or virtual) and publication of results> from art 4.4.1, task 2 Personnel evaluation: an individual employee’s contribution to the environmental policy can be a regular item in the performance review. It also relates to the task descriptions and personal objectives formulated. > from 4.4.2, task 4 Internal meetings: discuss results and possible improvements in the environmental area at fixed intervals, at various levels in the organization.

> develop benchmarks about such matters as environmental aspects in processes and products.> benchmark or compare environmental aspects in old and new situations.


C H A P T E R 2

When do you also opt for external communication about environmental aspects?

an organization with high ambition for its environmental performance will choose an intensive form of communication to the outside as well as within.the Iso 14001 standard states that ‘the organization shall decide whether to communicate externally about its significant environmental aspects, and shall document its decision’ (Iso 14001- article 4.4.3 external communications).

the central committee of experts (ccvd), which works for all certifying bodies, asks that the decision whether or not to communicate externally be supported. (the sccm Iso 14001 certification system also describes it). the committee expects to see in this support:> What target groups are related to the significant environmental aspects, objectives and any complaints;> subjects and/or environmental aspects about which communication with these groups could be relevant.

If an organization chooses to passively communicate or not to communicate externally, a number of external communication instruments as given in the table in the following chapter about the details of external communications will not be necessary. the organization itself must decide what instruments are relevant for its communication. communication with the government about compliance with legal obligations (such as application for an environmental licence, notification of changes or incidents, monitoring requirements) will always be required. this will be further explained in chapters 4 and 5.

Internal and external communications go togetherInternal and external communications go together, and influence each other. for example, an organization doing a lot with external communications also sends a signal to its own employees that it considers the environment important, which encourages them to do their part. conversely, the employees must also live up to expectations from the outside world about external communications. If outside associates are disappointed in these contacts, the efforts made in external communications may turn out to have been in vain. thus, in external communications, expectations must not be created if they cannot be lived up to, and internal communications must be such that the expectations of outside parties are fulfilled.


C H A P T E R 3

When you answer ‘yes’: external communication based on articles in the Iso 14001 standard (2004 version)

explanation of Iso 14001 articles dealing with communication

TA S k ART.ISO 14001

T ExT O f T H E STA n DA R D (n OT v E R BAT I M)

Ex P l A n AT I O n COM Mu n I CAT I O n I n ST R uM E n TS(explained in this chapter)

1 4.2 the environmental policy defined and established by management is available for public inspection.

> placed on website> included in brochures> included in annual reports

2 4.3.3 the organization takes the views of interested parties into consideration when establishing and reviewing the objectives and targets in its environmental policy.

Who are the interested parties and can a list be made of their views? What do third parties think of the organization and the policy it has formulated, and what wishes do they have regarding this policy? What policy priorities would they like to see?

> sending written invitations to these parties to make suggestions> organizing meetings

3 4.4.3 the organization puts procedures for external communications about the environmental aspects and environmental management system on paper. It implements and keeps records about the system. this involves receiving, documenting and responding to relevant communication from outside interested parties. What procedure is used to document external communications?

Guidelines are useful for, for example, methods of documenting questions and complaints from third parties such as neighbours. complaint procedures can be derived from these guidelines.

> familiarize public with complaint procedures through internet or folders > include report on complaints in environmental report

4 4.4.3 the organization must decide if it intends to communicate externally about significant environmental aspects. If it decides to do so, this decision must be documented.

see chapter 2 > decision in internal document

5 4.4.3 If the organization decides to communicate externally, it must develop and implement a method for its communications. an external communication plan can be a part of this method (see example below this diagram ‘Where do I go from here‘).

you can establish: the goal of communications to the various groups, which means of communication to use and what situations to communicate about and with what frequency. this publication will give you some inspiration (see sample under diagram ‘How to carry out external communication’) as will speaking with third parties.

> meetings with interested parties to gather info > open day, to present information and build connections> environmental report> Internet


TA S k ART.ISO 14001

T ExT O f T H E STA n DA R D (n OT v E R BAT I M)

Ex P l A n AT I O n COM Mu n I CAT I O n I n ST R uM E n TS(explained in this chapter)

6 4.4.6 the organization sets down on paper the procedures for external communication about its requirements for suppliers and sub-contractors and the associated procedures, implements them and keeps records of them. the requirements and procedures must help realize environmental policy, objectives and targets. suppliers and sub-contractors are also involved with environmental aspects.

suppliers can play a part in influencing environmental aspects, for example during production processes, and there can be communication about this. the organization can make an inventory of ideas from its suppliers of possible ways to mitigate environmental pollution in the product and/or process.

