Business Waste Reduction

Environmental Policies for Business

Every day more companies are adopting policies to show their concern for our natural resources and environment. Policies set a tone and guide employees in their daily activities. They also demonstrate to customers, neighbors, and investors that your firm has taken a first step toward using resources efficiently.

Adopt an environmental policy to reflect how your company sees itself in relation to its environment, neighbors, the people it employs and serves, and future generations. Today, more companies are adopting environmental policies and many are striving for zero defects, zero pollution, and zero waste because it is part of good business. Below is language found in environmental policy statements from several companies and organizations. Use it as a starting point for developing your own policies.

A. High Priority:

"To recognize environmental management as among the highest corporate priorities and as a key determinant to sustainable development; to establish policies, programs and practices for conducting operations in an environmentally sound manner." 1

B. Planning:

"Incorporate environmental consideration into our planning process."4 "To assess environmental impacts before starting a new activity or project and before decommissioning a facility or leaving a site." 1

C. Waste Assessments:

"Periodically conduct formal reviews of our activities to assure compliance with environmental regulations and internal procedures; and report results to the board of directors."4

D. Product Design:

"Design products for optimal recyclability and reusability. We are equally committed to exploring every opportunity to recycle or reuse waste materials generated by our operations."5

E. Contractors and Suppliers:

"To promote the adoption of these principles by contractors acting on behalf of the enterprise, encouraging, and where appropriate, requiring improvements in their practices to make them consistent with those of the enterprise; and to encourage the wider adoption of these principles by suppliers." 1

F. Operations:

"All operations must be conducted in a manner that safeguards health, protects the environment, and conserves valuable materials and resources."5

G. Products and Services:

"Develop products and services with no undue environmental impact and are safe in their intended use, that are efficient in their consumption of energy and natural resources, and that can be recycled, reused, or disposed of safely." 1

H. Integrated Waste Management:

"Minimize the creation of waste and wherever possible recycle materials. Waste that can not be eliminated, reduced, reused, recycled or composted, will be disposed through safe and responsible methods."4

1. Conserving Energy and Other Resources:

"Take aggressive measures to minimize energy and other resource consumption through increased efficiency and conservation."3

J. Educate Employees:

"To educate, train and motivate employees to conduct their activities in an environmentally responsible manner."1

K. Employee Performance:

"Make environmental responsibility and innovation a guideline for measuring employee performance."4

L. Open Dialogue:

"Make available to employees, customers and the community all relevant information on emissions, waste products and our activities that may affect their health and safety." 4

M. Promote Environmental Practices:

"Promote sound environmental practices within our industry, including the sharing of experience with others and the continued support of research and development in environmental improvement."4

N. Build Constructive Relationships with Others:

"Develop and maintain open and constructive relationships with environmental groups, regulatory agencies, public officials, customers, employees, and concerned citizens."4

O. Cleanup:

"Maintain and enhance internal procedures for handling environmental emergencies and meeting other environmental requirements."4

P. Process of Improvement:

"To continue to improve corporate policies, programs, and environmental performance, taking into account technical developments, scientific understanding, consumer needs and community expectations, with legal regulations as a starting point; and to apply the same environmental criteria internationally."1

Sources

1. International Chamber of Commerce, Business Charter for Sustainable Development, 38 Cours Albert I er, 75008 Paris, France, Phone: 33-149-53-2828. Global Environmental Management Initiative, Environmental Self-Assessment Program, 2000 L Street, NW, Suite 710,Washington, D.C. 20036 (202)296-7449 fax 296-7442.
2. Woodruff, David, "Herman Miller: How Green is My Factory," Business Week, Sept.16, 1991, p. 54.
3. McDonald's Corporation & Environmental Defense Fund, Waste Reduction Task Force, Final Report, April 1991, Appendix I, McDonald's Waste Reduction Policy.
4. PSI Energy, 1000 E. Main St., Plainfield, IN 46168, Phone: (317) 838-1955
5. Xerox Corporation, Business Guide to Waste Reduction and Recycling, Environmental Leadership Program, 400 Hillview Avenue, P.O. Box 10034, Palo Alto, CA 94303-0816, Phone: (415) 813-7811
6. Xerox Corporation, Environmental Leadership Plus Total Quality Management Equals Continuous Improvement by Abhay K. Bhushan and James C. MacKenzie, Spring 1992.

For More Help:

• CIWMB's Waste Prevention Information Exchange at (916) 341-6363. The Info Exchange has sample outreach materials from other organizations and offers technical assistance.
• CIWMB Buy Recycled Program, (916) 341-6481.
• For the name of your local recycling coordinator call (916) 341-6481, or the CIWMB hotline at (800) 553-2962.

Publication #500-94-037

Last updated: November 01, 2007