A goal of business functions such as quality, EHS/S, and CSR is to become embedded in the core business. This is also talked about in terms of becoming fully integrated in the business. A small research project I conducted in 2007 examined issues and challenges associated with “integrating” EHS/S in a company. Several of the EHS/S executives I interviewed at that time expressed concern that if EHS/S was fully integrated in a company, it would disappear. This possibility concerned them; the challenge, they said, was to integrate, but to also maintain visibility and evolve.
Over the years, EHS management system experts have voiced a similar concern with the development of generic, or fully integrated, management systems that include EHS, sustainability, security, quality, etc.
The Spring 2011 issue of the Corporate Citizen contains an article that touches on the integration/disappearing phenomenon associated with CSR and its professionals. Several interviewees suggest that CSR might go away in a company since its goal is to become fully embedded in the core business. This sounds familiar. Read More
Many EHS/S management system experts believe that one of the most important components of an integrated MS is management review. Management review is the time during which the overall strategy of an integrated EHS/S MS is assessed. Said differently, it is a time to see if the MS’s purpose and desired outcomes are being fulfilled. Management review is commonly framed as a performance evaluation activity. While this is correct, I would suggest that there is much more available through management reviews—that is, these are strategic opportunities to impact an organization’s Strategic Risk Management (SRM) process, and possibly start developing an SRM MS.
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