Environmental Management Help

Summarize each of these posts below:

1. The first listed, and in my opinion the most important principle listed in the Business Charter for Sustainable Development is Corporate Priority. This principle simply states that a business recognize that environmental management is a necessary priority in their business and that sustainability actions need to be taken to protect the environment (International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2013). Although this ideal seems pretty simple, it's the foundation and groundwork for all other initiatives and actions a company could take to be more environmentally friendly. To instill in a company’s framework this principle shows a lot to both its employees and consumers. It shows a responsibility for their actions, hopefully above and beyond legislation that may limit their activities in a legal sense. It shows that profits are not the only means to creating a product and that stewardship of the planet is necessary to benefit everyone, not just a CEO. A strong corporate priority on environmental management could very easily trickle down to employees in their everyday work life, creating more vigilant personnel who feel upholding a company ideal is part of their job, maybe even carry the ideal over to their home/personal life. Also other companies in a similar trade may take notice and follow suit, because a Sustainable and environmental tally friendly company may outrank in a consumer’s mind those that are not going green. These are all things that could happen, but having a corporate priority as part of a business charter is absolutely necessary in the ICC materials. It's the foundation and the overarching ideal that brings power to the other areas of the Business Charter for Sustainable Development. Without a strong emphasis on the importance of environmental protection, the other actions and principles may be way less ineffective in their implementation.

Reference:

International Institute for Sustainable Development. (2013). ICC Business Charter for Sustainable Development. Retrieved from https://www.iisd.org/business/tools/principles_icc.aspx

2. INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT

To be successful as an environmental manager there must be integrated management of policies, programs and practices that incorporate environmental objectives of a company. If there are environmental objectives to be reached by a company, then starting with appropriate environmental management guidance for the rest of the employees would help distribute integration through the entire chain of command. Managers must effectively follow environmental guidelines and practices geared specifically towards their company’s environmental goals in order to establish progression towards sustainability. Integrating policies and programs by management will set the guidelines for the entire business to follow which when then lead to progression towards future environmental goals.

EMPLOYEE EDUCATION

Employees must be included on a business’s guidelines of environmental concepts. Knowledge is key to satisfying company goals. How will the employees know what to do in a situation that could go against environmental policies in place? Or how will an employee distinguish between hazardous and solid waste if he/she has never discussed it before? Training procedures will be different between companies due to different work activities but employee education remains extremely important with all businesses. When you are hired for a new position, do they just place you at a desk and say "okay, get to work!"? No. Someone is designated to train you and usually there is an orientation beforehand. That training that you get is essential to your new position because you wouldn't know what to do without it. This is the same concept that must be applied towards employee education on environmental aspects of the industry. Without the knowledge, employees would not be able to fully contribute towards progression of environmental sustainability. Educating the employees will give them proper guidance on how to approach any environmental situation that they may come across on the job. The employees can be educated on things like how to report a spill, how to mark hazardous substances, how to discard of solid waste, who is the environmental manager on site, what number to call in case of emergencies, what is the proper clothing to wear, etc.