Sustainable Integrated Management System by Jolito Ortizo Padilla

GA Business and Management Consultancy
The Real Best in Asia

Whether an organization is a global company or a small- or medium- sized enterprise , the effective management of environment ,health and safety and quality performance is key to an organization's sustained success. However, managing these system can be a resource -thirsty task. Improving informationa management practices is therefore at the heart of the drive toward sustainability.

One solution for organizations is to use the internet and internet-based technology to improve their information management practices and ultimately improve the performance of their management systems and .business as a whole. The top 2,500 global companies spend , on average 56m sterling pounds on all aspects of environmental management -and up to three times that for environmental , health, and safety and quality management. Of this, as much as 64% relates solely to the costs of information management. Consequently, for every pound spent on environmental, health and safety and quality management , another 1.75 sterling pounds is spent managing information behind it. Environmental , health and safety and quality managers spend two-thirds of their time gathering , analyzing, storing and sharing information -and little of this time is value added.

A study involving more than 300 EHSQ managers at top industrial companies indicated that the costs  of EHSQ information management are incurred in four areas.
    These are;
1. Ad-hoc and duplicate processes to support EHSQ information management.
2. Informal , individual, independent and non-standardised EHSQ information systems.
3. Diversity and complexity of EHSQ information.
4. Rework due to lack of quality control and quality assurance applied to EHSQ management processes.

The Internet solution
Web technology continues to change the way that companies operate. Organizations are adopting technologies -for corporate -wide communication or online EHSQ management- and are becoming much more efficient , more responsive and, ultimately, more sustainable. One particularly effective way of improving EHSQ performance is through the use of the web and /or a corporate intranet for standard EHSQ management system applications. An effective solution would:
 - Be a client server application whereby users (client PC) would connect to a single, central server' where the application and data are all stored.
 - Be accessed in real- time and allow multiple users to simultaneously access and use a common and single application.
- Provide a common framework for template for site-specific and independent ESHQ management system development while simultaneously providing areas for shared and corporate-wide resources.
- Provide the ability to link to other web and /or intranet-based applications and information.
To meet these needs, it is important to consider whether a tool or application should be;
- A web and /or intranet application accessed using a traditional browser.
- Modular so as to enable integration and streamlining of any combination of environmental, quality and /or health and safety management system components
-Scalable to the extent that new sites and users could be added as and when required.

Benefits for the organization
Two of the most significant benefits of using web-based solution are the reduction in time and cost system implementation. By providing a standard system framework and a management system template for each office , the time required for system implementation can be reduced substantially. Additionally, when using a networked solution, all management systems are 'connected' because they are all contained within the same application and data is generally stored in the same databases. So it is possible to cut , paste and modify management system information from one company site to another.

Local Implementation
Consequently, local EHSQ managers can quickly and easily develop their own EHSQ management system by either copying and modifying an example EHSQ management system information  developed by the organization for implementation purposes, or by copying and  modifying EHSQ management system information  already developed by others in the wider organization. As a senior manager of a single multi-site business stated: "If you consider the work instructions required by a single management system at a single site, it would take approximately five days to write the 20 or so work instructions required . Using our intranet -based EHSQ solution with functional instructions sites, this now takes about five minutes."

Whether it is managing documents , tracking overdue action items, preparing reports or any other system maintenance tasks, traditional methods of EHSQ system maintenance can be particularly time-intensive. However, with electronic and networked EHSQ system solutions , virtually all traditional system maintenance is either done automatically (for example. document control and versioning) or done in real-time at the press of button (for example, tracking and reporting).

By taking the potentially repetitive and time-consuming actions out of the equation, EHSQ managers can spend less time managing the EHSQ system itself and more time managing environmental , health, and safety and quality improvements. Furthermore, as such a system is electronic ; it is possible to reduce or altogether avoid the costs of document printing and distribution.

