1 etiv - emas technical implementation and verification 1 project etiv – emas technical...

1ETIV - EMAS Technical Implementation and Verification 1

Project ETIV – EMAS TECHNICAL

IMPLEMENTATION AND VERIFICATION

Prepared by:

Module 8 - Communication and training when establishing EMAS


This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

Module 8 - Communication and training when establishing EMAS


CONTENTCommunication and training when establishing EMAS

ContentIntroduction: why do we need communication andtraining in EMAS-work?• Communication when constructing EMAS• How to communicate• Background information about personnel training• Aim of the training model• Finding out the training needs• Content and methods of the training• Defining the final training plan• Training evaluation• Training budget• Profile of the trainer


INTRODUCTIONCommunication and training when establishing EMAS

Why do we need communication and training in EMAS-work?

• to raise awareness• to demonstrate the commitment to environmental

issues• to gain support and involvement• to inform about the progress and results of EMAS-

work


CONSTRUCTION OF EMASCommunication and training when establishing EMAS

• Getting started • Environmental review• Prioritising of the environmental

aspects• Environmental policy• Environmental Program• Documentation• Internal audit• Environmental Statement



Getting started

• Everybody in the organisation in informed about the construction of EMAS• what is done and why• roles, responsibilities, authorities• goals• benefits

• Remember two-way communication!• A special event for the personnel is a good starting

shot for EMAS-work



Getting started

Example

The CEO from a company personally signed over 250 letters to all his employees, explaining the importance and benefits an EMS would add to the company and asking for their commitment and participation. Employee response was extremely positive. Staff fromall levels were involved in the process, and suggestions and feedback came from all departments.



Environmental review

How to gather information:• face to face interviews• questionnaires• telephone calls• meetings and discussions• letters• open discussion• team work



Prioritising of the environmental aspects

How it should be done?• Team work

• A group of people can do the prioritising using e.g. a mathematical models available or just common sense

• Voting • Commitment to EMAS-goals gets better as personnel

gets a chance to influence on their selection• Voting gives information to the personnel about the

results of the environmental review and continuation of the work.



Environmental policy

What is it?• Statement of intentions and principles• Top management’s declaration of its environmental

commitment• Recognition of the environment as a basic value of the

organisation• Message to the personnel and interest groups• Framework for action and development



Environmental policyEMAS requirementsTop management shall define the organisations environmental policy and ensure that it:• fits with the nature, scale and environmental impacts of its activities,

products and services• includes a commitment to continual improvement, prevention of

pollution and comply with relevant environmental legislation and regulation and with other requirements to which the organisation subscribes

• provides the framework for setting and reviewing environmental objectives and targets

• is documented, implemented and maintained and communicated to all employees

• is available to the public





Vision, mission, strategies and values of the organisation

Programmes and agreements to which the organisation is committed

Desired level of environmental protection vs. resources/possible means of implementation

Analysis of the interest groups: relation to the organisation, needs, concerns, co-operation, etc.

Overview of the trends and future development of environmental issues

Summary of the environmental review: significant environmental aspects, needs for improvement

Relevant environmental legislation

Overview of the local circumstances concerning environmental issues




Remember - A good environmental policy

• is written clearly and concisely. • is credible and realistic and doesn't make promises the

organisation cannot keep. • motivates - the employees are pleased, not surprised. • addresses top priorities for being an efficient

environmental performer, avoiding 'activism'.• gives a clear direction and can be achieved through

objectives and targets.




DisseminationInternal:• present it during regular meetings, post it on notice-boards,

at the reception, in the canteen, include it in staff hand-books and introductory training or materials for new employees, put it on the intranet, send it with pay-slips

External:• publish it in the annual report, send it to suppliers and

customers, launch the policy on the internet, write a press release about it, organise a media event.



Environmental program

Environmental programme consists of general objectives and detailed targets. The aim is that the personnel always has a possibility to give their suggestions to theenvironmental programme. This can be done for exampleby having a common planning and idea event.

A good environmental target is measurable/it can be evaluated somehow so that the realization of the targets can be informed to the management, personnel and external interest groups.



