Whether for climate change or increased fuel and waste charges, whatever the motivation, can you afford not to manage your environmental impact?

Last night’s Panorama on BBC1 focussed on the ongoing debate about climate change, is it happening or not; they went around to the top climate experts in the world and found that even the scientists who are most sceptical agreed that it is likely to be happening and that the behaviour of humans is at least partially responsible.

Whether you are a believer or not, I think I am or at least, looking at the data available believe that if it looks like a duck, sounds like a duck then it probably is a duck, no business owner can turn a blind eye to the fact that environmental taxes are increasing running costs.

At the international climate summits held between the leaders of the worlds countries, a principle known as “The Precautionary Principle” has been adopted, nobody is certain that climate change is happening but we can’t afford to ignore it because if we get it wrong, it’ll be too late.

The next enviromental principal being adopted internationally is “The Polluter Pays” which BP are feeling very acutely at present.

It is these principals which are behind the application of the Climate Change Levy which businesses will find on their site’s fuel bill; the Land Fill tax, Pollution Prevention and Control Licenses and environmental penalties for people that offend.

Although I would not recommend to all small businesses that they achieve the Environmental Management Standard ISO 14001, which is geared towards minimising the environmental charges listed above, I would relish the opportunity to work with business of all sizes to use management system techniques to investigate their environmental costs and see what, if anything, could be changed to reduce this impact. Reduce your running costs and score points with the environmentally aware, what could be better?

2010! A bad year for the oil industry as failure to take preventive action leads to catastrophic chains of events.

A few weeks ago I wrote with great optimism that BP were undertaking corrective action to stem the flow of oil at Deepwater, since then it has lurched from crisis to crisis, a public relations nightmare that could still bring the business to its knees. Along with the clean up expenses, there will also be a major investigation into whether this catastrophe of epic proportions could have been prevented.

On Monday 21^st June 2010 the news broke that a witness has claimed that a critical piece of safety equipment at Deepwater, the blowout preventer, had failed and been shut down prior to the accident. For more detail see http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/us_and_canada/10362139.stm

At the same time, it has been reported that at the conclusion of the prosecution for "failing to take all measures necessary to prevent major accidents" leading to the explosion at the Total and Chevron controlled oil depot in Buncefield, Hertfordshire in December 2005; 3 companies have been held responsible for the explosion after a series of sensors failed to warn that tank 912, which contained unleaded petrol, was overfull causing a dangerous build up of explosive fumes to collect at the top of tank leading to the explosion.

It is apparent that these incidents both occurred due to a break down in the management systems being operated on site; where the businesses appear to have failed to take preventive action when it was required.

Preventive action is a key requirement of the management standards ISO 9001 (Quality), ISO 14001 (Environment) and BS OHSAS 18001 (Health & Safety), the aim of this requirement is to encourage businesses to be proactive in managing risks to the business whether identifying where customer services break down or ensuring that preventive maintenance is carried out.

Is there light at the end of the tunnel for employers with Government promises to check the compensation culture?

I’m sure many employers last week breathed a sigh of relief at the news of the Government plans to encourage a more common sense approach to Health and Safety. I believe the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) will be equally relieved as they are frequently blamed for some of the dafter “Elf & Safety” initiatives and have to issue disclaimers that they are not responsible for councils banning lamp post mounted flower baskets in fear of falling flowers or children not being allowed to paddle on a school trip.

Unions have voiced their concern that this initiative of the Coalition Government may put employees at risk. I very much doubt this would be the case for now at least, there is a growing paternalistic culture in the UK which will always seek to protect the vulnerable.

It is this culture that will always mean that the requirement to have a robust Health and Safety Management System, with clear risk assessments and evidence of training, will reap benefits for all businesses.

The Management Standard BS OHSAS 18001 is a framework of best practice which, if implemented, could go a long way to reducing the likelihood of accidents which lead to lost time, profits and potentially legal action.