Reporting
If an EHSQ management system is electronic and in a web or intranet environment with integrated system modules, all system information is contained in the same location( typically in a single database) . Reporting all or any EHSQ management  information simply becomes an attribute of the application rather than a management task. As a result, users can instantly report system information and be guaranteed that any reports generated include the very latest information in the system.

Additionally, if system information is contained within a single database , new and /or custom reports are simply a matter of redefining and presenting data correlations between the existing data sets. Whether sub-categorising , combining, consolidating or re-grouping information , tasks such as data interrogation or root cause analysis reporting become a query rather than a job description.

With a solution housed in a single database , management system information only ever needs to be entered once for subsequent use by other users of the management system. This prevents data entry duplication and avoids the time wasted on duplication efforts.

Additionally, as all system data is stored centrally, users can automatically track and report overdue action plans, responsibilities, active non-conformances and overdue audits. As a result much more time can be spent improving performance rather than tracking and reporting. If users are able to run reports instantly and in real-time based on the efforts of others who have entered that data , there is no need to waste time collecting, collating and re-presenting information already collected.

Knowledge retention
With web and/or intranet -based systems , all system data is stored in one location. As such, all information vital to ongoing system management and performance improvement, for example action plans, procedures and work instructions , is retained within the system and not with people who operate it. This retention of knowledge enables everyone in the organization to have indefinite access to a continually growing knowledge base of information developed from years of management experience. Conversely, if the intellect of a management system is not recorded and accessible , when those who have access to that information leave, that experience and knowledge also leaves with them.

With traditional management systems, system information is often in the form of ring binders on a shelf or in a folder in a site's computer network. In these cases, for users to tend to the management tasks allocated to them, they have first find and then browse through those binders or folders to locate the documents and information that are relevant to them.Whether a user needs full access to key performance indicator information or read-only privileges for the site's health and safety management system, with a browser -based solution access and privileges can be tailored quickly and easily to streamline operations or even completely change a user's view of the system.

Benefits for the larger organization
Given the networkability of web technology , there are a number of additional benefits that can be realized by a multi-site organization when developing , implementing or maintaining an EHSQ management system.

One clear benefit of a single networked application is the multi-site consistency and comparability of site specific management system data. All sites work within an identical framework but are able to enter management data specific to their own site and circumstance, so it is possible to present effective and meaningful comparisons across any number of sites within the organization.

Common understanding
All users of this type of system share a common understanding of the management system components, terminology, methodology and practices of EHSQ management. When a complete understanding of the system is common across all sites, an organization can transfer people between sites either temporarily or permanently with little or no disruption to either the system or the people. By using a web and /or intranet based EHSQ template common to all sites, all sites understand each other , can help each other , can report and compare results easily and can, ultimately speed and streamline the process of management system development and administration.

In addition to being able to compare management system components (such as action plans, objectives and targets and non-conformances, across sites, when using a networked application that provide a common framework for all users , it is also possible to establish and set requirements for the monitoring of key performance indicators across organization. Standard KPIs provide the basis for a regular, systematic and consistent approach to data collection and presentation and improve the credibility and usefulness of KPI data.

By stipulating and setting corporate KPI parameters such as units of measure, frequencies of measurement, reporting intervals, benchmark values and indeed performance indicators themselves, while simultaneously providing a mechanism for sites to quickly and easily enter performance data, there is increased quality , comprehensiveness, comparability and confidence in the information. It also gives managers a greater ability to implement effective performance improvement both at a site and across the organization.

Increased communication
Although a networked solution enables EHSQ managers to communicate quickly and easily at the site level , the true power of such application lies on the ability to communicate on a broader scale. Managers will be able to facilitate easy and instant communication between sites and people , whether it is sharing of best practices , providing consultancy support , or chasing an individual's overdue action items.

