Environmental Management System Development Process (2013)

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10 The initial decision to develop an EMS or to decide against it—and what informs that decision—is a critical question in evaluating the status of EMS practice (Yin and Schmeidler 2007). This chapter provides an overview of issues related to the decision to develop an EMS. It examines the reasons to proceed with an EMS (or if not, why not), and the motivations for development. The issues surveyed in the decision to implement or not implement an EMS include: • drivers for consideration; • reasons that influenced the decision not to develop an EMS; • primary purpose of the EMS; and • cost of development. EnvironmEntal managEmEnt SyStEm DrivErS The airports were asked to rank the importance of certain issues that affected their decision to consider implementing an EMS (see Figure 7). All 19 airports responded. Improved environmental performance was ranked high- est, with all 19 of the airports identifying it as either very important (15) or important (four). The airports gave rela- tively similar weight to improved employee understanding of environmental issues and responsibilities, environmental risk reduction, compliance concerns, and improved internal process. Leadership in industry, airport management interest, pub- lic or environmental organization interest, cost reductions, and improved regulator relationships, although ranked lower, were fairly consistently rated between somewhat important and very important. Tenant or customer interest, and elected or appointed official interest formed the third tier. The airports gave the least weight to regulator requirement, with more than half of the airports indicating that no regula- tor requirement, such as an administrative consent order, was associated with their reason for developing an EMS. However, three airports ranked it as very important and two as important, indicating that a regulator requirement can be a strong driver when it is applicable to a particular airport. The results indicate that while compliance was important, many airports are looking to achieve broad benefits from their EMS. This is supported because 11 of 16 airports that are considering or have made the decision to implement an EMS indicated that the primary purpose of their EMS was to move beyond compliance issues. DECiDing againSt an EnvironmEntal managEmEnt SyStEm Only two of the 19 respondents that responded to the survey decided not to develop an EMS. This sample size is too small to draw a conclusion regarding the reasons airports in general might select against implementing; however, the answers (Figure 8) provide some insight into their possible thinking. Major reasons for not implementing focused on the time, amounts of documentation and paperwork, and manpower requirements. That these airports also report having sufficient programs in place would appear to buttress their conclusion that the effort was not justified. Lack of senior management support and potential cost, although ranked as somewhat important, were nevertheless ranked lowest of the reasons given. One of the airports that decided against implementing an EMS indi- cated it may reconsider the decision in the future. chapter three CUrrEnt PraCtiCES anD CHallEngES

11 10 4 2 2 2 1 1 4 8 11 5 6 8 6 3 3 3 1 1 2 4 2 9 6 6 4 8 7 5 8 7 4 3 3 4 3 5 5 8 7 9 11 10 11 15 0 5 10 15 20 Regulator requirement Elected or appointed officials interest Tenant or custome r interest Improved regulator relationships Cost reductions Public or environmental organization… Airport management interest Leadership in industry Improved internal processes Compliance concerns Environmental risk reduction Improved employee understanding of… Improved environmental performance Not Important Somewhat Important Important Very Important FIGURE 7 EMS drivers. FIGURE 8 Deciding no. 2 2 1 2 2 1 1 1 0 1 2 Potential cost Lack of seniormanagement support Have sufficient programs in place Manpower requirements Amount of documentation and paperwork required Time requirements Somewhat Important Important Very Important