> questionnaire for gathering information > meetings> when requesting an estimate, use an itemized list of requirements as to pollution and/or information about pollution. the most environmentally-friendly supplier can be chosen based on the estimates. (see sample below this diagram ‘Where do I go from here’)

7 4.7 the organization must set down on paper procedures for deviations in manufacturing processes, implement these procedures and keep records. one element of the procedures is how the organization will respond to outside parties. (also see chapter 5)

> external communication plan for communication about incidents/disasters

Where do I go from here: Explanation of external communication points for each external target groupfirst, choose which tasks from the Iso 14001 standard you are working with. With which interested parties is communication useful? the organization must first of all identify and list these parties, according to article 4.3.3 (task 2 above). the interested parties can include the following:

> Immediate surroundings (those living nearby, companies and local environmental organizations);> customers: both immediate end-users (consumers or businesses) and intermediate inks in the chain;> suppliers and sub-contractors;> other interested parties such as nGos and financial institutions.> Government (more details in chapter 5).

the standard states in Iso article 4.4.3 (task 5 above) that the method of communication must be worked out for the target groups selected. one way to do this is in a communication plan. according to the ccvd the plan must show, at a minimum: the goal of the communication, the communication instrument and frequency as well as the person responsible for carrying it out. a sample is below:


ExTE

Rn

Al

CO

MM

un

ICA

TIO

nS

TAR

GET

GR

Ou

PSu

BjE

CT

(In

WH

ICH

ISO

AR

TIC

lE)

CO

MM

un

ICA

TIO

n I

nST

Ru

MEn

TS (

In W

HIC

H I

SO A

RTI

ClE

)PE

RSO

n R

ESPO

nSI

BlE

fO

R IM

PlEM

EnTA

TIO

n

Imm

edia

te su

rrou

ndin

gs

the

mos

t im

port

ant t

opic

s are

pos

sibl

e fo

rms

of n

uisa

nce

(suc

h as

noi

se, t

raffi

c co

nges

tion,

vi

brat

ions

, unp

leas

ant o

dour

s) a

nd p

oten

tial

dang

er to

the

surr

ound

ing

area

. fr

om 4

.3.3

task

2th

e or

gani

zatio

n m

ust c

onsi

der t

o w

hat e

xten

t th

e va

rious

topi

cs a

pply

to th

ose

in it

s im

med

iate

su

rrou

ndin

gs. I

t is l

ess i

mpo

rtan

t whe

ther

or n

ot

the

topi

c is

a p

oint

of a

tten

tion

for t

he o

rgan

izat

ion

itsel

f. fr

om 4

.7, t

ask

7at

the

poin

t whe

n th

ere

is a

nui

sanc

e or

dan

ger t

o th

e su

rrou

ndin

g ar

ea, t

he o

rgan

izat

ion

mus

t dec

ide

usin

g pr

evio

usly

est

ablis

hed

proc

edur

es if

it w

ill

com

mun

icat

e ab

out t

his,

in w

hat w

ay a

nd w

ith

wha

t fre

quen

cy.

com

mun

icat

ion

inst

rum

ents

from

4.3

.3 ta

sk 2

> o

pen

day

for t

hose

in im

med

iate

are

a.>

Web

site

with

spec

ific

info

rmat

ion.

> st

udy

of p

erce

ptio

n of

the

neig

hbou

rhoo

d as

rega

rds t

he co

mpa

ny.

from

4.4

.3 ta

sk 3

> Pe

riodi

c w

ritte

n re

port

s of p

erfo

rman

ce, c

ompl

aint

s, im

prov

emen

t,

etc.

in (f

or e

xam

ple)

env

ironm

enta

l rep

ort.

> sp

ecia

l tel

epho

ne n

umbe

r or e

-mai

l add

ress

for c

ompl

aint

s.fr

om 4

.4.3

task

5>

Perio

dic

mee

ting

betw

een

man

agem

ent a

nd re

pres

enta

tives

from

imm

edia

te su

rrou

ndin

gs.

from

4.7

, tas

k 7

> W

ritte

n in

form

atio

n ab

out s

afet

y m

easu

res a

nd e

mer

genc

y

proc

edur

es.

