Environmental Management System

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Environmental Management System

Mónica Bolívar Salvador Noelia Cebrían Marín Tamara González Coret José Luis González Rivas Laura Sánchez Ibáñez

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Environmental Management System

ISO 14000 is a family of standards related to environmental management that exists to help organizations minimize how their operations processes negatively affect the environment, comply with applicable laws, regulations, and other environmentally oriented requirements; and continually improve.

ISO 14001 STANDARDS

Its main aim is to assisting companies in continually improving their environmental performance, while complying with any applicable legislation. Organizations are responsible for setting their own targets and performance measures, with the standard serving to assist them in meeting objectives and goals and in the subsequent monitoring and measurement of these.

ISO 14001 is known as a generic management system standard, meaning that it is relevant to any organization seeking to improve and manage resources more effectively. This includes:

Single-site to large multi-national companies

High-risk companies to low-risk service organizations

Manufacturing, process, and the service industries, including local governments

All industry sectors including public and private sectors

Original equipment manufacturers and their suppliers

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Environmental Management System

BASIC PRINCIPLES AND METHODOLOGY

These are based on the well-known Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle.

PLAN: establish objectives and processes required

This review assists the organization in establishing their environmental objectives, goals, and targets, which should ideally be measurable; helps with the development of control and management procedures and processes; and serves to highlight any relevant legal requirement, which can then be built into the policy

DO: implement the processes

During this stage, the organization identifies the resources required and works out those members of the organization responsible for the EMS' implementation and control. This includes establishing procedures and processes, although only one documented procedure is specified related to operational control. Other procedures are required to foster better

management

control

over

elements

such 4

as


Environmental Management System

documentation control, emergency preparedness and response, and the education of employees, to ensure that they can competently implement the necessary processes and record results

CHECK: measure and monitor the processes

ACT: take action to improve performance of

and report results

EMS based on results

During the "check" stage, performance is

After the checking stage, a management review

monitored and periodically measured to ensure

is conducted to ensure that the objectives of

that the organization's environmental targets

the EMS are being met, the extent to which

and objectives are being met. In addition,

they are being met, and that communications

internal audits are conducted at planned

are being appropriately managed; and to

intervals to ascertain whether the EMS meets

evaluate changing circumstances, such as legal

the user's expectations and whether the

requirements,

processes and procedures are being adequately

recommendations for further improvement of

maintained and monitored

the

system.

in

These

order

to

recommendations

make

are

incorporated through continual improvement: plans are renewed or new plans are made, and the EMS moves forward.

o There are other aspect that aren't basic elements, but we want to consider them: Benefits

ISO 14001 was developed primarily to assist companies with a framework for better management control that can result in reducing their environmental impacts, also can include a reduction in waste, consumption of resources and operating costs.

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Environmental Management System

This can provide them with a competitive advantage against companies that do not adopt the standard

Conformity assessment

ISO 14001 can be used in whole or in part to help an organization (for-profit or not-for-profit) better manage its relationship with the environment. The organization may opt to prove that it has achieved full alignment or conformity with the international standard, ISO 14001, by using one of four recognized options. These are: 1. Make a self-determination and self-declaration, 2. Seek confirmation of its conformance by parties having an interest in the organization, such as customers 3. Seek confirmation of its self-declaration by a party external to the organization, or 4. Seek certification/registration of its EMS by an external organization.

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Environmental Management System

Over time, an environmental management

investment in the future success of your

programme will give your business a financial

programme.

and competitive edge. Your business will be better prepared to meet both future legislation and

other

external

demands.

Working

systematically with environmental issues often helps to reduce costs, for example of energy and water consumption, the chemical products you use and your unsorted waste. It also presents opportunities to distinguish your company from that of other hoteliers, and can make your hotel a more attractive place. Your staff may well be recycling and doing their bit to save energy in their home lives already. Some of them may even offset the carbon

We think that the road to sustainability of hotel

emissions they create through their travel

activity is to make our hotels more efficient in

and/or the energy they use in their homes. They

the use of resources while generating less

are therefore likely to be receptive to the

waste, that is, more eco-efficient and we also

introduction of environmental practices at the

believe that it would be advisable to apply a

hotel. However, you may have to ask them to

program of good environmental practices in the

change their normal routines, to undergo

hotel establishment that allows us to advance in

training and learn new techniques, and even

compliance with these principles, reducing the

perhaps volunteer their time. Initially, not

environmental impact of its activities and

everyone may share your enthusiasm, so time

services, and later favoring the application of

spent briefing yourself on the issues and how

environmental

you will respond to likely questions will be an

complex.

