Completing your compliance management tasks and having a life outside work.  The secrets to how successful environmental managers pull it off.

More and more these days, environmental managers are fighting increased regulatory requirements with fewer internal resources.  Headcount is always a topic of discussion around the water cooler and in the boardroom.  For many existing organizations, environmental accounting and sustainability initiatives are not enough to keep top management from “trimming”.  The result is long hours, long weeks, and some things just left unfinished.  The emerging business model for new enterprises is to have a point person for dealing with environmental matters (even health & safety and a few more hats).  But they may not have specific personnel on hand who know precisely how to handle a water issue, an air quality dilemma or an occupational safety problem.  All this adds up to a tremendous challenge. 

The key to success for many environmental managers is to identify and outsource environmental compliance management tasks wherever possible to qualified consultants who can provide responsive expertise to get tasks done with little direction and no supervision.  According to a recent survey, “Environmental, Health & Safety Benchmarks 2004” conducted by BNA in coordination with NAEM, nearly three fourths of businesses use outside firms to handle some aspects of EHS compliance management.  The survey found that waste disposal management, laboratory work, permitting, auditing, and spill prevention are responsibilities most likely to be outsourced.

Exactly how do you outsource tasks and to whom?  First, you need to take a long hard look at what needs to get done, starting with a reporting calendar.  Second, you need to identify the level of expertise needed to tackle various tasks including industry-specific knowledge that will be helpful in ensuring that your plant’s needs are met.  Once these assessments are done, it’s time to go shopping for a consultant.  Ask around within the network of environmental managers in your area (or a trade group) for knowledgeable consultants with expertise in your industry and proven experience tackling compliance management tasks independently.

It’s important to shop locally first.  A qualified consultant in your city or region can readily “drop by” on their nickel to discuss matters that pop up without notice and quickly come up with an action plan.  Also, a consultant should be well versed in preparing the plethora of air, water, and waste reports required by agencies in your state.  They should come to you looking for all the information needed to complete reports and can often hand deliver them when a deadline is fast approaching.  Be wary of outsourcing to independent “part-time” consultants who may not be around for a repeat performance next year, or who don’t exhibit the appreciation for your needs to put you first.  When consultants say they work evenings and weekends, they’re not lying.  Whatever it takes to meet the client’s needs and timelines is the credo successful consultants live by.

Your consultant should not be averse to working directly under your direction as a contractor.  Often, they will let you know that they have an approach towards tackling tasks, but it may not be your approach.  Sometimes you’re looking for innovation, while at other times, you just want it done your way for piece of mind reasons.  Remember, your consultant needs to work independently, but in your interests.

When you come to the realization that you can’t get it all done alone, and you value a personal life almost as much as your job, it’s time to sit down and identify those tactical items that can be outsourced.  Remember, your goal is to stay focused on strategic requirements and goals, which can lead to promotions and bonuses more readily than submitting the Form R report by July 1^st each year.  These tactical tasks can include:

Common Tasks that Environmental Managers Outsource

In fact, if you come up with a comprehensive listing of tasks and their scheduled due dates, you should get competitive pricing from your consultant because the learning curve to become familiar with your facility and your approach towards managing tasks is reduced and they can often collect information needed for several tasks at one time.

Who can make this happen?  Your consultant should first have extensive experience tackling tasks like those listed above.  Ask for a resume, samples of work, and references.  Your consultant should be prepared to put your needs first and begin the relationship by listening to your needs before tossing out approaches.  Your consultant should also have a successful track record including negotiating skills with regulators (especially when you really need a few more days to get a report in). 

Outsourcing is not free.  It costs money.  However, it can often cost less time and money than hiring additional, untrained and unqualified staff that will need help getting ahead of the learning curve and then need investment to keep up to date on the latest changes to reporting requirements and sampling techniques.  An additional benefit to your compliance program comes when outsourcing can improve the level of quality of work products and tools you use to get the job done.   By bringing in people who’ve done it before and walked in your shoes, they can often bring affordable and fresh innovation to the way tactical tasks are administered.