Development of an Environmental Management System for Radical Sports Management

Abstract: There are many reasons why smaller businesses should have an environmental management system, but also many difficulties, such as limitations in the time and resources available, and the size of the environmental impacts. How can a small business providing intellectual services make environmental improvements by creating and implementing an environmental management system (EMS)? This report is a case study on how to create an EMS. It was carried out with the management consultancy Radical Sports Management (RSM), a UK registered company based in Chamonix, France. Background studies on EMS, international standards of certifications of EMS, green procurement and carbon offsetting were carried out. With this background knowledge an EMS was developed in association with the company on site in Chamonix, France, and by correspondence. The environmental management system itself included An environmental policy A baseline assessment where the activities were divided into different areas, and their environmental aspects were scored from 1-5 on significance, potential and manageability to separate the more relevant aspects from the not so relevant. The process revealed that the most important environmental aspects were linked to production and handling of waste, transport and development of sports equipment. An investigation of the concerned legislation in France (which handles waste and chemicals) A research of how to decrease the environmental impact of relevant aspects An action plan where the chosen solutions to the environmental problems and the environmental targets were listed together with the methods to implement these and make them functional A monitoring document where the management can rate the progress of the different actions An auditing document to aid in the evaluation of the EMS Recommendations of how to make continuous improvements The following conclusions were made during this project: A small actor is dependent on its partners, suppliers, and other actors around it. It can make a difference by influencing its partners by providing information to open their eyes to existing possibilities and supporting them when they choose to take steps towards environmental solutions. The input from both management and employees is vital to have an organic EMS that evolves with the company. Establishing responsibilities at all levels of the enterprise is an effective method to reach a higher level of involvement, but it is also important that there is a feedback in the system, and lines of communications that are in function. The level of detail, the number and size of improvements to be made, the cost of the improvements and the documentation of the EMS must be kept at a level where it feels manageable to the company. Environmental Management Systems Tove Fritzell For a company such as RSM, that doesn’t have any large costs of material, energy and handling emissions and waste, the primary benefits of the EMS will be competitive advantage, attracting new customers and markets; and improved image towards public, regulators, investors and lenders, which make communication, marketing and advertising essential. Quantification of activities associated to environmental is important to perform a good baseline assessment, achieve better target formulations, monitoring and reviews of environmental performance.