In addition to the superior reporting capabilities inherent in computer based solution , if the solution is networked , corporate reporting across any number of sites becomes a very powerful management tool. As networked solutions allow instant reporting and data interrogation , such applications eliminate the administration involved in regularly tracking and reporting audit findings and non-conformances.

As stated by  a senior -level manager of a multi- site organization :"Our intranet based EHSQ system provides a method of finding answers quickly and easily. The numerous report that the package includes means that we can rapidly assess where we are on any number of issues."

"The biggest time savings are to be had with the tracking of non-conformances and the communication module, which allows easy access to people with specific duties related to them. To prepare a report of all active non-conformances between any two dates would normally take a minimum of 30 minutes. Using the intranet-based EHSQ system this same task now takes less than seven seconds".

Supplies and Auditors
With a central data store, data is only ever entered once, which avoids duplication while simultaneously enabling other users (with suitable access privileges) to instantly view information entered. Whether it is a corporate -wide information for all to access or independent site-specific information , it is possible to provide remote access to anyone connected to the network anywhere in the world. So multi-site managers , auditors, external certifiers or corporate representatives are able to view the system information wherever they are and can significantly reduce the time, costs and environmental impacts of travel by simply logging on to the network to view, review , audit , assess or simply browse for management system information.

If a site or corporation uses a web and/ or intranet EHSQ solution, not only will it improve the way it does business but they are able to allow others who interact with their EHSQ system to improve theirs. Whether it is suppliers completing their own online evaluations, certifiers conducting audits and assessments of sites, legislators accessing compliance status or waste hauliers completing their own waste transfer notifications with a web and /or intranet based application , extending the scope of stakeholder participation throughout your supply chain is simply a matter of issuing a new username and password.

Economies of scale
When using a paper -based or even single site PC- based management system, if an organization grows or needs to develop management systems for additional sites or business units , it is very difficult to realistically take advantage of previous system development. There will inevitably be disparaties in the system framework and content of the system developed.

In such an environment , the "duplicability" of systems is very low and the marginal effort required for new system development is considerable. On the other hand, if an organization uses and/or intranet based network solution, adding sites is often as simple as "turning them on" and importing relevant system information. The marginal effort in adding sites is low and continually decreases with the number of sites in the network. Also, if a EHSQ solution is network -enabled it is possible to link to any other network-enabled  resource, such as national legislation databases or online  material safety data sheets.

As all sites develop their management system in the same framework, it is also possible to take advantage of a number of economies of scale when providing system implementation and maintenance training and support. With a web and/or intranet-based application, access can be provided to anyone anywhere in the world (as long as they can connect to the web or your corporation intranet). Therefore, certifiers can potentially audit much of the system from a distance and audit those aspects of the system more efficiently.

Furthermore, as third- party certifiers can be guaranteed that all sites use the same application and use an identical management system framework , corporate certification  can be based on the assessment of a random sample of the organization's sites rather than an assessment of every site to be certified. Although the costs and requirement for certification vary between certifiers, by using an intranet-based EHSQ system and allowing certifiers to conduct documentation reviews from their own offices and certify the entire organization based on a random sample of 20% of sites, a large multi-site organization can significantly reduce the cost of and simultaneously improve the quality of both their initial certification audits and subsequent surveillance audits.

Driving sustainability
Without doubt, effective EHSQ management and perfromance improvement can be fundamentally underpin and support the drive towards global sustainability. In the long run, all businesses that have activities and products with environmental and safety and health impacts will be required -whether by regulation, international trade requirements or public pressure -to track report and improve EHSQ management performance. Installing a system helps EHSQ managers to spend their time on improving performance , rather than managing information.

There are huge opportunities to increase the efficiency of EHSQ management practices and ultimately improve EHSQ management performance through the use of web and intranet technology, whether it be within a larger organization or an SME . Internet-based technology  represents an unparalleled opportunity to not only improve EHSQ data management but to  actually change the management process to drive cost savings, improve performance management and ultimately increase the long-term potential for sustainable business practice.