2.2 Environmental Management Systems (EMS) Implementation Challenges, Lessons Learned, and Success Stories

In this session, we will discuss recent ISO 14001 EMS implementations at an industrial facility in north Georgia, a McCain Foods appetizer plant in Nampa, Idaho, and a Nestle Purina pet food plant in north Georgia. While many facilities are already considering or even performing elements of an EMS prior to implementation of a formal system, the process to establish and certify a system can be fraught with challenges including regulatory, logistical, and cultural considerations. We will discuss the similarities and differences between these facilities’ implementation processes, and detail the challenges, successes, and lessons learned along the way.