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management

tools

more


Environmental Management System

We have selected a 4 star city hotel located in the center of Madrid, with 100 rooms and those services:

Room service

Kitchen-restaurant

Terrace

External parking

Wake up Service

Mini-Bar

Consignen

And now we are going to explain the characteristics about our Implementation System of Environmental Management:

Checklist  To identify the environmental problems in each of the hotel’s departments  To become aware of the necessity of targeted actions  To establish priorities and to determine responsibilities Checklists enable the identification of priority environmental domains and the measures to be taken. They are non-exhaustive lists of actions (such as possible corrective measures) that can be undertaken to improve the environmental performance of the hotel. Checklists also require brainstorming to promote more focused actions and to encourage the monitoring and the correct application of the corrective measures. The completed checklists should be communicated to the various concerned departments of the hotel in order to ensure their implementation.

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Environmental Management System

Water | management and rationalization A guest at an international hotel consumes an average of 300 liters a day. This situation endangers the quality and the availability of water for local communities. For this reason, actions that aim to reduce the consumption of water in hotels are necessary.

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Energy | efficiency and economy Global warming and the depletion of petroleum reserves are motivating executives to review their energy use. To reduce the impact on the environment, it is necessary to control the consumption of fossil fuels and to turn to clean technologies and renewable energy.

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Wastes | resource recovery

The rapid development of the hotel industry in the Mediterranean often goes hand-inhand with a lack of sanitation and waste disposal infrastructure. It is therefore necessary to implement strategies to minimize wastes at source as well as to recycle them, hotels produce large quantities of solid and liquid wastes, which end up in the surrounding environment due to inadequate management and handling. The resulting dirty surroundings will also harm the image of the hotel.

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Purchasing policy | ecological aspects

Purchases made by hotels are linked to the need to satisfy guests’ expectations and offer them quality service. Nevertheless, purchased products must be considered in their totality (life cycle). These products favor biodegradable, recyclable, non-toxic and less processed materials, and their use in the context of a hotel leads to smaller water and energy consumption. Hotels can encourage the use of “green” products by raising the awareness of staff, suppliers and guests. Beyond the ecological aspect, the impact on working conditions must also be factored in when selecting products.

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Logistics | efficient handling and management

A hotel purchases large quantities of merchandise that require specific handling and storage. When the merchandise is received, a number of steps must be taken in order to guarantee the preservation of its quality. In addition to the location of the storeroom, the human factor is also crucial. Educating employees and raising their awareness are aspects that must be considered. Moreover, making regular inventories of the stock can limit losses and avoid over-consumption.

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Noise, air quality and landscape integration

Just like any other type of pollution, noise has an impact on the quality of life and on health. Hotels are, above all, meant to be places where one can relax and rest. This often proves difficult because of the noise level. It affects hotel guests and the staff, as well as the hotel’s surroundings. Exposure to noise pollution above 60 dBA has an impact on mood, the quality of sleep, and stress levels. It can also give rise to auditory fatigue. As with all industrial activities, tourism contributes to atmospheric pollution. Hotel boilers emit atmospheric pollutants, such as particles, carbon dioxide (CO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen oxides (NOx). Emissions from road traffic associated with the hotel also contribute to atmospheric pollution. Areas with high natural diversity or with an important historical heritage are favorite tourist destinations. To respond to the increasing demand, construction linked to the tourism industry has expanded rapidly. This situation creates certain abuses linked with gradual modifications of the environment and landscape that may become irreversible.

