A checklist to easily improve your environmental program

DFGE– the Institute for Energy, Ecology and Economy is releasing its second press release in the form of a checklist. The goal of the series is to ask simple questions that can help audit company’s gaps in sustainability programs and how to quickly bridge them. The second press release focuses on the environmental program.

Greifenberg/Munich, 23rd June 2016 – DFGE – Institute for Energy, Ecology and Economy – was founded in 1999 as a spin-off of the Technical University of Munich and offers complete consulting, software and audit solutions in the field of sustainability. DFGE has been specializing in Environment management more than 17 years ago, starting by assessing companies’ carbon footprints. DFGE also partners with internationally-recognized reporting frameworks to better support companies in their sustainability management and reporting, like CDP – The first press release focuses on the CSR program as a whole, while this second one is about the Environment part of an organization sustainability or CSR program.
 
1 – Is the program structured?

To make sure that an environmental management program will work, companies need to structure it

Is the management engaged, with roles defined?

Are stakeholders, including employees, engaged?

Is the program part of an overall strategy?

Are there targets? Are they followed by KPIs and reviewed?

Are the successes communicated?

Have the relevant topics been identified? (emissions, water, waste, chemicals, materials, energy, product-use, product end-of-life, …)

Is the program certified (like ISO 140001 for instance)?

Are KPIs publicly published (CSR report, CDP questionnaires…)?

 
2 – Is there an energy and emissions management system?

All organizations need energy, at various levels. Some organizations need large amount of electricity and cooling to produce their goods. For these who do not produce, they still have energy use for transport, heating and electricity. Organizations can easily manage their energy consumption to reduce it. As such, the GreenHouse Gases emissions (GHG) will decrease. Also, the company can make money savings by consuming less.

Have you assessed your carbon footprint?

Have you purchased electricity from renewable energy sources?

Have you purchased energy-efficient equipment?

Have you set rules to use computers, lighting, cooling and communicated them to employees?

Have you encouraged employee commuting through carpooling, public transport subsidies, facilities equipment for bikes?

Have you set rules to reduce business travel reduction?

 
3 – Is there a waste management system?

Any organization produces waste, even for the non-manufacturing sector (paper, food and drinks, e-waste from equipment…) Companies can simply adopt the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle model. The advantage of such model for the company can also be to avoid purchasing of new materials.

Is waste sorted out at facility level?

Is there any hazardous waste? Is the transport and disposal in line with the Basel convention?

Has the company set up rules to reduce waste generation?

Has equipment been bought to replace disposable items (such as mugs and glasses?)

Is waste sent to recycling centers?

 
4 – Is there a water management system?

Water management is to become increasingly critical, especially in water-stressed areas. In this sense, all companies can act to reduce their water footprint.

Is the water consumption known?

Is there water-efficient equipment for production?

Is there a waste water treatment in place?

Is water pollution level controlled?

Are there rules to reduce water consumption, communicated to employees?

Is there water-efficient equipment for bathrooms?

 
5 – Is pollution controlled?

According to ISO 26 000, pollution refer to emissions to air, discharges to water, disposal of hazardous chemicals, waste hierarchy and other forms of pollution like noise, odor, visual impressions, vibration, electromagnetic emissions, radiation, infections agents.

To control pollution, companies can check the list below.

Is there an audit to identify where such pollutions occur?

Are there technical datasheets to handle chemicals?

Is there an emergency procedure in case of accident?

Do employees receive personal protective equipment?

 
6 – Is biodiversity preserved?

The protection of the environment is key to avoid resource depletion in the future, which will affect companies’ production and sourcing. Some sectors are more exposed than others, like the building sector. In any case, companies who own their sites can also try and protect them:

Has the company restored damaged habitats?

Has the company put a beehive on their site?

Do the gardeners avoid the use of heavy chemicals?

Does the production process avoid site pollution (discharges into water for example?)

 
7 – Are products eco-designed?

The above themes refer to the environmental impacts of the company. Products sold by the company can also have an environmental impact during their use, and their end-of-life. Companies can then design and produce them in order to reduce such impacts.

Is the product carbon footprint assessed?

Is the life-cycle analyzed?

Has the company used easily recyclable/reusable materials?

Has the company avoided the use of polluting substances?

Is the product designed to consume less energy?

Is the product designed to consume less water?

 

Companies can easily make a self-assessment of their environmental practices through this check-list, and then try to bridge the gaps. DFGE, as an environmental expert, is happy to provide any support related to carbon footprint, water footprint or product life-cycle analysis assessment. DFGE can help companies identify their environmental impacts and manage them accordingly, to benefit from competitive advantages and to preserve the Earth resources.

DFGE has at heart to help companies protect the environment and manage their impacts: DFGE is happy to support any organization in its CDP reporting, focuses on environment, or in any form of external reporting that includes questions on your environmental management, like EcoVadis.

About DFGE
DFGE – institute for energy, ecology and economy – was founded in 1999 as spin-off of the Technical University of Munich and offers complete consulting, software and audit solutions in the field of CSR. Our offer SustainabilityIntelligence features management and reporting solutions related to CSR and sustainability topics (among them being greenhouse gas emissions), and refers to international norms in this field. Our clients comprise international companies (DAX and fortune 500), SMEs, governmental organizations or territorial authorities. For more information, contact us: or visit our website www.dfge.de

The DFGE disclaims all warranties as to the accuracy or completeness of the given information. All opinions and estimates included in this report constitute DFGE’s judgment as of the date of this report and are subject to change without notice. DFGE shall have no liability for errors, omissions, or inadequacies in the information contained herein or for interpretations thereof. All trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

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DFGE – Institut für Energie, Ökologie und Ökonomie
Kreitstr. 5
86926 Greifenberg
Germany
Phone +49.8192.99733-20