bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Forging new links between environmental management, information systems, and business processes
Authors: Fitzgerald Chris 
Published: February 2007

AbstractThis article is excerpted from Chapter 1 of Environmental Management Information Systems, which will be published by McGraw‐Hill in 1994. A central theme of the book is that all successful implementations of environmental management information systems (EMIS) are based on the appropriate alignment of goals and procedures from three enterprise domains: business processes, environmental management, and information systems.Environmental managers (EM) and information systems (IS) professionals have each been guilty of seeing their functions as primary, domains of specialized scientific expertise inaccessible to outsiders. In fact, however, the enterprise is the customer for both domains; without successful business strategies and systems the enterprise does not require either EM or IS wizards. This article shows why and how essential it is that each of the three domains understands enough of the other two domains to structure good decisions.
How to integrate information strategy planning with environmental management information systems—part I
Authors: Orlin Judy , Swalwell Peg , Fitzgerald Chris 
Published: February 2007

AbstractRational, cost‐effective provision of mission‐critical environmental management information remains elusive for almost all large enterprises. Even among the best performing companies—best performing from the perspectives of profitability, quality and/or environmental stewardship—environmental management information systems (EMIS) are usually comprised of dozens to hundreds of individual, isolated applications that require costly data capture, training, and maintenance. This article, the first of two, will discuss ways to coordinate information infrastructures with strategic goals and business processes.
Hot air, fast bucks, or true commitment: Strategies for transforming environmental commitment into a competitive advantage
Authors: Frause Bob , Colehour Julie A. 
Published: February 2007

AbstractJust saying that you are doing something is not good enough, especially when it comes to the environment. You need to document your changes and progress. In this article, (reprinted, with permission, from The Environmental Marketing Imperative) we'll show you how you can establish a true and meaningful environmental commitment for your company. We'll also show you how to effectively use this commitment as the basis for strategic marketing and communications plans.
Environmental auditor qualifications: Meeting new, rigorous demands for quality audits
Authors: Cahill Lawrence B. 
Published: February 2007

Abstract“Ah, Mr. Cahill, I wonder if you could come back to the auditor's team room. It seems one of your auditors has fallen asleep for the second time this week. I know you had a grueling trip getting here, but this is embarrassing to everyone”.So went an audit I led some time ago. It was not a fun experience, and it has left some scars.There has been much discussion lately in the profession about certifying environmental (health and safety) auditors against certain performance criteria. But how does one evaluate for such important measures as physical stamina?.This article discusses the qualifications that environmental auditors should have if they are to lead or conduct a quality audit. It becomes evident after reviewing these expectations that certifying auditors through a traditional written examination might ignore some of the most important skills an auditor should possess, especially in working with managers throughout an organization. Before certifying organizations progress too far down the restrictive written‐exam road, they should determine how these other skills are to be assessed. No amount of book learning can overcome the drawbacks of a poor or combative interviewer or even an exhausted auditor.
Corporate environmental excellence and stewardship: Five critical tasks of top management
Authors: Greeno J. Ladd 
Published: February 2007

AbstractOne of the most important challenges facing business is shaping the role of senior management in corporate environmental performance. In some leading companies, the CEO or chairman takes the initiative to carefully define his or her role because of a strong personal commitment, a keen grasp of the business incentives, in response to past problems, or because of a combination of these. In other companies, even where corporate policies genuinely support and promote corporate environmental, health, and safety programs, there may still be inaction or reluctance on the part of top management to participate or get involved. This management posture may work for a few more years, but no longer than that—and could quickly become a major detriment to any company's ongoing market success or viability.This article will focus on a strategy for getting top management involved in your company's programs and, where they are already involved, for sharing some insights we have gained from our work with a number of companies where top management has taken a strong role in environmental issues and has established precedence for what can work well.
Developing a decision support tool for life‐cycle cost assessments
Authors: Weitz Keith A. , Smith Joyce K. , Warren John L. 
Published: February 2007

AbstractRecent years have seen advancements in the development and use of life‐cycle assessment (LCA) analytic techniques. Although these techniques have highlighted the power of LCA to identify the environmental consequences of a product system through its entire life cycle, they have also highlighted a major shortcoming of LCA—the lack of cost information. Because companies make daily decisions that involve trade‐offs between economics and the environment, including cost information in LCA is critical for advancing its use as an overall environmental decision‐making tool. This article outlines the current state of LCA methodology development, defines key life‐cycle cost assessment terms and concepts, and evaluates existing cost assessment techniques with the objective of building an integrated life‐cycle cost assessment tool.
Environmental management information systems: New tools for measuring performance
Authors: FitzGerald Chris 
Published: February 2007