Cust

omer

sAd

4.4

.3, t

ask

3 en

task

4ac

cord

ing

to th

e Is

o 14

001 s

tand

ard

the

orga

niza

tion

is ex

pect

ed to

kno

w th

e en

viro

nmen

tal a

spec

ts th

at

can

occu

r at o

ther

poi

nts i

n th

e ch

ain

and

whi

ch th

ey

can

reas

onab

ly in

fluen

ce. If

pol

lutio

n oc

curs

dur

ing

the

use

phas

e of

the

prod

uct,

the

orga

niza

tion

can

cons

ider

com

mun

icat

ing

this

to it

s cus

tom

ers.

Info

rmat

ion

can

be fu

rnish

ed a

bout

the

ener

gy

cons

umpt

ion,

ext

ensio

n of

the

life

of th

e pr

oduc

t or

(for e

xam

ple)

the

trea

tmen

t of t

he p

rodu

ct in

the

was

te p

hase

. If a

pro

duct

pol

lute

s the

env

ironm

ent

less

than

pro

duct

s of c

ompe

titor

s, th

e de

gree

of

pollu

tion

can

be m

entio

ned

in a

dver

tisem

ents

. cu

stom

ers i

n th

e bu

sines

s mar

ket a

re in

crea

singl

y se

ttin

g re

quire

men

ts fo

r sup

plie

rs re

gard

ing

the

pollu

tion

caus

ed b

y th

e pr

oduc

t and

its m

etho

d of

pr

oduc

tion.

Ad 4

.4.3

, tas

k 5

com

mun

icat

ion

inst

rum

ents

> lo

go o

f cer

tifica

tion

body

on

lett

erhe

ad, e

tc. (

in co

nfor

man

ce

w

ith co

nditi

ons f

or u

se o

f log

o)>

supp

lyin

g in

form

atio

n ab

out t

he p

ollu

tion

and

met

hod

of p

rodu

ctio

n.>

envi

ronm

enta

l inf

orm

atio

n on

the

Inte

rnet

site

> en

viro

nmen

tal a

nnua

l rep

ort (

incl

udin

g fo

cus o

n pr

oduc

t asp

ects

)>

Prod

uct b

roch

ures

> u

sers

’ man

uals

/ins

truc

tions

> ap

plic

atio

n fo

r an

envi

ronm

enta

l sea

l of a

ppro

val a

nd th

e

com

mun

icat

ion

arou

nd it

.>

conv

ersa

tions

with

cus

tom

ers (

in th

e bu

sine

ss m

arke

t)>

adve

rtis

emen

ts

exam

ple:

a co

mpa

ny th

at m

anuf

actu

res a

nd d

eliv

ers s

ever

al ty

pes o

f a p

rodu

ct

give

s cus

tom

ers t

he o

ppor

tuni

ty to

com

pare

the

diffe

rent

type

s on

its

Inte

rnet

site

. env

ironm

enta

l asp

ects

can

be

com

pare

d in

add

ition

to

tech

nica

l, pe

rfor

man

ce a

nd o

ther

asp

ects

. thi

s ena

bles

env

ironm

enta

lly

awar

e co

nsum

ers t

o m

ake

an in

depe

nden

t cho

ice

for t

he p

rodu

ct th

at

pollu

tes l

east

.


ExTE

Rn

Al

CO

MM

un

ICA

TIO

nS

TAR

GET

GR

Ou

PSu

BjE

CT

(In

WH

ICH

ISO

AR

TIC

lE)

CO

MM

un

ICA

TIO

n I

nST

Ru

MEn

TS (

In W

HIC

H I

SO A

RTI

ClE

)PE

RSO

n R

ESPO

nSI

BlE

fO

R IM

PlEM

EnTA

TIO

n

Serv

ice

supp

lier a

nd

sub-

cont

ract

ors

from

4.4

.6, t

ask

6In

form

ing

peop

le o

f sig

nific

ant e

nviro

nmen

tal

aspe

cts o

f the

ir w

ork

and

the

envi

ronm

enta

l pol

icy.