Documentation

• Documentation is essential part of communication, e.g. instructions and guidelines

• Organisation should consider what things really need to be documented (too many documents can be overburdening)

• Documentation should be clear and easily available (visibility and placing is often important)



Internal audit

Before the audit inform the personnel• steps and methods of the audit• participation of the personnelAfter the audit• present the results to the personnel and remember the

right spirit (the needs of improvement are not seen as mistakes but as possibilities) ->

• Transfer ideas and information inside the organisation and solve problems together, recognize and spread good practises



Environmental statement (report)• Environmental statement is a way for an organisation to

communicate about the results of environmental work and the continual improvement of it.

• It can also be used to:- motivate employees to get actively involved in environmental protection measures - document environmental activities and performance - reinforce commitment to the on-going implementationof environmental management - monitor success and - aid planning

• The most important thing with the statement is that it gives information about organisation’s environmental work to the interest groups openly and clearly.



Environmental statement (report)

Whereas the residents living near a chemical plant have a great interest in information because of the danger of accidents, a clothing manufacturer is likely to assign more importance to its end consumers. Therefore, it is important to establish target groups:

Employees - Neighbours and local residents - Customers and consumers - Environmental and consumer associations - Suppliers - Shareholders, banks and insurance - Media and press companies - Competitors - Authorities - Schools and universities




Example (Barricalla of Collegno – a landfill in Italy): “As a landfill of hazardous waste we were very badly viewed by the local community. The publication of our EMAS environmental statement has notably improved our relationship with them.”




What does EMAS require

- description of the organisation and a summary of its activities, products and services and its relationship to parent organisations;- the environmental policy and a description of the environmental management system - a description of all the significant direct and indirect environmental aspects which result in significant environmental impacts and an explanation of the nature of the impacts- a description of the environmental objectives and targets in relation to the significant environmental aspects and impacts;- a summary of the performance of the organisation against its environmental objectives and targets with respect to its significant environmental impact (figures on pollutant emissions, waste generation, consumption of raw material, energy and water, noise). The data should allow for year-by-year comparison to assess the development of the environmental performance of the organisation;- other factors regarding environmental performance including performance against legal provisions with respect to their significant environmental impacts;- the name and accreditation number of the environmental verifier and the date of validation.




Key-elements • Your statement should not be understood as a form of 'one-way

communication', but as part of a dialogue. Do not forget to collect and evaluate feedback.

• Success is heavily dependent on credibility.• Contents must be presented in a clear, easily understood manner.• If it is to remain interesting and have a media impact, not only in

the year of publication but also in following years, it is necessary to emphasise certain elements.

• Check which are the most important environmental issues and impacts of your site or company and focus your environmental statement on these issues.



Environmental statement (report)Disseminationpaper version• Presentation and distribution at staff or department meetings and press

conferences• Mail to customers, suppliers, sector associations, chambers of commerce,

etc. • Distribution at trade fairs• Personal distribution through sales representatives or with business contacts• Display in retail outlets, public buildings • Presentation and distribution at local or regional environmental discussions

with authorities representatives, neighbours, neighbouring companies, etc.• Mail to residents and authoritiesan electronic version• Email to customers, suppliers, sector associations, chambers of commerce,

etc. • Make a link to the statement in your organisation´s website


HOW TO COMMUNICATECommunication and training when establishing EMAS

• EMAS requirements• Key elements in communication• Internal communication• Initiatives to inform and involve

personnel• External communication



EMAS requirements

The organisation shall establish and maintain procedures for • internal communication between the various levels and

functions of the organisation;• receiving, documenting and responding to relevant

communication from external interested parties.



Key elements in communication

• Know your audience• Know their culture• Think about their motivators• Effective communication is (4C): clear, concise,

continuous and connected • Apply a systematic approach



Internal communication

Effective communication will help:• motivate the workforce (what and why);• gain acceptance for plans and efforts;• explain environmental policy and EMS and how they relate to the overall

organizational vision;• ensure understanding of roles and expectations;• demonstrate management commitment;• monitor and evaluate performance; and,• identify potential system improvements.

Communication means besides distributing information also making personnel engaged, motivated and rewarded. Too seldom positive feedback is remembered as a good motivator!



