What Are the Cons of an Environmental Management Plan?

For some organizations, a proactive approach to environmental care is an operational necessity. For others, it is an effective way to enhance your business image. In either case, an environmental management plan (EMP) or system is a method for instituting policies and procedures that serve those ends. However, as with all business ventures or initiatives, there are opportunity costs and expenses that pertain to EMPs.

Identification

• In the eyes of federal, state and local governments, as well as in those of many businesses with stakes held in the environment, the potential benefits of an EMP or EMS far outweigh the possible downsides. An EMP can augment the ability of an organization to comply with relevant laws or codes, it can diminish the potential for pollutive behavior as well as train staff members to be environmentally alert, diligent and responsible. Most of the cons of an EMP have to do with finances.

Internal

• First, the staff required to formulate and implement an EMP will depend on the size and specifics of your organization. Even in the smallest organization, labor dollars are probably going to spike at least a little. However, the bigger the effort needed, the more management staff needs to be hired for oversight with potentially substantive salaries. The good side of all this is that, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), labor typically constitutes the largest expenditure connected to adopting an EMP. This means that once the internal labor is paid for, you're almost there.

External

• There is the possibility that outside or external entities have to be brought into the picture. In a sense, this can be viewed as a further labor expense, although it is frequently momentary, short-lived or episodic rather than a regular feature of your payroll. A chief example of this sort of expense is an outside consultancy firm that trains you and your staff in the requisite skills, laws and procedures. You may also need to fund employee training elsewhere. After initial training is conducted, you may only have to bring these people in periodically for projects like retraining or new technical instruction.

Consistency

• Aside from money, the biggest drawback of initiatives like EMPs is that they consume time. If an EMP is focusing on compliance issues, that means that managers are continually accountable for oversight, making sure that employees are towing the line and enforcing best practices. Managers have to keep up on all the latest codes, regulations and related debates. This could involve attending seminars and workshops. In the end, organizations will have to be willing and prepared to follow through on continuing education opportunities, monitor internal performance and hold members accountable for results.