Implementing environmental with other standardized management systems: Scope, sequence, time and integration

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to propose a generic model of Integrated Management System of Quality, Environment and Safety (IMS-QES) that can be adapted and progressively to assimilate various Management Systems, of which highlights: ISO 9001 for Quality; ISO 14001 for Environment; OHSAS 18001 for Occupational Health and Safety. Design/methodology/approach – The model was designed in the real environment of a Portuguese Organization and 160 employees were surveyed. The rate response was equal to 86 percent. The conceived model was implemented in a first phase for the integration of Quality, Environment and Safety Management Systems. Findings – Among the main findings of the survey the paper highlights: the elimination of conflicts between individual systems with resources optimization; creation of added value to the business by eliminating several types of wastes; the integrated management of sustainability components in a global market; the improvement of partnerships with suppliers of goods and services; reducing the number of internal and external audits. Originality/value – This case study is one of the first Portuguese empirical researches about IMS-QES and the paper believes that it can be useful in the creation of a Portuguese guideline for integration, namely the Quality Management Systems; Environmental Management Systems and Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems among others.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate how different actors influenced the implementation of an environmental management system (EMS) and a performance measurement system (PMS) in a case company when the systems are eventually integrated. Another purpose is to illustrate how the frameworks of Gibson and Earley and Lovaglia et al. can be utilized to investigate the implementation of different management systems in practice.Design/methodology/approachThis paper is an interpretative case study, which utilizes qualitative methods such as semi‐structured interviews and internal documents.FindingsThe results indicate the importance of maintaining a separation between the power and status of an actor in EMS and PMS implementation processes, and the ways in which the power and status of actors in the EMS and PMS implementation differed. The status and role of an actor can change although the power may be static during the implementation of different management systems. Therefore, the paper confirms the classification of Lovaglia et al. and proposes that their classification should be added to the framework of Gibson and Earley.Originality/valueEarlier accounting studies using the institutional theory framework of Burns and Scapens did not specifically investigate the role of actors, or their power and status in implementing two different management systems. The collective action frameworks of Gibson and Earley and Lovaglia et al. have not been practically utilized before in EMS and PMS studies. Furthermore, EMS and PMS integration studies have usually been normative without empirical case data.

Panacea, common sense, or just a label?: The value of ISO 14001 environmental management systems

The primary objective of this Technical Note is to provide guidance to utility companies either for improving the operations-phase implementation of a current environmental management system or for developing a system. The guidelines presented herein provide the approach, content and implementation protocols for developing a completed operations component of the Environmental Management System (EMS) (i.e., the Operations and Environmental Quality Management System, or "OEMS").

Management of institutional radioactive waste in Slovenia is one of the main processes in the management system of Agency for Radwaste Management (ARAO). The management system integrates the quality management system ISO 9001 and the environmental management system that was certified according to the standard ISO 14001:2004 in October 2007. The certificate represents a permanent commitment of ARAO to improve the environmental management system and implement environmental planning. Environmental planning includes and maintains environmental objectives and targets in all ARAO’s activities, especially in managing the institutional radioactive waste that can have potential environmental impacts and is considered as a risky activity from the public view point. We defined a general ARAO’s register of environmental aspects with seven main groups of aspects. Each aspect was evaluated according to its impacts with the help of multiple criteria and only the aspects evaluated as significant are dealt with in further environmental planning. Environmental planning was implemented in the process of managing of institutional radioactive waste. Our methodology for evaluating the significance of environmental aspects showed three significant aspects. Appropriate environmental objectives and targets were defined for these aspects in a way that they were measurable, if applicable, consistent with the ARAO’s environmental policy. It was assured that they provided adequate environmental protection measures and protection of human health, compliance with national legal requirements and international directives dealing with radioactive waste management and that the production of radioactive waste was minimized. The environmental planning is carried out annually, and each year we are looking for opportunities to minimize potential environmental impacts of our service. In this paper, ARAO’s experience with environmental planning and the realization of the objectives and targets that have already been achieved, implemented and integrated in the process of managing of institutional radioactive waste are presented. The results and the successful completion of environmental programs contribute to optimization of the management system and the quality of ARAO’s process performance. Implementation of environmental management system according to ISO 14001 increased the satisfaction of producers of institutional radioactive waste management that come from medicine, research and industry. It is also part of confidence building by our stakeholders.

