Environmental Management Systems - Environmental Sustainability

* Have I identified which environmental management system, ISO, EMAS or other, and which environmental performance measures that my organisation uses? This information should come from your company's report.

Intro 300 words

Question 1 1000 words

Environmental Management Systems (EMS) are sets of practice procedures used to all allow any participatory organization the ability to effectively decrease its environmental impacts, whilst simultaneously being able to escalate its operating competences (EPA, 2012). Even though organizations may have in its practices, methods to reach environmental and energy requirements, there is a growing amount of evidence that documentation of it in a systematic approach allows a coherent framework that enables a corporation the ability to more accurately meet its environmental and energy specific goals (Rendell and McGinty, 2004). The ISO 14000 series is one of these EMSs.

Beginning in 1993, it was in 1996 that the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) outlined an international standard that organizations globally could participate in, allowing their environmental performances to be monitored (Roberts, 1998). With over twelve dozen standards (see appendix 1), these resided within two principal categories, namely guidance and specification standards (Krut, 1998). The overall objective of either the ISO 14001 or other criteria from the 14000 series is to adhere to environmental protection and to prevent pollution that many interfere with our socio-economic necessities.

The Boeing Company operates within the guidelines of the ISO 14001 standard. Receiving its first certification in 2006 (reference!!! http://www.boeing.com/news/releases/2006/q4/061212c_nr.html), it now has 14001 certification on all its major manufacturing sites in Canada, the US and Australia(boeing, 2008 http://www.boeing.com/aboutus/environment/environmental_report_09/environmental-management.html). The ISO 14001 is the globes most used EMS, being used in over 223,000 corporation worldwide in over 159 countries (reference!!! http://www.nqa.com/en/atozservices/what-is-iso-14001.asp)

The company have taken an innovative strategy (stegger, Bruitt and Peterson, 2003), in an attempt for enhanced sustainability by looking at their impact on the environment and measures that can be taken to lesson this effect. With innovation acting as an essential for competitiveness and an understanding that climate change is a serious issue, the company outlined in 2007 their plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption, water intake and hazardous material 25% by 2012 (Boeing, 2011)

With their research and development budget contributing to 75% of their commercial airplanes, Boeing has significantly had value to their environmental performance record (Boeing, 2012a). 2008 saw the launch their biofuel program (kerosene-based/hydrogen fuel) along with aircraft powered by solar power (Boeing, 2012b). Innovative designs like these strengthen their position as pioneers of brighter, cleaner technologies possibilities to come in the future.

For an innovation strategy to be successful, the corporation needs to align the life cycles of their product with the various development and research activities running concurrently.

Mission/Vision for Innovation

According to Boeing Frontiers, the online magazine discussing the future of the Boeing Corporation and its subsidiaries, the mission statement spells out business strategies that the company hopes will launch Boeing into the future. The company plans to "run healthy core businesses, leverage core strengths and open new frontiers" (Arkel, 2005). Boeing has an aggressive growth strategy that encompasses the subsidiaries that have joined the corporate team. Using the strengths of each separate organization to build on the strength of Boeing the company can develop itself in areas that other companies struggle to find the funding for. Boeing has taken their drive for new and exciting business adventures to new heights with their "today, tomorrow and beyond initiative" (Boeing, 2012). This initiative is changing the way the industry looks at space-based systems. Boeing is also looking to advance their weapons technology through integrated training and advanced simulation exercise cites (Chatzis, 2011). Boeing is hoping to further cement the company in the minds of defense aimed industries with the introduction of virtual mission board setups where the client or the operative group can use a touch screen display to outline the mission with stunning three dimensional displays. Boeing is also setting up training facilities around the world to meet the needs of the local operators of the machines they build. Meeting the needs of the customer in a global setting is a core value of the ever-changing company.

Industry Overview

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