the

envi

ronm

enta

l asp

ect a

naly

sis m

ay in

dica

te

that

sign

ifica

nt e

nviro

nmen

tal a

spec

ts p

lay

a pa

rt in

supp

lyin

g su

ch th

ings

as r

aw m

ater

ials

or

sem

i-fini

shed

pro

duct

s. If

thes

e as

pect

s can

be

influ

ence

d, th

en co

mm

unic

atio

n is

cal

led

for.

firs

t of

all,

com

mun

icat

ion

with

supp

liers

can

hel

p to

de

term

ine

the

natu

re a

nd sc

ope

of th

e po

llutio

n.

dis

cuss

ions

(with

regu

lar s

uppl

iers

) may

pro

vide

w

ays t

o lim

it po

llutio

n.

from

4.4

.6, t

ask

6co

mm

unic

atio

n in

stru

men

ts>

Que

stio

nnai

re a

bout

the

pollu

tion

asso

ciat

ed to

the

prod

ucts

or

se

rvic

es p

urch

ased

.>

spec

ifica

tion

whe

n as

king

for a

n off

er re

ques

ting

expl

anat

ion

of

th

e su

pplie

r’s re

quire

men

ts a

s to

pollu

tion,

and

/or r

eque

st fo

r

info

rmat

ion

abou

t pol

lutio

n>

Inst

ruct

ions

to su

b-co

ntra

ctor

s bef

ore

they

ent

er th

e pr

emis

es/

pr

oper

ty

> sp

eaki

ng w

ith su

pplie

rs a

bout

opp

ortu

nitie

s for

redu

cing

pol

lutio

n>

annu

al e

xpla

natio

n of

env

ironm

enta

l asp

ects

regi

ster

and

envi

ronm

enta

l pol

icy

stat

emen

t, us

ing

an in

form

atio

nal n

otic

e.

the

envi

ronm

enta

l co-

ordi

nato

r is

resp

onsi

ble

for a

com

preh

ensi

ble

sum

mar

y of

the

prop

er in

form

atio

n.

the

purc

hase

r is r

espo

nsib

le fo

r se

eing

that

eve

ryon

e w

orki

ng fo

r th

e or

gani

zatio

n re

ceiv

es a

nd re

ad

this

info

rmat

ion,

and

kee

ps re

cord

s ab

out t

his.

Inte

rest

ed p

arti

es s

uch

as n

GO

s an

d fin

anci

al in

stit

utio

ns

fina

ncia

l ins

titut

ions

incr

easi

ngly

in

clud

e en

viro

nmen

tal a

nd

sust

aina

bilit

y as

pect

s in

thei

r ev

alua

tions

of c

ompa

nies

. th

is in

form

atio

n is

use

d to

de

term

ine,

for e

xam

ple,

whe

ther

th

e sh

ares

of a

n or

gani

zatio

n be

long

in

spec

ial f

unds

.

com

mun

icat

ion

can

esta

blis

h w

hich

subj

ects

th

e n

Go

s con

side

r im

port

ant,

and

also

wha

t th

e or

gani

zatio

n is

doi

ng. c

omm

unic

atio

n w

ith

finan

cial

inst

itutio

ns m

akes

it c

lear

wha

t in

form

atio

n an

inst

itutio

n w

ishe

s, an

d cl

ears

up

any

ambi

guiti

es.

man

y co

mpa

nies

use

the

GrI

gui

delin

es (*

) whe

n re

port

ing

to fi

nanc

ial

inst

itutio

ns

(* e

cono

mic

effe

ct b

y st

akeh

olde

r gro

up).

Gov

ernm

ent

see

chap

ter 5


C H A P T E R 4

When is external communication about environmental aspects/environmental management system required/expected?

the Iso 14001 standard requires an organization to commit itself to complying with applicable legislation and regulations. the legislation and regulations also contain requirements about communication with the competent authorities.

