The adoption of multiple certification standards: perceived performance implications of quality, environmental and health & safety certifications

This study assesses the combined impact of multiple certifications (i.e., ISO 9001, ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001) on perceived performance dimensions related to quality, environmental and occupational health and safety. Using survey data collected from 59 Irish manufacturing plants in 2014 we employed MANCOVA and regression analysis to test our proposed hypothesis. The results suggest that companies that are simultaneously ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 certified are significantly better performers with regard to environmental and occupational health and safety compared to companies without multiple certifications. However, from a perceived quality performance perspective having these multiple certifications doesn’t seem to be an effective performance improvement tool.N/

PUBH 8132 – Environmental and Occupational Health PUBH 7090 – Selected topics in Public Health (MPH)

This course is designed to reinforce basic concepts of environmental and occupational health. Students will be exposed to the current impact of potential environmental and occupational health and safety hazards. Students will also be exposed to current concepts associated with environmental and occupational regulatory standards, assessment protocols, sampling and monitoring techniques, and remediation strategies

The Reporting of SDGs by Quality, Environmental, and Occupational Health and Safety-Certified Organizations

Organizations can play a significant role in the advancement of Sustainable Development, and companies with Quality, Environmental, and Occupational Health and Safety (QEOHS)-certified management systems address the three Sustainability Dimensions (economic, environmental, and social). This research aims to map the present level of engagement of those companies in contributing and reporting to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) of the United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda. By publicly disclosing their sustainability reports on their institutional websites, they can, therefore, support this agenda implementation. The content of the company reports that were available by 31 December 2017 in the institutional websites, from a total of 235 Portuguese organizations with QEOHS-certified management systems was analyzed. The results show a moderate reporting of SDGs by those companies, with the top five being SDG 12— Responsible consumption and production (23.8%); SDG 13—Climate action (22.1%); SDG 09—Industry, innovation, and infrastructure (21.3%); SDG 08—Decent work and economic growth (20.0%); and SDG 17—Partnerships for the goals (19.6%). The results of the statistical tests indicate that the communication of SDGs is more prominent in organizations (QEOHS) with the following characteristics: have a high business volume, are members of the United Nations Global Compact Network Portugal, and disclose their sustainability reports on their website. This study can be useful for both managers and decision makers who aim to support organizations in contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals and achieving a better and sustainable future for all.The author(s) thank Manuel Gilberto Freitas dos Santos and Joaquim José de Almeida Soares Gonçalves (IPCA—Polytechnic Institute of Cavado and Ave), and Paulo Alexandre da Costa Araújo Sampaio and José Pedro Teixeira Domingues (UM - Minho University) for their support in previous research projects that preceded this investigation.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Negotiated Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety Agreements in the United States: Lessons for Policy

The interest in so-called voluntary approaches to supplement or replace formal environmental, or occupational health and safety regulation has taken on new importance in both Europe and the United States. These approaches fall into two sharp divisions: (1) industry-initiated codes of good practice focusing on environmental management systems or performance goals, and (2) negotiated agreements between government and individual firms or industry sector trade associations focusing on regulation or compliance. This paper addresses the latter. In the United States, the motivations behind negotiated agreements are manifold and sometimes contradictory including desires (1) to facilitate the achievement of legislated or mandatory environmental goals by introducing flexibility and cost-effective compliance measures, (2) to negotiate levels of compliance (standards) fulfilling legislative mandates, (3) to negotiate legal definitions of Best Available Technology and other technology-based requirements, and (4) to weaken environmental initiatives. Efforts in furtherance of negotiated agreements have thus been greeted with mixed results by the various stakeholders. In the context of an anti-regulatory climate in the United States, the Administrative Procedures Act has been amended to allow “negotiated rulemaking” in achieving regulatory agency mandates. However, even before this legal innovation, regulatory agencies have been negotiating regulations. Independent of this legal avenue, negotiated compliance with industry associations is being fostered through the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) “Commonsense Initiative” and with individual firms through “EPA's Project XL”, again with mixed reception. The proposed paper describes and analyses negotiated agreements in the United States in the context of (1) EPA efforts to ensure environmental protection and (2) the Occupational Safety and Health Administration efforts to ensure worker health and safety. These agreements can be described according to the following taxonomy: (a) Negotiated regulation (either preceding formal regulation or as a substitute for formal regulation); (b) Negotiated compliance (implementing regulation or informal agreements) (i) the means and timetable for coming into compliance with emission, effluent, or concentration requirements (ii) negotiation in the context of an enforcement action in which the firm is out of legal compliance (for example, encouraging cleaner production through the leveraging of penalty reductions). The criteria for evaluation include: environmental or health and safety outcomes, effects on stimulating technological change, time for development (time to completion)/implementation (likelihood of court challenge), stakeholder influence (ability of large firms to dominate outcome, environmentalists–industry, or labour–management balance of power),and administrative features

Environmental management system and electronic communication : Is it the need of the hour?

Implementation and certification of Environmental Management Systems (EMS) is a reality for many businesses. Communication with an organisation&rsquo;s stakeholders is a required element of any EMS. In the last five years companies have steadily moved towards integrating their different management systems, such as quality, environmental, and occupational health and safety, in an attempt to reduce their costs and increase efficiency. Legislation requires extensive reporting in each of these areas, so compliance is another important driver. During this period, communication by digital technology, or electronic communication, has gained prominence and acceptance amongst all groups of people including businesses primarily as a means to disseminate crucial EMS information to geographically diverse employees in a cost effective and instantaneous manner. Some perspectives have emerged to suggest that change processes in organisations may be hindered or helped in various ways through the application of digital technology in EMS. There are, however, gaps in the literature that document the impact and effectiveness of electronic communication amongst EMS stakeholders. In this paper we will discuss employees as one of the major stakeholders and whether the move to electronic communication has been assisting or hindering transformations in awareness and understanding of issues amongst employees. We highlight opportunities and challenges presented by an increased use of electronic communication in light of the environmental and climate change debates, which underpin EMS.</div

Organic Centre Wales Factsheet 17: CAP reform and organic farming II

The CAP Reform agreement reached in Luxembourg on 26th June 2003 has significant implications for all producers. This factsheet focuses on those aspects of the reform package of specific interest to organic producers in Wales, and should be read in parallel to Factsheet 16 which gives definitions and provides more detail on other potential affects of the agreement on organic farms and farming in Wales. Although the major decision in Wales has been made – that the Single Farm Payment (SFP) will be on the ‘historic’ basis – many details of the implementation of the SFP are still being clarified in Brussels. Therefore, this document is for guidance ONLY, on OCW’s current understanding and interpretation of the Regulation, and will be subject to updates as more information becomes available