Over the last 25 years, the construction industry has embraced quality management systems (QMS). More recently, environmental issues and health and safety legislation have introduced additional dedicated control procedures: environmental management systems (EMS) and health and safety management systems (H&SMS). Systems, in particular those used for quality management, have been widely accused of being bureaucratic, arduous, paper driven and of questionable value to construction management. The genuine need is for improved systems that enable a contracting organization to control the key management functions of quality, environment and safety with maximum effectiveness and minimum bureaucracy. The findings presented in this paper show that a forward‐looking approach can bring together these individual functions within an integrated management system (IMS). This allows an organization to move away from traditional vertical and separate management systems towards a single cross‐functional horizontal system that can benefit both the corporate and the project organizations. The idea of an IMS for quality, environment and safety has only recently emerged within the UK construction industry. A small number of UK contracting organizations are, therefore, at the forefront of both national and international developments. Based on a questionnaire survey of 12 UK contracting organizations, this paper examines the purpose, characteristics, properties and intent of a single system approach, or IMS for quality, environment and safety, and considers its role within and it significance to contracting organizations.

Over the last 25 years, the construction industry has embraced quality management systems (QMS). More recently, environmental issues and health and safety legislation have introduced additional dedicated control procedures: environmental management systems (EMS) and health and safety management systems (H&SMS). Systems, in particular those used for quality management, have been widely accused of being bureaucratic, arduous, paper driven and of questionable value to construction management. The genuine need is for improved systems that enable a contracting organization to control the key management functions of quality, environment and safety with maximum effectiveness and minimum bureaucracy. The findings presented in this paper show that a forward‐looking approach can bring together these individual functions within an integrated management system (IMS). This allows an organization to move away from traditional vertical and separate management systems towards a single cross‐functional horizontal system that can benefit both the corporate and the project organizations. The idea of an IMS for quality, environment and safety has only recently emerged within the UK construction industry. A small number of UK contracting organizations are, therefore, at the forefront of both national and international developments. Based on a questionnaire survey of 12 UK contracting organizations, this paper examines the purpose, characteristics, properties and intent of a single system approach, or IMS for quality, environment and safety, and considers its role within and it significance to contracting organizations.

The support of Quality Management to sustainable development: a literature review

A synergetic model for implementing an integrated management system: an empirical study in China

Beaches are basically managed mirroring user’s perception and normative requirements to obtain performance standards or distinctions made on well-known Quality Management Systems and/or Environmental Management Systems. However, when these systems are used in the management of these natural public goods, present practices do not fit with the Ecosystem Approach Strategy (EA) launched by United Nations at the end of last Century. To overcome this reality, an application of the Ecosystem-Based Management System (EBMS) was developed recently as a formal way to practice this approach at the beach social-ecological system. The EBMS is a stepwise process that combines environmental quality and risk management system theory with the EA principles. The EBMS is composed of three interactive pillars: Managerial, Information and Participatory. The Managerial pillar is the “engine” of the EBMS, following the classical Plan-Do-Check-Act managerial policy scheme. As a part of the Planning phase, a factual approach to decision making is suggested: DEMA (DEcision-MAking) tool. DEMA is a formal prioritization tool intended to help managers to determine, based on a social cost-benefit analysis and the vision established for a particular social-ecological system, which projects should be the first. DEMA uses risk management theory to decide what future activities should be selected in the policy cycle to avoid those identified risks that could impede us to get the desired vision for the beach under management. DEMA is using a framework of indicators related to the identified ecosystem services given by these systems, valuating and rating them to further prioritization of actions.