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To understand the differences between EMAS

that recognizes those organizations that have

and the ISO 14001 system we first need to know

implemented

what an environmental management system

Management System) and have acquired a

(EMS) is. Essentially an EMS is put in place by a

commitment

business

verified through independent audits.

wanting

to

improve

their

an

to

EMS

continuous

(Environmental

improvement,

environmental performance. It is one way in

Definition of ISO 14001: is a family of standards

which a business can prove their green

related to environmental management that

credentials to their stakeholders, consumers

exists to help organizations minimize how their

and governments.

operations (processes, etc.) negatively affect

Definition

EMAS

the environment (i.e., cause adverse changes to

(Eco-Management and

air, water, or land); comply with applicable laws,

Audit Scheme): Is a

regulations, and other environmentally oriented

voluntary regulation of

requirements; and continually improve in the

the European Union

above.

of

The differences between EMAS and the ISO 14001 system can be split into two subjects: technical and non-technical.

Technical differences: 

There are a number of technical differences between EMAS and the ISO 14001 system. The first of which is that EMAS specifically requires that an initial environmental review be conducted before it can be implemented.

EMAS also requires that a verified public statement of the site’s environmental performance is available, including the environmental policy, programme and EMS. This differs from the ISO 14001 system in that only the environmental policy is required to be publicly available.

Under EMAS, the control over contractors and suppliers is much tighter than in ISO 14001. ISO 14001 only requires that procedures be communicated to these people. 2 4


Environmental Management System

A big difference in the systems is the subject of audits. ISO 14001 does require that audits have to be carried out. However, there is no specified frequency, and also the methodology of an audit is not laid out as it is in EMAS.

Non-technical differences: 

The ISO 14001 system was developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) whereas EMAS was created by the European Committee for Worldwide Standardization (CEN).

ISO 14001 allows all businesses and business sites to participate in the certification. But EMAS is only available to specific sites of a business.

Finally, although the ISO 14001 system is globally recognized, EMAS is only recognized in Europe.

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We have done a table with a check-list for every point that we think we can be more efficient. These points are:

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We have to analyze the operations that we have control of them and the ones that we can’t control but we can influence.

Emergent

The hotel has specific plan

Medium

Use

Special protocol of action

High

Insecticide

Use

Similar to the protocol of cleaning products

High

Gas- Oil

Use

Special protocol

Low

Emergent

The hotel has a special protocol of action

Medium

Use

Special protocol of action

High

Insecticide

Use

Similar to the plan of cleaning products

High

Gas- Oil

Use

Special plan

Low

Gas Cleaning products

Gas Cleaning products

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Environmental Management System

OPERATIONAL CONTROL We control our processes and activities but we

It is very important to know how our suppliers

cannot control what external companies do, we

proceed, how they manage their activities.

can influence or decide which is better for the

We have a performance criteria; and we have to

environment. If we can choose a company that

define what we want to improve and to what

does not have to spend a lot of diesel in

extent, the execution level.

transportation because it is close to us, we will For this we need documentary support to verify

choose that company, we will also worry about

what is being done, what level of acceptance

the environmental management that makes to

we will have of the data we are getting. And

decide which company to work with.

when the time comes we have to know how to In the hotel there may be situations that may be

value the data obtained.

dangerous for those who are working or We need to establish a degree of verification to

harmful to the environment, so it is very

evaluate the accuracy of the data we have

important to try to control all the factors, and

obtained.

those that we cannot control try to influence them. ACTION PLAN

There are different action plans depending on the risk we are referring to, for example; there is an especial protocol for when an employee suffers a turpentine burn, and the affected area must be cleaned instantly with cold water. If the risk is with a gas leakage, the workers will be intoxicated in different levels, and each level has specific action plan depending on the gravity, in a low level in the hotel there is a bonbons of oxygen to treat this problem, if it were more serious it would be necessary to transfer him to the hospital. These are some of the plan that we have in the hotel, we have evacuation plan if the problem is high risk.

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RESPONS CAPACITY There are certain risks that the hotel can remedy with a concrete action plan for each occasion. But there are other cases that the hotel will need external help, like a big fire or explosion, in this type of risk the hotel need the help of the firefighters or the police. In this specific case the hotel has low answer capacity because the hotel need to resort to external aid; the risk is more serious. Although it will also have especial action plan to carry it out while awaiting help, which consist of small actions without risk, such as controlling that the fire does not expand, trying to quell small pockets.

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