Companies have made significant strides over the past decades to achieve regulatory compliance. As of late, more and more businesses have been highlighted in the media for going above what is asked of them in an effort to become stewards for environmental consciousness. One of the most effective means to accomplish this goal is to implement an Environmental Management System (EMS). An EMS provides the framework to develop your system for maintaining compliance with environmental regulations by establishing a set of policies and procedures to follow. The EMS reduces the guesswork and unwanted actions that sometimes occur in daily operations which can lead to non-compliance issues.

Many state agencies promote regulatory compliance through voluntary programs that provide instruction on how to implement an EMS and encourage participation in a range of recognition programs. For example, Indiana sponsors the Environmental Stewardship Program (ESP) and a Governor’s Award for Pollution Prevention. These are separate programs, but both are intended to recognize regulated entities that go above and beyond current environmental regulations.

Applications for these programs can be tedious and time-consuming and can get lost in the shuffle of your other daily routines and responsibilities. Cornerstone’s team can assist in exploring these state-specific recognition programs and, after working with your team to determine which program best fits your needs, scoping the project to keep it manageable. Additionally, we can assist in completing and submitting the application for a recognition program in your state.

Our Division of Quality Management Services has decades of experience in every aspect of developing an ISO 14001 EMS as well as other comparable programs. In addition to full-service implementation consulting, we offer the following services:

1. Aspects and Impacts – Conduct onsite evaluations and written findings.
2. Policies and Procedures – Drafting and oversight of policies and procedures.
3. Application Submittal – Completing and submitting applications for approval.
4. Audits – Conducted at specified intervals for program compliance by a third party.
5. Projects – Sustainability projects with carbon footprints, energy audits, waste to energy, and solar.

Contact Cornerstone for support in meeting your Environmental Recognition Program and be the leader in your state.

Bill Hess is Cornerstone’s Manager of Business Development, Northern Midwest Region. He has been on a career path in Sustainability for more than 40 years and just celebrated 22 of those years with Cornerstone. He specializes in ensuring our clients have the resources they need for Environmental Management, Safety Culture Improvement, Loss Prevention, ISO Services, Safety Training, Industrial Hygiene Services, and SDS (MSDS) Management.