Environmental management system (EMS) planning in manufacturing : facilities management prospects

The increased consciousness of sustainable development and reconciling production with ecosystem conservation have fostered the adoption and implementation of Environmental Management System (EMS). This study investigates the process and factors that affect in EMS planning. Previous research mainly focuses on environmental management practices and its performance towards different sectors. It was identified that minimum attention is given to planning of EMS at corporate level. Thus, this study explored the corporate EMS planning process in Sri Lankan manufacturing industry. This is an area where facilities managers can contribute in manufacturing facilities. This paper reports on case studies of three private sector manufacturing industries, which were using up to date environmental management practices. Data was collected by interviewing three participants from each of selected manufacturing firms. Based on the case study findings, a framework was developed for EMS planning. This includes six stages starting from strategy formulation to system implementation and evaluation. The developed framework will lead to an effective EMS planning practice that could be used in Sri Lankan manufacturing industry.