MPCEE
as an
Environmental Consultancy
Many organisations use the services of MPCEE environmental consultancy
to assist with the development and implementation of an environmental
management system. The use of MPCEE is to give advice and provide practical
help on the implementation of an EMS.
Different levels of EMS assistance
A Company or organisation seeking to implement an EMS may
require MPCEE consultancy assistance on many different levels, depending on the
nature of their business and the availability of skills and internal resources.
It is rare that an organisation will implement an EMS and achieve certification
without some external assistance.
There is no set pattern for the types of MPCEE consultancy
engagement on EMS work, although most clients use consultancy for the initial
environmental review or "gap analysis". Here an organisation's current
level of environmental management is compared with the requirements of either
ISO14001-2004 or EMAS.
Training is an area used extensively, covering issues such as:
q Environmental awareness
q The principles of EMS
q Risk assessment
q Environmental impact assessment, and
q Internal auditing.
In some cases MPCEE may be involved at much deeper levels - for
example, MPCEE will be used to undertake environmental effects evaluations for
a multi-site organisation, where there is insufficient internal resources to
complete the programme. In this case, the specification and deliverables for
this work are clear as the organisation will normally have already completed
several effects evaluations for its other sites.
Clients frequently need assistance with the preparation of EMAS
public statements. The degree of assistance varies from acting as a
"sounding post" for ideas and content, to the implementation of data
recording systems and complete statement preparation. This work in particular
must be done in partnership with a client.
Type of Assistance
Preliminary review to determine the
environmental issues
Staff training on how to design and
implement an EMS
EMS design and implementation
Support with specific elements of the
EMS, environmental impacts, procedures, auditor training, etc.
Pre-certification audits
MPCEE can bring in experts in quality management systems with
added environmental experience. Thus giving management systems knowledge to a
wide range of differing businesses and organisations, along with the advantage
to prioritise the environmental management issues. The environmentalist with
added management systems experience can bring an awareness and understanding of
environmental issues within a particular sector.
Practical environmental and EMS experience are essential
attributes within MPCEE, but additional characteristics have been taken into
consideration. MPCEE will be able to demonstrate specific knowledge and
expertise in the design and implementation of an EMS within your organisation's
business sector. MPCEE can only add real value when they understand your
business.
MPCEE will provide a concise, clear and well laid out proposal
to lead to an efficient and beneficial EMS. The proposal will also identify
what input and resource the client is expected to provide in relation to the
EMS. A successful EMS always involves a partnership between client and MPCEE.
Quotations for a complete EMS can often be difficult to supply,
since the work undertaken by MPCEE depends on the time and resource that the
client itself is prepared to allocate and at what stage it is in actually
meeting the requirements of, for example, ISO14001-2004 or EMAS. A phased
approach can be much more effective. MPCEE is usually asked to quote for an
initial review to identify the gaps between where the organisation currently is
and the requirements of the chosen standard. The resulting report can then be
used to identify the external assistance required and to scope the EMS
implementation programme.
Implementation costs/resources
The costs involved vary dramatically, depending on the size and
nature of the business and on the type of service required from MPCEE.
The average implementation cost within large businesses is GBP
275 per employee and the annual EMS maintenance cost is GBP 50 per employee.
Across the board, the spread of external consultancy costs range from GBP
25,000 to GBP 125,000 per site, depending on the size and nature of the site
and the degree of involvement of MPCEE.
Certain small and medium sized companies can gain subsidised
consultancy EMS work through the Government's Small Company Environment and
Energy Management Assistance Scheme (SCEEMAS).
Certification body costs typically range from GBP 7,000 to GBP 20,000
over three years. These include the initial certification time and five
surveillance visits during the three-year validity period of the certificate.
Typical fee rate for an MPCEE consultant ranges from GBP 900 per
day to GBP3000, but can be lower for non-specialised work.
A partnership approach
MPCEE welcomes client companies that like to devote at least as
much time as MPCEE in the development and operation of its EMS, thus obtaining
the maximum benefit from their EMS. This commitment of time from the
organisation ensures that the EMS is owned and integrated into the
organisation's operations.
The development of a partnership between MPCEE and the client
organisation is essential. It is neither cost effective nor sensible for MPCEE
to do all the work. The split between MPCEE and internal resource should be on
a ratio of 1:4. For every day MPCEE spends on the EMS, the client should spend
four days.
MPCEE operates a practical approach to lead during the early
stages of the programme, in order to establish the EMS structure and develop
the framework for the system. As time progresses and the system starts to be
implemented, MPCEE encourages the client to begin to take overall
responsibility for the development of the EMS - typically handed over at a training
session to introduce the operation of the EMS to staff. The organisation's EMS
co-ordinator should lead this session, with MPCEE assuming a supporting role.
The implementation of an EMS should be managed like any other
project - with a programme, targets and specific deliverables- regardless of
who is managing the implementation. MPCEE's performance can be monitored
against specific deliverables and project milestones.
Additional benefits from MPCEE
o
MPCEE will bring a wealth of solutions and
ideas to an organisation, which could take an individual within the
organisation many years to learn.
o
An EMS could pay back MPCEE costs within a
matter of months.
o
Reduced risk is a less tangible but
nonetheless an important benefit of implementing a successful EMS. The
involvement of staff in detailed risk assessments serves to raise their
environmental awareness and also to reduce risk.
o
The number of companies implementing an EMS
is still relatively small. Those that do so can gain an advantage over their competitors
through the enhanced stakeholder credibility gained as a result. The board of
your organisation can also derive confidence that environmental issues are
being managed. It is also likely that supply chain pressures to implement an
EMS will increase in the future. With the help of MPCEE, these benefits can be
realised.
Conclusions
The effective use of MPCEE starts with identifying what needs to
be achieved and what the client wants from their EMS. The role of MPCEE is to
assist the client, not to undertake everything for them. The client must be
prepared to commit time and resource to the project and be sure to
"own" the system well before certification is sought. A split of four
days of your time to each MPCEE day is a good yardstick of the required input.
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