Sustainability: Case Study

Organizations can use environmental management systems (EMS) and life cycle management (LCM) tools to guide their organization toward a more sustainable enterprise. Many organizations have implemented an EMS as a framework to direct the continual improvement of their environmental performance, to ensure compliance, and to go beyond compliance and pursue the broader goals of sustainability. Through a flexible EMS (e.g. consistent with the ISO 14001 EMS Standard) and LCM tools, an organization can not only address its own environmental impact, but also work towards ecological sustainability on a societal level.

First Environment assisted a residential and commercial flooring company with the design and implementation of an EMS that will be integrated with its ISO 9000 quality system.

Apart from the EMS, the company has embarked on many progressive sustainability initiatives, including their own LEED building projects, life cycle assessment (LCA), and “net user of waste” projects. This company is in the process of incorporating these on-going initiatives into its new EMS. For instance, the LCA results will lead the company in the identification of aspects and impacts. This information will feed into the EMS and drive the development of its objectives and targets and environmental programs. The product information and insights generated from the LCA will also help the company identify ways to decrease usage of raw materials, reduce energy consumption, and improve process efficiencies (design-for-environment).

Using Environmental Management Systems and Life Cycle Management to Pursue Sustainability