Examples of when information disclosure/communication is required> applying for a licence;> reporting incidents/exceedances of limits;> reporting changes in activities or the organization (whether these changes have a negative or positive effect on the environment). as a minimum, the legally required reports shall be made;> reporting emissions;> doing research;> Internal emergency response plan;> dealing with complaints about the organization submitted by the government.

the sccm Iso 14001 certification system states that the committee of experts expects an Iso 14001-certified organization to also take the initiative in communication, in addition to the ‘minimal’ communication required by the legislation and regulations. In any case, the committee expects communication with the relevant authorities at the following points:

> before certification of the environmental management system. there must be room for the authorities involved to indicate points for attention in advance. the organization can use the letter in annex 1 of the ISO 14001 certification system for this. also see chapter 6, external communications during set-up of an environmental management system;> In preparing decisions with potentially significant implications for environmental objectives and targets. the competent authority may be expected to have a view about this (from article 4.3.3, task 2, external communications);> In drawing up and/or modifying procedures regarding communication with the competent authority. the competent authority may be expected to have a view about this.


C H A P T E R 5

How do I handle required external communications with government authorities?

link the subjects of communication to instruments and responsibilities

one way of establishing the communications with authorities is shown below:

CO M M u n I C A -T I O n W I T H

S u Bj E CT COM Mu n I CAT I O n I n ST R uM E n TS R E S P O n S I B l E f O R I M P l E M E n TAT I O n

competent authority

communication about administration of licences, changes in the organization, implementation of the environmental management system (also see diagram of external communication in chapter 6), exceedances of limits, complaints.

each year, send report from management review and report about environmental objectives, reports from internal and external audits, reports from environmental studies and the environmental report. (based on Iso article 4.4.1 internal communication)

from 4.7, task 7 externalnotification of changes (at least for notifiable changes), complaints and exceedances of licence limits, and plans for improvement.

communication during enforcement inspections involving the environmental permit by competent authority and any interim verbal consultation about compliance with licence, progress of objectives, etc.

the environmental co-ordinator is responsible for communication with competent authorities.

the management bears final responsibility but can transfer implementation to the environmental co-ordinator.


Covered by the Environmental Management Act and/or Pollution of Surface Waters Act?organizations to whom the dutch environmental management act (Wet milieubeheer or Wm) and/or Pollution of surface Waters act (Wet Verontreiniging oppervlaktewater or Wvo) apply will have to communicate with the authorities responsible for this legislation. for the ema/Wm this authority is primarily the provincial or municipal government, and for the PsWa/Wvo the district water board or directorate-General for Public Works and Water management. certain companies may also be required to communicate with the fire brigade. as already indicated, the legislation and regulations require communication between the organization and the relevant government body. the environmental management system must guarantee that this communication takes place. as also mentioned in the sccm Iso 14001 certification system, the ccvd expects that besides the ‘minimum’ communication called for by legislation and regulations, an Iso 14001-certified organization will also take the initiative in communicating. It may be worthwhile for the organization if the government authority is given an idea of the environmental aspects outside the scope of the legislation. there may be more environmental gain from making improvements outside of the legislation and regulations, such as product improvements, than from modifying the production process itself. the organization will arrive at acceptable priorities through communication.

COM M u n I CAT I O n W I T H

S u Bj E CT COM Mu n I CAT I O n I n ST R uM E n T I n T E n S I T y

Province/municipal authority/directorate–General for Public Works and Water management/fire brigade

these communications are aimed at co-ordinating the priorities in the environmental policy and making an inventory of possible improvements in the system itself.

specific communication instruments based on ema/Wm and PsWa/Wvo(in addition to general communication instruments above in diagram)

> Periodic meetings between management of company and management or employees of authorities concerned > allowing inspection of environmental management handbook> Informing authorities in a timely manner about proposed changes (technical and/or organizational)> environmental annual report or sustainability report (insofar as required by law). (see below this diagram: ‘environmental report?’)> Periodically inviting government representative to accompany the certification body performing Iso 14001 audits (see below)

the intensity of the contact between companies and government authorities can vary greatly. authorities may not always respond to a company’s initiative, especially in cases where the intensity of the contact is low. The fact that the authority does not respond does not mean that sending the information was a waste of time!


Instruments for communication with government authorities explained further

H Av I n G T H E AuT H O R I T y COM E A lO n G O n Au D I TS?

