Environmental Management Systems (EMSs): A Key to Financial Viability, Environmental Excellence - and Worthy of Regulatory Incentives

摘要

A management framework for continuous improvement (CI), such as an EMS, based on resultsrndescribed by this paper, should be enthusiastically implemented by water industry organizationsrnand incentivized by the regulatory community. This paper describes financial and environmentalrnbenefits of a department-wide implementation of an ISO 14001:2004i EMS Standard: arnmanagement system titled ―GreenWay.‖ GreenWay implementation by the Palm Bay UtilitiesrnDepartment (PBUD) has effectively increased the financial viability of the department, andrnsimultaneously compelled and sustained a higher level of environmental and operationalrnperformance.rnBased on the benefits and advantages related to the implementation of an EMS, governmentrnentities should hasten to collaborate in the design of regulatory programs that encourage andrnreward the establishment of CI management frameworks such as an EMS.