AbstractSuccessful implementation of environmental management information systems (EMIS) has become essential to the success of total quality environmental management (TQEM) programs. Effective TQEM programs will be early indicators of which companies survive and thrive in today's competitive business environment. Highly competitive industries such as chemicals, electronics, and oil and gas are becoming very effective in cooperating to develop metrics, models, and tools that are based on business processes rather than regulatory edicts. Now electric power companies, newly exposed to market competition, are starting to develop and implement these metrics, standards, and tools. That industry provides a model for joining TQEM and EMIS.
Life‐cycle assessment: A survey of current implementation
Authors: Gloria Thomas , Saad Theodore , Breville Magalie , O'Connell Michael 
Published: February 2007

AbstractLife‐Cycle Assessment (LCA) is an analytical tool that evaluates the environmental consequences of a product, process, or activity across its entire life cycle. LCA is used internationally by government and industry to obtain a comprehensive perspective of the interactions between an activity and the environment and provides a method to systematically identify opportunities for improvement. The framework is integrated into environmental management programs motivated by market awareness, public perception, and cost savings. The use of LCA is driven by external forces such as eco‐labels and the recent development of the ISO 14000 standards. However, LCA has many shortcomings that need to be addressed. The concerns of poor data quality, data availability, high implementation costs, subjectivity, and lack of standardization have sent LCA into a state of flux.In light of the recent surge of interest in LCA, the authors of this article have conducted a corporate survey that targets the implementation of LCA. Their goal is to determine the level of activity of LCA among known practitioners and to elucidate common themes. This article presents their findings from responses by 34 companies that were known to be actively involved in LCA or contemplating its future use.
Applying a TQM framework to the public policy process: Part I—the framework
Authors: Wever Grace H. 
Published: February 2007

AbstractIn Part I of this article, a TQM framework is described that can be used to analyze as well as manage the public policy process. Key elements of the framework include leadership, issues analysis, goal and policy development, strategic vehicles, implementation, indicators and outcomes, and stakeholder review. The framework can be used to analyze public policy cycles, predict future issues and outcomes, and develop more sustainable approaches to manage linked economic, environmental, and societal issues. In Part II, the framework is used to examine the effectiveness of management of environmental issues in the Great Lakes region over the past three decades and to demonstrate the need for a more integrated approach to regional management.
Part II—a case study of the Great Lakes
Authors: Wever Grace H. 
Published: February 2007

AbstractThe Great Lakes region has a wealth of natural resources, including a system of five large lakes with 20 percent of the world's surface freshwater. A century and a half of municipal, industrial, and agricultural expansion has created a variety of environmental pressures. A 1972 landmark agreement between the United States and Canada committed both countries to an ecosystem‐based approach to management and a strategy of virtually eliminating toxic chemical inputs. Over the past few decades, significant investments were made to address the region's environmental health. More recent strategies, however, were developed without adequate consideration of their economic and social impacts. Using the quality‐based framework described in Part I of this article, this case study shows that the region has moved from crisis management to a more proactive, anticipatory approach.
Reengineering the environmental function: Making tough decisions
Authors: Iannuzzi Al 
Published: February 2007

AbstractThe process outlined in this article includes tools that can be used to achieve the efficiencies necessary for effective reengineering. This process can help ensure that management will not just cut out resources and expect the same services performed the same way. Environmental professionals will be able to show in black and white what their objectives are and what will and will not be done as a result of reengineering.
How regulations impact innovative environmental technologies: A recent case study
Authors: Knight C. Foster 
Published: February 2007

AbstractThe White House Conference on Environmental Technology, held December 12–14, 1994, is the most recent of many events building toward a national environmental technology strategy, which President Clinton will announce on April 22, 1995, the 25th anniversary of Earth Day. Promoting innovation and eliminating barriers to new environmental technologies are important issues in developing this strategy. Anticipating these developments, EPA launched its own Technology Innovation Strategy in early 1994. EPA's strategy explicitly calls for strengthening incentives for technology innovation within regulatory, policy, and enforcement programs. In this light, it is worthwhile to look at a recent case study showing how regulations impact innovative environmental technologies, particularly because there appears to be a gathering political sentiment for deeper regulatory reform.
The environmental auditing privilege debate: Disclosure, compliance, and legislative issues
Authors: McCreary Jean H. 
Published: February 2007

