University of Vaasa - Vaasan yliopisto

transition from EMS to SMS can be achieved (Wehrmeyer, 2004) and the prior use
of an EMS, or other management systems, can help in the development of expanded
and integrated management systems (Oktem et al, 2004; Sarkis & Srafe, 2004). But
there is today no single SMS standard or model (Oktem et al, 2004) and nothing that
appears to be developing any widespread credibility or acceptance.
System Model: Description & Benchmarking
The proposed management system comprises seven components (described
pictorially in Figure 1, and as a detailed benchmarking process in Table 2, below) as
follows:
1. Identification and (risk) assessment of the aspects and impacts of the
organizations activities, including stakeholder communities and a full range
of sustainability aspects (governance, environment, reputation,
communications, health & safety, customer quality, and fiscal. This provides
a much broader assessment of the (GBO’s) sustainability impacts than the
ISO14001 aspects assessment (ISO14001 part 4.3.1.a/b) and is used as one of
the foundations of the SMS.
2. Selection of both external and internal best practices, and incorporation into
the organization’s processes. This module provides a formal process for the
review, assessment, and selection (or rejection) of both internal and external
best practices, together with benchmarking of these practices: there is no
equivalent process in the ISO14001 model.
3. Sustainability policy & plan: having performed a sustainability assessment,
and identified best practices that are appropriate to the GBO, a sustainability
policy and implementation plan can be established. This is equivalent to
ISO14001 parts 4.2 and 4.3.3, but uses a broader sustainability (rather than
environment) scope.
4. The fourth component in the system establishes a process to clearly identify
the scope of the SMS and define its relationship with other (management)
systems in the organization. Use of this module will depend on the existence
and maturity (or otherwise) of other business management systems in the
GBO: there will be substantial differences between organizations that have
well established business systems in place, and those that do not.
5. The management practices and standards component can be thought of as an
expanded version of ISO14001 4.4, Implementation & Operation, covering
all of the sustainability (rather than environmental) aspects of the GBO. It
also includes self-checking feedback loop to ensure organizational standards
are modified in accordance with the organization’s changing requirements.
6. Incorporation of the entire business process (value) chain into the
sustainability management process via a cylinder of influence model (Sealy
et.al.) it a key feature of this SMS. This component establishes links between
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