The much anticipated ISO management system for energy management was published on June 15. The ISO 50001 format closely follows ISO 14001 on environmental management. I will be posting comments over the next couple of weeks regarding things I see in it and issues that will help with implementation and integration.
At first glance, where an ISO 14001 or OHSAS 18001 management system is in place, integration of ISO 50001 will be somewhat straightforward.
A unique piece for 50001 is section 4.4.3 that addresses “energy review.” This is the equivalent of environmental aspects in 14001 and risk assessment in 18001. While this standard is new and interpretations will be fleshed out in the coming months and years, the interpretation of “energy” may not be trivial when considering conformance with 50001. The way it is defined will impact how the energy review requirements will be met. Read More
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. 
An evolving component of sustainability management is the use of integrated reports that capture an organization’s financial, environmental, social, and governance performance in one document. A seminal event on this was held last October (2010) at Harvard Business School (HBS).
Understanding and crafting your supply chain is an integral part of a meaningful sustainability/CSR strategy. The inputs to your products and services play a huge role in defining them in this sustainability/CSR era. For instance, the amount of water used in producing a liter of soda, or the labor practices in harvesting cotton used in making a T-shirt have become significant issues for manufacturers of these products.
As a living system, a company’s risk profile is continually shifting. The growing attention on sustainability and corporate responsibility (CSR) has stretched companies as they wrestle with ways to characterize and manage their sustainability and CSR risks.
With the increasing need to address Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) issues, organizations are faced with several options on how to proceed in developing their internal capabilities. Beyond their sustainability and CSR strategy, there are nuts-and-bolts issues to consider, such as who will lead the effort and how to build the team or department.