AbstractThis article discusses the primary arguments advanced in the debate in favor of and against the adoption of a qualified privilege to protect audit findings and explores various alternative incentives for promoting the practice of environmental health and safety auditing and for encouraging voluntary disclosure of audit findings to the regulators. This article also examines whether establishing a privilege provides the greatest motivation to auditing and disclosure, particularly in the context of EPA's recent reevaluation of its policy on auditing.
Making sense of public values: Environmental controversies for corporate decision makers
Authors: Grant A. J. , O'Dea Katherine 
Published: February 2007

AbstractEvery year I try to choose the “word of the year”—that is, the word that will be the most topical and overused in the news, politics, and business. Past “words of the year” were leadership, excellence, quality, and so on. This year's, without a doubt, must be values. Just listen to any political speech and you'll be sure to hear it! Magazine article after magazine article makes reference to values—family values, social values, public values, personal values, etc. Business is beginning to experience first‐hand the power of this word and the controversy it engenders, especially in the area of environmental issues.Corporations already heavily scrutinized by the public on operational issues like facility expansion, pollution, emissions, product acceptance, etc., are struggling to assess how best to manage competing public values. What do we do when the public has one value and business has another? Or, how can choices be made between two operating needs that compete for the same budget? It is the dilemma posed by values in conflict that this article explores. Once the domain of scholars and philosophers, this timely topic is now demanding the consideration and awareness of everyone in the business world.
Patagonia struggles to reduce its impact on the environment
Authors: Hartman Harvey , Haas Erika J. 
Published: February 2007

AbstractPatagonia designs and distributes clothing for active use in the outdoors, and many of the people who work for Patagonia are avid climbers, skiers, surfers, and hikers. If the environment is destroyed, there will be no place for Patagonia's customers and employees to use its products. The types of products Patagonia makes and the personal commitment to the environment of its founder and employees make it unique. In the past few years, Patagonia has been systematically reviewing how the company's products and operations affect the environment. This article shows that even with Patagonia's unusual connection to the environment, the company is still finding that total quality environmental management is not easy. It takes analysis, planning, follow‐through, and measurement; and even then, not all environmental efforts are successful.
Implementing ISO 14000: Overcoming barriers to registration
Authors: Jump Rodger A. 
Published: February 2007

AbstractThe new environmental standard, ISO 14000, is due for issue in January 1996. The standard is designed to address environmental management systems, life‐cycle assessments, and international labeling and auditing standards. A major issue facing ISO 14000 advocates is “How can proponents of ISO 14000 get their enterprise to implement it?” And once implementation is started, “What can be done to enhance its chances of success?” The answers to both of these questions may be discovered by examining the self‐interest of the parties within the enterprise. These parties will rightly ask, “Why should I support ISO 14000 registration? What's in it for me?”.Today's business climate is more competitive than ever. This is particularly true in the international arena. As a result, the competition within an enterprise for funds (the budget process) is becoming tougher than ever. Management is not going to register under ISO 14000 because they are altruistic. Companies will decide to register only if it is in their own best interest. That means, only if the decision maker can defend the decision to critics. This article presents approaches to gain support within an organization for implementation of ISO 14000 and to improve the chances of success once implementation has begun.
Improving quality with waste minimization for small businesses
Authors: Dorland Dianne , Baria Dorab N. , Bergeron Jerome T. 
Published: February 2007

AbstractAll businesses are continually seeking ways to increase productivity, improve customer satisfaction, reduce waste, and minimize costs. However, small businesses are frequently overlooked in discussions of the implementation of environmental quality improvements in conjunction with management practice improvements. Humes Collision Center incorporated new waste reduction techniques when it expanded its old facilities in 1992, and it was able to achieve the benefits of cost and waste reduction. Humes Collision Center repairs an average of 500 cars annually and is a very small quantity generator of hazardous waste, as defined by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. This case study documents the waste minimization and economic benefits at the new autobody repair facility in Hermantown, Minnesota.
Creating successful partnerships with hazardous waste providers
Authors: Shoji Dennis 
Published: February 2007