Internal communication• Newsletters• Intranet• Training and instructions• Staff meetings• Posters• Announcements on the bulletin board • Environmental policy, environmental report• Individual letters to employees• Attachments to payment slips• Notices• Environmental events• Electronic mail messages• Internal newspapers• Possibility to give feedback (a feedback box or intranet)• Inquiries and questionnaires• Surveys on the personnel’s opinions, expectations and ideas




Tools• Employee suggestion sheet• Brainstorming method• The card method




Example of enthusiastic and innovative internal communication

Hollola Secondary School chose a different environmental theme for every month. On the first Monday of the month in a weekly bulletin the environmental theme and occasions are presented. For example when the theme was economical sustainability, it was an aim to have a price tag in every article and function in the school: how much does a daily meal or a copy or a lesson cost?



Initiatives to inform/involve personnelLincoln GmbH Walldorf, Germany (lubrication systems) • informing employees about the status, progress and current results of

environmental management, as well as providing them with the necessary basic information

• providing advice and hints on environmental management with pay slips • providing Turkish employees with an information sheet in their language • posting notices on the bulletin board and information panels of different

production groups • putting up posters about the environmental audit in the entrance hall,

production department, canteen, training centre, employee offices, machinery area, etc.

• presenting the actual status and further development of environmental projects at quarterly works meeting

• publishing articles in the company magazine• organising workshops on the environmental audit for staff



Initiatives to inform/involve personnelLincoln GmbH Walldorf, Germany (lubrication systems)



External communication

• External communication is all about establishing and maintaining confidence and understanding among interest groups.

• Remember proactive, two-way communication

Consider communication strategies for:

neighborscommunity groupsother interest groupslocal officialsregulatory agenciesemergency responders

Consider communication strategies for:

neighborscommunity groupsother interest groupslocal officialsregulatory agenciesemergency responders




Methods • open houses• focus or advisory groups• web site or e-mail list• press releases• environmental report, environmental policy• informal discussions• packaging, vehicles, advertising, • press releases • environmental events (both participation and funding)




Key questions• Who is responsible for external communication?• What methods do we use?• How do we document communication (to and from

external parties)?• How do we respond to communications from external

parties?




Examples• Milan Screw Products’ staff interviewed neighbours, customers,

suppliers, and employees’ family members to obtain the views of external parties.

• Motorola has conducted Household Waste Electronics Recycling Days for local residents in collaboration with local authorities.

• the Town of Londonderry in conjunction with its household hazardous waste collection day, asked residents to complete a survey to prioritize community related environmental issues.

• The City of Lowell’s wastewater treatment plant asked local residents to assist with efforts to address the plant's odor issues. A number of residents recorded weather information on days the odor was prevalent.


Personnel training • The activity of every employee has an impact on the

environment• Reducing environmental impact means changing

behaviour• Changing behaviour requires raising awareness,

training and acquiring new skills• Training, awareness and competence are vital for

the success of an EMS • Employees can only give their best if they understand

the decisions that affect them, and how their contribution will actually make a difference

BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON PERSONNEL TRAINING

Communication and training when establishing EMAS


Who is in charge• Training plan must be prepared well• Must be known:

• Who owns the future project• Who will take a responsibility• Who makes decisions that concern it• Who can use resources

• The support of the highest management is a central point in a starting project: the knowledge that a new project is supported by the highest management gives credibility

• A project must have a guidance team besides the owner (managers, trainers, personnel etc.)




Do we do it ourselves or do we buy it?• A main decision is who fulfils the training plan:

• Is it done by the organisation or bought outside?• In both options there are positive and negative sides

• The use of a consultant:• Giving credibility to the project• By experience of the consult with similar projects

• Knowledge, comparative information• Ideas from the other organisations• Neutral view to the organisation.

