Eco mapping – A Creative Tool of Environmental Management

System(EMS) Implementation
textiletoday.com.bd/eco-mapping-a-creative-tool-of-environmental-management-systemems-implementation

March 16, 2012

An Environmental Management System (EMS) is based on a Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle. The “Plan” is

the most complex work and needs specific knowledge and experience, though a simple process
known as eco-mapping can make things easy.

Eco-mapping is a process of scanning environmental impacts and identifying problems in small and
medium enterprises using a participatory learning process. As such, it can be used in the initial
environmental review as required by ISO 14001/ EMAS. Useful environmental information is
gathered systematically, and everyday practice and procedures are observed. Legislative
requirements and good practice serve as a reference.

Eco-mapping uses several maps to visualize an organization’s environmental problems (“hot spots”).
These maps depict the location and usage of water, energy, raw materials, and the locations and
amounts of waste created. Together, they provide a useful, multi-layer set of graphical information
that can lead immediately to environmental action programs. This visual approach makes eco-
mapping very easy to understand and a useful tool for raising the awareness of employees on the
environmental impacts of their organizations’ activities. It helps to understand the environmental
problems, materials flows and consumption records, opinions, and the perception of workers and
work processes. It also serves to involve more people in early stages of EMS implementation without
needing a huge amount of specialist understanding. Once all information is collected, environmental
teams in the enterprises have a 360-degree picture of key environmental information. These can be
visualized by using symbols on a simple map of the site. As 80% of environmental information is
location-based, eco-maps show what is happening and where. Eco-mapping is the ideal starter kit for
EMS, which aims ultimately to cut costs and the use of resources.

Application of Eco-Mapping

The eco-mapping tool was successfully applied by a group of consultants trained by Promotion of
Social and Environmental Standard in the Industry (PSES), a program of GIZ. During February- May
2011, PSES provided EMS training to five service providing organizations and two individuals.

In the pilot phase, nine textile industries joined the program through international buyers. With the
help of the consultants, the pilot factories identified environmental aspects and related impacts by
using ecomap. Seven of the pilot factories have already completed their planning phase of EMS and
have developed an environmental policy that has been signed off by their respective top
management.

Two pilot factories have already conducted their internal audit and found only a few non-conformities
that they hope to resolve within the next three months. These two factories are now planning to apply
for ISO 14001 certification.

The consultants who were trained in eco-mapping are now offering their services to enterprises who
would like to improve their environmental performance. For assistance, please contact Tipu Michael
Rozario, email: michael@scsbangladesh.com

Figure-1: Eco-map of a production unit

It was also found from the piloting project that eco-mapping is very popular with factory officials, who
feel comfortable using it for implementing an environmental management system in their factories.

Figure-2: the EMS service providers team of PSES

In the past only a few factories were interested in implementing an EMS due to the extensive work in
the planning stage, in which a wide range of information is required from different departments. With
eco–mapping, however, the task is much easier, and it is expected that more entrepreneurs will be
encouraged to implement EMS in their industries.

For more information, please contact:

Kazy Mohammad Iqbal Hossain, Environmental Advisor,

email: iqbal.hossain@giz.de