The human society has progressed during the last decades to a knowledge-based economy and as a result organizations have reconsidered the importance level of the human capital, research, information/ knowledge engineering, standardized management systems (ISO 14001 - EMS; ISO 9001 - QMS; ISO 2600 - CSR, and so on) and strategic planning design. Nevertheless, in the current context organizations must take into account their environmental impact and their sustainable orientation; otherwise the result will be disruptive regarding the link/ interaction with other organizations and with the market in an effective way that could contribute sustainable to the economics welfare. Environmental management system (EMS) brought a major contribution to the organizational awareness regarding the environmental issues. Also real integration of such a system (EMS) brought many organizational benefits related to overall organizational business performance. The EMS actively links the organizations management with the sustainable development orientation, which it is followed by an organizational behaviour that considers the expectations of all stakeholders regarding environmental issues. Specifically, it refers to institutionalization (absorption) of EMS "key elements" into the organizational strategic management to effectively balance the equilibrium between environmental activities and organizational performance. New training programs are needed to fulfil this goal. Organizations often choose e-learning alternative for human resource knowledge acquisition/ instruction because is the most cost-effective tool, it's convenient, it's flexible, and it has a very positive final result. Concluding, the paper develops an e-learning training program framework regarding the EMS as a managerial instrument of business performance because e-Learning is the most desirable and effective method to implement inside organizations various training programs.

Consumers and stakeholders have rising concerns over product quality and environmental issues, and therefore, quality and environmental management have become important topics for today’s fashion products manufacturers. This chapter presents some empirical evidence of the adoption of quality management systems (QMS) and environmental management systems (EMS) and their impact on fashion and textiles related firms’ supply chain efficiency. Although both management systems are commonly adopted in the manufacturing industries and becoming a passport to business, their actual impacts specifically on the fashion supply chain have not been explored. By investigating the adoption of ISO 9000 (a quality management system) and ISO 14000 (an environmental management system) in the U.S. fashion and textiles firms, we estimate their impact on manufacturers’ supply chain performance. Based on 284 publicly listed fashion and textiles manufacturing firms in the U.S., we find that fashion and textiles firms operating cycle time had shortened by 15.12 days in a five-year period. In the cross-sectional analysis, the results show that early adopters of ISO 9000 and high-tech textiles related firms obtained more supply chain benefits. We only find mixed results of the impact of ISO 14000 on supply chain performance.

The audit process of integrated management system is combining efforts to ensure or compare whether the work results is compatible with the criteria that have previously determined. Likewise, the benefit of audit process of integrated management system is means to achieve continuous improvement. Integrated management system itself is a combination of two or more management systems that make it easier for organizations to achieve their objectives. Specifically, in this research is talk about combine the quality management system, environmental management system and occupational health & safety management system. The purpose of this study is to identify the activities, objectives and risks in the audit process if the management system is integrated (quality, environment, and occupational health & safety). Also, to know whether that activities, objectives and risks affect the increased efficiency of the performance of construction services organizations in Indonesia. After identified all of them, the next step is to find out the dominant risks that may can happen in the audit process of integrated management system. And then, the final step is to find out how to manage those dominant risks. This study uses the respondent’s survey strategy to identify activities, objectives, and risks and uses a case study strategy to find out the dominant risk management strategies. The results of this study in the form of activities, objectives, and risks in the integrated management audit process and find out whether the activities, objectives and risks affect the increase in the efficiency of the performance of construction services organizations in Indonesia and how to manage these dominant risks.

An Integrated Management System (IMS) incorporates many subsystems into a unique system so that the organization can conduct its operations using a single integrated system. This system is the result of unifying Quality Management Systems ISO 9001, Environmental Management Systems ISO 14001, and Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series (OHSAS 18001). The present paper aims to determine the impact of IMS on process maturity. This study was conducted in 2014 in the Fourth Gas Refinery in Asaluyeh, where 124 members of the staff were selected at random as the sample. Using extant literature, a questionnaire was developed to measure the impact of IMS. The collected data were analyzed using AMOS and SPSS software packages. The results indicate that IMS and its subsystems including quality management, environmental management, and occupational health and safety have a significant positive impact on process maturity. Furthermore, the means for quality management, environmental management, occupational health and safety, and process maturity are 4.11, 4.17, 4.12, and 4.08 respectively, all of which are acceptable.

Organisational behaviour and strategies in the adoption of certified management systems: an analysis of the Spanish hotel industry