• Resources of own personnel are saved by using a consult




Do we do it ourselves or do we buy it?• The use of own personnel can be justified by:

• Lower direct costs• Project staying in the organisation • Possibility to tailor used concepts to fit own area




Do we do it ourselves or do we buy it?• In the end it would be good to write down the new

project as a normal development plan:• Who does• What does• How is it done• With what resources • Timetable • Why this organisation is doing this project




Personal and organization’s talent• There is knowledge in individuals, but most of the work is

always a result of co-operation

• Talent in an organisational level is an own topic and its’ need is not easily achieved with questionnaires done to the personnel

• It must be noticed what one’s work skills are, compared to the skills of other ones and how the organisation makes it possible that skills can be combined

• The question is, is information spread and is the knowledge growing when people are working together




Personal and organization’s talent• To combine different skills of persons is part of

organisation’s competence• The benefits that result from the training and

guaranteeing their staying mean that the personnel development plan concerns also organizing the work

• The central thing in developing personnel is how the organisation supports communication and interaction or prohibits it

• How communication is done over the limits of hierarchy or units and teams




With this model an organisation can:• Recognise its own need for training

• Select the target groups

• Plan the use of time and other resources needed by training

• Realise the training and evaluate its success

AIM OF THE TRAINING MODELCommunication and training when establishing EMAS


Mapping the training needs• Aims into finding out what different personnel

groups know about issue and what they should know about it

• What is the timeline:• Needs of the present moment and works • Or what must be prepared for in the future

• Whose training need is searched: • Individual worker• Department • The whole organisation

FINDING OUT THE TRAINING NEEDSCommunication and training when establishing EMAS


Methods for mapping the training needs• User panel discussion

• The person who will carry out the the training needs can gather a group who will consider the needs of the departments and professions

• Fast and cheap at least what comes to the direct costs• Commits at least its members better to the coming training • The risk of this method is a possible loss of supervisor control

if group decisions arise• A risk is also too much “I feel “-based knowledge and

personal experience as objective facts• Important is that the employer underlines that the role of the

groups is being advising



Methods for mapping the training needs• Interviews

• Interviewing all the personnel or its representatives• Takes more time than the previous one• Can give the management a better possibility to control

the process of the research and its results• Have many of the benefits of the user panel discussion:

• Interaction• Commitment



Methods for mapping the training needs• Interviews

• The risks can be:• Associated with use of time• Neutrality of the management • How well the ones being interviewed represent the group• Research can also be delayed because of cancellations

• Can also be part of yearly development discussions



Methods for mapping the training needs• Questionnaires

• The most scientific method • Good if it is completed with interviews • If a question form is well done it most probably gives a

wider and more fact based image of the training needs than the other methods

• Gives personnel a change to take part to the project and put up general interest towards asked questions

• How well it works depends on the question form• Method is quite time consuming



Methods for mapping the training needs• Questionnaires

• The more open the questions are, the more difficult it is to get a general opinion

• Questionnaires are one way communication and include risks with concepts and understanding the meaning



Methods for mapping the training needs• Evaluation of the level of demand in work

• Based on recognising and analysing individual tasks and the demand and needed qualifications

• Wider than the other methods that only aim to recognise the educational needs

• Is often used to develop and improve rewarding and leadership systems in other ways

• Quite tough and sensitive • Divides personnel ideas



Methods for mapping the training needs• Analysing the education of personnel

• Means specifying and analysing the education of the personnel

• Normal method whose usability depends on the quality of the needed education

• Limited because it concentrates on individually previously experienced and needed education



Methods for mapping the training needs• An important part of the analysis is finding out the use

of external seminars• Important because

• The amount of money that goes to outside of the organisation can be found

• Finding out the most common themes• Finding out good external educators



Methods for mapping the training needs• Analysis of development needs

• The primary interest should be on the future plans of the organisation, for example developing environmental practise

• What are the areas that the organisation is going to concentrate on

• What kind of methods• How is it going to be resourced and organised

• In the end, analysing the education researches done to an individual level should start from the plans of the organisation

• The idea is to see how the personnel should develop so its knowledge would match hoped development



Defining target groups• Target groups of the training are selected according

to the need of training analysis• If all the personnel can not be taken into the training,

it is best to take the key persons, and create a model for them to spread the information to their own group