Inviting the competent authority to attend an external audit can improve a company’s relationship with the authority. during the audit the competent authority will gain understanding of how the certification body or other external party works, and of the depth of the audit. this can give them confidence in the procedures for evaluating the system, the value of the system and the cycle of improvement. It is recommended to make proper agreements with the competent authority before the audit about observation, such as what thecompetent authority may or may not do during and after the audit and to what extent the results may be used in enforcement. this will avoid ambiguities after the audit.

l E T T I n G T H E AuT H O R I T y I n S P E CT Au D I T R E P O RTS By C E RT I f I CAT I O n B O Dy?

results of audits and the methods for amending non-compliance indicate to external parties that the system is regularly and systematically evaluated, what kinds of nonconformities found and how they are dealt with. although audit results may not be as interesting to all outside parties, they are in any case interesting to the competent authority. It gives the authorities a better understanding of how the system works, and confidence that it will work.

E n v I RO n M E n TA l A n n uA l R E P O RT f O R AuT H O R I T I E S A n D OT H E R S?

an environmental report doesn’t have to be long or glossy. many organizations can outline their state of affairs and major developments in just a few pages. besides having an important internal function (from article 4.2, task 1 internal), a report such as this can also be an excellent means of communication with parties such as government authorities. examples of environmental reports can be seen at www.milieujaarverslag.com. reports can be read and ordered online and there are links to english sites.

the environmental report gives a total picture of the results and operation of the environmental management system. the degree of detail and the tone will depend on the target groups for whom the report will be used. the aim of the report and the purpose it will serve should be decided beforehand (from article 4.4.3, article 5). What information does the target group need, and how will the information be presented and described to make the report readable and interesting?


C H A P T E R 6

last but not least: communication – internal and external – during set-up/implementation of the ems

Internal communication during set-up of environmental management systemIn the previous chapters we have mainly discussed opportunities for communication involving an operational environmental management system, but there are also communication opportunities during the set-up of the system. the communication goals during the set-up phase of the environmental management system are different from those when the system has been operational for some time.

How do we handle internal communication during set-up and implementation of the environmental management system? In general, it is worthwhile to first of all explain the following to employees: why is the organization setting up an environmental management system, and what is the role of the employees? How are employees made aware of the results? (this also relates to Iso 14001 article 4.4.3, task 5 internal communication). the following steps can be taken in communication:

S u Bj E CT COM Mu n I CAT I O n I n ST R uM E n TS

‘kick-off’ by management in developing environmental management systemIt is important for management to clearly be aligned with the development of the environmental management system and willing to spread the word. this makes employees enthusiastic about participating.

> Kick off the environmental management system project during a meeting for some or all personnel;> Information transfer using paper and digital information about the project, the various steps involved, including Iso 14001, etc.;> Video message on intranet;> Posters with information about the project;> Information in employee newsletter.

Communicating the initial resultsIt is important to ‘fuel’ enthusiasm by showing the initial results of the project, especially in the beginning phase.

> Poster with a motto – for example an objective such as reducing waste;> make improvements clearly visible.

Involving the department/employees in identifying environmental aspects

> Put environmental subjects on the agenda in meetings with employees (from 4.4.2, task 4 internal communication);> Identify and carry out employees’ views/ideas for improvements.

Communication when system has been implemented (also see Ch. 1)Keep employees’ attention on the operation of the system.

from 4.4.2, task 5 internal communication > communicate the results of internal and external audits;> annual internal report about plans and results;> Periodic agenda point in consultations with employees;> Include important measuring points in management reviews.


External communications during set-up of environmental management systemby ‘taking along’ those outside the organization through the development process to acquiring the Iso 14001 certificate, an organization can increase its value in their eyes.

CO n S u lTAT I O n W I T H S u Bj E CT COM Mu n I CAT I O n I n ST R uM E n TS

Government authorities, suppliers (and possibly customers)

Plans to announce environmental management system. Identify and list suggestions for developing the system. It is better not to surprise outside parties such as government, suppliers (and possibly customers) with the news that an organization suddenly has an Iso 14001 certificate.

Invite those from outside to participate, and make suggestions, so that their focus is also clear (from 4.3.3, task 2 extern).

Relevant authorities development of environmental management system. In the sccm Iso 14001 certification system contact with the relevant authorities is highly recommended during development of the environmental management system, see chapter 4 also. this conveys the organization’s confidence in the system.

Sample letter and response in annex 1 of SCCM certification system informing the relevant authorities of the system under development, and inviting them to make suggestions for its development.


More information:

sccmPo box 13507, 2501 em den Haagthe netherlandstel. +31 (0)70 362 39 81e-mail: [email protected]: www.sccm.nl

information about communication based on iso 14001 · information about communication based on iso...

Documents