For the past 30 years, environmental, health, and safety (EHS) professionals have struggled to find the definitive set of performance metrics. The reality is that, while there is no universal set, there definitely is a group of key performance indicators for your company to use in order to win the competition game.
This article originally appeared in the 10/01/2006 issue of Environmental Protection.
Accrual and disclosure practices of public companies related to their environmental liabilities have long been perceived to be inconsistent and generally inadequate. Recent developments, such as Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Interpretation number 47, known as FIN47 in most circles, have tightened up the disclosure rules, especially in relation to environmental liabilities.
This article originally appeared in the 09/01/2006 issue of Environmental Protection.
In a 2001 Manager's Notebook article of the same title, I wrote about Washington D.C.'s influence on environmental progress.
This article originally appeared in the 09/01/2006 issue of Environmental Protection.
Conferences are a good leading indicator of emerging environmental trends. The meetings themselves may be planned a year or more in advance, but speakers generally talk about what is going on in "real-time" terms. Even more revealing are the informal networking discussions during the breaks when attendees share their hopes, fears, and ambitions. Indeed, tuning in to the buzz at these conferences is sometimes the best reason for attending. What's the buzz about today?
This article originally appeared in the 07/01/2006 issue of Environmental Protection.
The vast majority of environmental, health, and safety (EHS) professionals are competent, dedicated soldiers who fight the day-to-day battles to protect the health and safety of fellow employees, the community, and the environment.
This article originally appeared in the 06/01/2006 issue of Environmental Protection.
Some successful insurers prosper not because of anything they do internally, but because the people, businesses, or other organizations they insure behave in a way that leaves claims personnel twiddling their thumbs more often than not.
This article originally appeared in the 06/01/2006 issue of Environmental Protection.
When the McDonald's Corporation formed an alliance with the non-profit Environmental Defense Fund in 1990 it was an extraordinary and newsworthy event. Business and environmentalists had been pitted against each other in conflicting values, policies, and public debate.
This article originally appeared in the 05/01/2006 issue of Environmental Protection.
Environmental, health, and safety (EHS) roles and responsibilities have been shaped over the past 30 years primarily by U.S.-based regulatory requirements. But what happens if other forces were to dominate how EHS professionals add value? That tipping point may be approaching, and once reached, EHS roles and responsibilities could dramatically shift, hopefully for the better -- but maybe for the worse. Will other functional areas grab the very best jobs? The answer lies in whether EHS professionals will lead, follow, or get pushed out of the way.
This article originally appeared in the 05/01/2006 issue of Environmental Protection.
Aug. 25, 2005: Hurricane Katrina, the 11th named tropical storm, fourth hurricane, and first Category 5 hurricane of the season, makes landfall north of Miami, Fla., killing dozens. Four days later, the slightly weakened system touches down on the Central Gulf Coast of Louisiana.
This article originally appeared in the 05/01/2006 issue of Environmental Protection.
The nature of environmental, health, and safety (EHS) auditing has changed dramatically over the past 30 years. It may be on the verge of making its next big transformation: joining ranks with mainstream business governance functions. How has EHS auditing changed, and what may be on the horizon?
This article originally appeared in the 04/01/2006 issue of Environmental Protection.
The California Department of Toxic Substances (DTSC) began enforcing Universal Waste management rules for all waste generators effective Feb. 9, 2006. All businesses and households are now required to properly dispose of batteries and mercury-containing lamps and devices at a certified recycling facility.
This article originally appeared in the 04/01/2006 issue of Environmental Protection.
Environmental, health and safety (EHS) departments were created in response to regulations. For most, it continues to be their raison d'être in the minds of most business managers.
This article originally appeared in the 03/01/2006 issue of Environmental Protection.
The bottom line for companies is that now may be the right time to take a systematic look at their products and services.
This article originally appeared in the 01/01/2006 issue of Environmental Protection.
This article originally appeared in the 12/01/2005 issue of Environmental Protection.
The following is the first part in a two-part series that examines the subject of product stewardship. This issue is taking on a whole new significance in light of emerging global regulations based on the precautionary principle and management's push to develop new products in expanded markets.
This article originally appeared in the 11/01/2005 issue of Environmental Protection.
Water is the hot issue of the next 25 years. You know it, I know, but the American public doesn't. Why should they? American households spend less than any other industrialized nation for their water use. In fact, every year they spend nearly twice as much on carbonated and caffeinated beverages as they do on treating drinking and wastewater.
This article originally appeared in the 10/01/2005 issue of Environmental Protection.
The accounting scandals, perp walks to prison, and Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) have sent shock waves throughout the ranks of boards and executives. Has this significantly improved environmental, health, and safety (EHS) and social responsibility governance at the top? Unlikely. What will it take to get executives and the board fully engaged?
This article originally appeared in the 10/01/2005 issue of Environmental Protection.
Companies devote a lot of resources to benchmarking, and for good reason; the return on investment can be enormous. Why reinvent the wheel when battle-tested best practices are free for the asking? The United States has dominated environmental, health, and safety best practices for decades, but that is changing rapidly. Prescriptive regulations and fears of legal liability may be holding back U.S.-headquartered corporations from developing the next generation of corporate social responsibility best practices.
This article originally appeared in the 09/01/2005 issue of Environmental Protection.
I've been an environmental consultant for almost 20 years, and I've owned my own company for 10. Over the years, "Environmental Compliance Audits" have been one of the hardest products to sell to industrial customers.
This article originally appeared in the 09/01/2005 issue of Environmental Protection.
In our litigious society, professionals of all kinds are keenly aware that their expertise and professionalism cannot always protect them against being sued. For environmental professionals, the uncertainty and variability associated with the natural environment compounds the risk of litigation -- and, therefore, elevates the importance of liability insurance.
- By John G. Nevius, Robert E. Frankel, Esq.
This article originally appeared in the 07/01/2005 issue of Environmental Protection.