• The following issues must be known:• Who are the key persons in the organisation• Who needs to be informed about this• How does the message go in the organisation; who

gives the information to whom



Different levels of the training• Organisation works in different levels so the

training plan has to be built in the different levels as well

• It can be divided in to four levels:1. Support for volunteer training

2. Common training for the whole organisation

3. Common training for each department

4. Individual needs of development

CONTENT AND METHODS OF THE TRAININGCommunication and training when establishing EMAS


Volunteer Training• Employer must create rules to volunteer training

• How is it encouraged, supported and what kind of conditions are created for it

• This part of the training plan is written the routine of approval • Who has the power to make decisions • How the organisation takes part to the expenses (course fees,

material fees, travel expenses and so on), • Can work time be used for studying• Is the supervisor obligated to tailor the work times so that

studying is possible• Encouragement (does extra training affect on salary, titles,

career development and so on)



Training for the whole organisation• Do not have a direct connection to any department

• That are sensible to fulfil as common training for example from the environmental point of view

• These kinds of themes in the need of training questionnaires are often so called studia generalia- type lectures for public like from waste management, energy saving and so on



Training for each department• The third level is the own training For this the

questionnaire often gives a wide selection of things• An own, maybe even individual, training plan for the

department• Training plan is not only a list of courses but in it methods

of development are widely examined• Plans of every department

• Is it possible to make the training plan of the whole organisation to one document?

• It can be done for example with following titles:



Goals• The description of the benefits and goals of the training

plan: • What changes the organisation wants to be done by

fulfilling the training plan. • These goals should be measurable so that they could be

followed together with this how reaching the goals will be measured

• Here those meters, that are used to follow and evaluate the training programme, are done, base of the goals

• If the goal is for example diminution of paper consumption the meter can be the amount of paper bought



Choosing a training method• The method by which training is delivered varies based

on the needs of the company, the trainee, and on the task being performed

• The method should: • Suit the audience and the content• Suit the business environment• Suit the learning objective• Motivate employees to learn• Enable the trainees to apply what they've been taught• Help trainees transfer what they have learned and

integrate performance with other skills and knowledge



Choosing a training method• When choosing from among these methods, the

trainer must decide which one best suits• the trainees• the environment• the investments available

• Many trainers will choose to combine methods or vary them

• With so many options, a trainer is limited only by his or her creativity



Job training Methods• The most common job training methods are:

• Lecture• Demonstration • Seminar • Conference • Panel • Role Playing • Case Studies



Job training Methods• The most common job training methods are:

• Simulations • Projects • Self-discovery • Movies/videos/cassettes • On-the-job training • Mentoring • E-learning



Training plan• When the goals, target groups and methods are defined, it is

time to make a detailed training plan• The following issues need to be collected from every action:

• Short description of the goal of the training• Participants• Content of the training• Place• Date and time• Responsible persons• Costs• Announcements• Marketing• Program

DEFINING THE FINAL TRAINING PLANCommunication and training when establishing EMAS


Evaluation• Without evaluation it is impossible to improve the

quality of the training

• Results of the evaluation must also be recorded

• Methods can be used to evaluate the training:• Questionnaires • “Open questions”• Discussions either with participants or with the

management• Controls of the quality of the work

TRAINING EVALUATIONCommunication and training when establishing EMAS


Resources• The costs can be divided in two parts: time and

money resources• Money resources

• From each part of the training plan will be estimated the following costs:

• Salaries (of the trainers etc.)• Rents (class rooms, computers etc)• Learning materials• Travels• Other costs

• The costs from different parts will be counted together into the total cost of the training

BUDGETCommunication and training when establishing EMAS


Time resources• Personnel training takes a lot of working hours• In the total budget, working hours will be

converted to money and summed into the total cost

• Every part of the training plan needs working hours. Amount of the working hours is estimated by following:

• Person / number of persons• Mean salary of trained persons• Working hours needed• Other costs

BUDGETCommunication and training when establishing EMAS


The trainer should be:• Knowing the target groups • Familiar with the business line• Acquainted with subject• Acquainted with training method• Good in social relationship• Able to evaluate the training and make

corrections if needed• Able to plan and resource the training project

PROFILE OF THE TRAINERCommunication and training when establishing EMAS

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