DENR launches new effort to protect environment

Consistent with its mandate as the primary agency responsible in environmental protection and conservation and in its effort to "walk the talk" so to speak, the DENR embarks on Environmental Management System (EMS) according to ISO 14001. This undertaking will be supported by the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA). As preliminary activities, Messrs. Goran Stegrin and David Robinson of SIDA, presented executive briefings executives to DENR officials and series of orientation to employees, last month. In order to have a core group on this effort, the different committees of the DENR Greening Program has been revitalized.

EMS is generally described as "a continual cycle of planning, implementing, reviewing and improving the actions that an organization takes to meet its environmental obligations." The environmental awareness and consciousness that sparked in 1964 has been considered as the start of EMS, although it was only in 1989 that the concept was formalized by the International Chamber of Commerce. In 1995, the first draft of ISO 14001 EMS was used as basis for the certification of a Japanese company.

Today’s expanding global market, the growing concern over environmental degradation and the need for sustainable development, have led many companies and local governments to realize the value of adopting EMS. Experiences by organizations adopting the system disclosed that their costs have been reduced through efficient use of resources. They are also able to forestall legal problems relative to compliance with environmental laws, increase market brought about by improved image in protecting the environment, meet customer requirements, and contribute in the betterment of environment.

EMS according to ISO 14001 standard requires that the System should be a part of the overall management system. In particulars, EMS should be integrated in organizational structure, planning activities, responsibilities, practices, procedures, processes, and resources towards developing, implementing, achieving, reviewing and maintaining the environmental policy.

Setting up an ISO 14001 usually entails a minimum of 18 months according to Stegrin and Robinson. Undersecretary Rolando L. Metin who provides direction on this undertaking said that DENR would try its best efforts to for it to be awarded with ISO Certification in a shorter period.