The document discusses the environmental management system (EMS) in the Philippines. It provides background on EMS standards and describes laws in the Philippines related to EMS. Some key challenges to EMS implementation in the Philippines include the significant budget required, changing priorities of companies over time, frequent changes in leadership, and difficulties motivating employees for certification. Overall, the document outlines the EMS framework and identifies barriers to its adoption in the Philippine context.
3. OBJECTIVES
• Understand how EMS is executed in setting of Philippines;
• Identify the different laws supporting EMS;
• Explain the different challenges that Philippines is facing in the
implementation of EMS
4. The Environmental Management Systems composed of about 12
standards – was first conceptualized when the Rio Summit on the
Environment held in 1992 generated a commitment to protect the
environment across the world. The environmental field emerged as a
steady growth of national and regional standards. The British Standards
Institution has BS 7750, while European Union has environmental
management auditing, eco-labeling plus the eco-management and
audit regulations.
5. The increasing awareness on environmental impact is an outcry that is far
more intensified by the combined efforts of the local and national
governments, regulators, trade associations, customers, employees, and
shareholders.
The standard is not limiting; it is relevant to all types and sizes of
organizations and is designed for diverse geographical, cultural, and social
conditions. ISO 14001 is relevant to every organization, including: single site
to large multinational 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;
and original equipment manufacturers and their suppliers.
6. Advantages of EMS (Philippine Context)
• Improved management of environmental impacts;
• set targets to reduce energy use, water use and waste to landfill;
• initiated and maintain procedures to improve efficiencies;
• defined key responsibilities for achieving targets;
• regularly assess progress towards achieving set objectives;
• ensures due diligence and on-going consideration of legal and other environmental
requirements;
• monitor and measures environmental performance against key indicators;
• achieve cost savings;
• show leadership, nationally and/or internationally;
• obtain competitive advantage; compliance as required by clients, customers and/or
regulators; and
• build goodwill from customers, employees and stakeholders.
7. There is no law that mandates companies in the Philippines to be Environmental
Management Systems (EMS) certified. However, there are listed Philippines
Environmental Laws that must be strictly complied by any nature and size of
organization as guided and monitored by the Department of Environment and
Natural Resources and the Local Government Units.
• Republic Act 6969 Toxic Substances, Hazardous and Nuclear Waste
Control Act of 1990
• Republic Act 9003 Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000
• Republic Act 9275 Philippine Clean Air Act of 2004
• Republic Act 8749 Philippine Clean Water Act of 1999
• Presidential Decree 1586 Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
Statement of 1978
8. Implementing an EMS generally turns the favour to the company in
terms of the bottom line. Cost savings and reduced expenses, liabilities,
insurance premiums, and waste management costs can be made
through improved product quality, competitiveness, and enhance
market responsiveness.
9. Challenges of EMS in the Philippines
To date, there are 14,000 companies worldwide certified to
Environmental Management Systems and majority are from Japan
(2,600), Germany (1,600), United Kingdom (1,200), Sweden (650), USA
(590), Taiwan (500), Netherlands (475), Korea (460), Switzerland (400)
and France (360).
10. Challenges of EMS in the Philippines
There are five (5) more road blocks identified for EMS implementation
success in the Philippines:
• Budget and Allocation are not typical or private sector- Budget
allotment for EMS certification requires serious amount of
investment. Training alone will cost P 30,000.00 to complete an EMS
course from awareness program, documentation and auditing; third
party accreditation fee will ranges from P100, 000.00 to P250, 000.00
depending on choice third party service provider; and the amount
required for restoration, improvement of building infrastructures
enable to comply with the system.
11. Challenges of EMS in the Philippines
Budget and Allocation are not typical or private sector- Budget allotment
for EMS certification requires serious amount of investment. Training alone
will cost P 30,000.00 to complete an EMS course from awareness program,
documentation and auditing; third party accreditation fee will ranges from
P100, 000.00 to P250, 000.00 depending on choice third party service
provider; and the amount required for restoration, improvement of building
infrastructures enable to comply with the system.
Example: The Cleanway Technology in Silang, Cavite; they put in to be ISO
14001:2004 certified and approximately P600,000.00 inclusive of equipment
and facilities upgrade.
12. Challenges of EMS in the Philippines
Changing Priorities Overtime – EMS certification is always on the least
priorities of every company unless required by some of their major
customers. Management has always thought of equipment upgrade,
technology acquisition, research and development of products which is
an endless commitment with fast pace of technology and development
turnover.
13. Challenges of EMS in the Philippines
Frequent Changes in Leadership and their goods – In the corporate
and manufacturing set-up there is a rapid change over and movement
of personnel in particular to management level, either for promotion
and/or pirated by other companies, thus, pending EMS programs
immediately puts on hold with changes of leadership that has other set
of priorities.
14. Challenges of EMS in the Philippines
Frequent Changes in Leadership and their goods – In the corporate and
manufacturing set-up there is a rapid change over and movement of
personnel in particular to management level, either for promotion and/or
pirated by other companies, thus, pending EMS programs immediately puts
on hold with changes of leadership that has other set of priorities.
Example: Cleanway Technology – In 2009 the company was bombarded with
environmental issues and concerns by the Eco Waste Coalition and the Green
Peace Movement due to hazardous waste found on their waste water
effluents. The same year, there was a complete changes made of leadership
and management team, and evidently they geared towards environment
protection with its combined Quality Management System and
Environmental Management System certification.
15. Challenges of EMS in the Philippines
Finding the best element to motivate employees – Whenever we
speak of certification the first thing that employees think of was
additional job, Key Performance Index (KPI) monitoring and more
sleepless nights. In reality. EMS certification requires a tedious work to
begin with, and each key personnel are given task in documenting,
checking and monitoring requirements in reference to ISO 14001:2004.
Encouraging employees to participate is difficult enough specially if
there is no wage increase involve.