AbstractBaxter Healthcare's Cardio Vascular Group (CVG) has formed a partnership with Advanced Environmental Technical Services (AETS, formerly called AETC), an 18‐year‐old environmental services company based in Flanders, New Jersey. With annual revenues of nearly $100 million, AETS is the largest privately owned environmental service company of its kind.Creating a partnership with providers of hazardous waste services has become necessary for many companies that find themselves downsizing and focusing their limited resources on their core businesses. More than merely waste haulers, hazardous waste management companies are being called on to train employees, develop environmental budgets, and even serve as on‐site waste managers. AETS and Baxter Healthcare's CVG have created such a partnership and have successfully reduced Baxter's hazardous waste production by 56 percent since 1992. The lessons learned from this partnership are reported in this article.
Preparing for ISO 14000: An assessment guide
Authors: Ambrose Thomas P. 
Published: February 2007

AbstractWith ISO 14000 expected to roll out in 1996, have you begun to evaluate how well your current environmental management policy, programs, procedures, and objectives conform to published national and evolving global Environmental Management System (EMS) standards?.The ISO expects to adopt a final standard by mid‐1996 which specifies requirements for an EMS (e.g., ISO 14001). In addition, national EMS standards have already been developed and published by organizations such as The British Standards Institute and, in the United States, NSF International, for example, BS 7750 and NSF 110–1995, respectively. This article shows how managers can begin assessing their operations to prepare for these new standards and improve overall environmental performance.
Using life‐cycle assessments in large corporations: A survey of current practices
Authors: Huang Ellen A. , Hunkeler David J. 
Published: February 2007

AbstractIndustries presently face a challenge to maintain competitiveness while creating minimal adverse impacts on the environment. The conventional concerns of product functionality, quality, and cost are further complicated by environmental considerations. Thus, corporate environmental strategies are evolving toward a life‐cycle approach by implementing life‐cycle analysis (LCA), design for environment (DFE), and environmentally conscious design and manufacturing (ECDM) practices. These life‐cycle concepts provide a tool for industry to identify and evaluate opportunities to minimize environmental burdens from cradle to grave.A mail survey administered by Vanderbilt University's U.S.‐Japan Center for Technology Management was sent to 175 U.S. corporations from the 1994 Fortune 500 list. The results show that more than half of the 56 respondents are using life‐cycle concepts for environmental assessments, with marketing and cost issues as the primary motivation factors. Hi‐tech and personal care firms are more active in implementing LCAs while chemical and intermediate companies are more involved with maintaining databases and utilizing LCA tools. The survey and this article show how life‐cycle thinking has not been adequately integrated throughout corporate organizations, and most environmental efforts are initiated by the environmental affairs department. However, the percentage of top management involvement has increased since 1992 and is now at moderate levels. LCA methods need to be further developed in order to expand their industrial acceptability.
Sustainable environmental careers and industries in the reengineering/EMS era
Authors: Fitzgerald Chris 
Published: February 2007

AbstractEnvironmental business and environmental professionals within industry will face unprecedented challenges in the late 1990s. The strategies of Business Process Reengineering (BPR) and Environmental Management Systems (EMSs) will require integrating environmental processes into mainstream business systems and reducing the role for “pure” environmental processes. This article describes some of the new skills that employees and consultants will need to learn in order to provide value to the customer's core business.
Improving management‐level environmental, safety, and health auditing practices: Model guidelines and case study
Authors: Houshmand Ali A. , Valentine John D. , Ghoshal Subhonil 
Published: February 2007

AbstractThe model for a management‐level environmental, safety, and health (ES&) audit presented in this article is intended to be useful both for managers of ES&H organizations that are responsible for having audits of their programs conducted and for audit teams that conduct such audits. A description of the proposed audit model, including planning, executing, and collating the results of the audit, is presented. In addition, a case study is presented to demonstrate how managers can initiate and improve audit programs in their organizations. This article illustrates specific tools and practices such as the design of audit interview forms, techniques for developing audit questionnaires, and the incorporation of audit practices according to the established audit methods.
Risk management is part of good management
Authors: Bendixen Lisa Marie 
Published: February 2007

AbstractAs the use of hazard and risk assessments becomes more commonplace, the need for and importance of an overall risk management system become apparent. Such a system allows companies to prioritize both their efforts to identify and understand risks and their allocation of resources to manage and control risks. In the future, the most effective risk management systems will be integrated into other business processes and management systems, to ensure that their value as well as their costs are recognized and measured by line operations. For example, chemical and petrochemical companies such as BP Exploration, Monsanto, and Union Carbide are improving on well‐established risk management systems by increasing their businesses' involvement in and ownership of the process. This article summarizes the key elements of a risk management system and uses the lessons learned by various companies to define best existing and emerging practices.