Order this Assignment Now: £129 VALID THRU: 25-Jan-2025
Understand the principles behind environmental management systems
UNIVERSITY OF GREENWICH
BSc (Hons) Occupational Safety, Health and Environment
Session Term
2024/2025 1
Course Title
Environmental Industrial Management
Level
6
Tutor
Assessment
Assignment 1
Aims
The aim of this assignment is to familiarise students with the issues associated with the implementation of an environmental management system.
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this assignment, you will –
Understand the principles behind environmental management systems
Recognise the importance of effective implementation of an environmental management system
Be familiar with all of the stages associated with the development and implementation of an environmental management system
Appreciate the benefit to an organisation of developing and implementing an environmental management system.
Brief
“...even though, the savings are far less than larger organizations have obtained, it shows that ISO14001 could give more to SMEs in the long run. Through a good environmental image and having EMS in place, SMEs have a competitive edge in the market where supply chain pressure is increasing. However, they still face problems in terms of costs and time during the implementation processes and in maintaining the standard. These problems can be solved if they have support from the authorities, business clubs and environmental NGOs. ” (Aiyub, et. al 2009:7)
Using a range of sources to support your argument, discuss this statement.
Integrate in your analysis at least 5 refereed journal articles1
General Instruction
The work is to be word-processed, double or 1.5-line spacing Arial or Calibri, 12 Font, aligned to the left hand of the page and appropriately referenced using the Harvard system of referencing. The length must not exceed 2000 words , excluding appendices, bibliography, etc.
3
A word count must be included.
All assignments must be submitted electronically using the Turnitin plagiarism service through Moodle (even where a hard copy is required by your local centre). In the correct Moodle course, click on the Assignment folder; Assignment Submission; identify and click the correct assignment link and then follow the instructions.
There are a number of centres offering this programme so you must ensure you submit in the correct folder or your assignment may not be marked.
You may also be required to submit a hard copy to your local centre. Your local centre will tell you whether or not a hard copy is required to be submitted. Assignments will not be marked unless they are submitted electronically.
Assessment
This coursework accounts for 50% of the course marks. It will be assessed on the basis of:
1.
Content
45%
2.
Critical evaluation
25%
3.
Structure and presentation
15%
4.
Referencing
15%
Submission
Submission date:- This assignment will normally be submitted 6 weeks after the study school but check online or with your Centre for exact dates.
1 Refereed journal articles are articles published after they have been reviewed by other scientists, knowledgeable in the field of inquiry, to determine whether the studies they describe are of reasonable quality and the conclusions reported are supported by the evidence. Reputable scientific journals use a process of peer review before accepting a paper for publication. You can access such articles through the University of Greenwich Library Databases and Electronic Information Resources
Work submitted late will not be marked unless a formal extension of time has been granted.
Plagiarism and Copying It is not acceptable to copy other student’s coursework or material directly from your sources of information. This is plagiarism. If you copy material it will be highlighted by the Turnitin system that is used for on-line submissions. The copied content will not be marked and you may be referred to the Plagiarism Panel and will be awarded a zero mark. Your final mark transcript will also show that you have been penalised for submitting plagiarised material.
We will ignore small matches associated with common phrases and terms and will ignore matches highlighted in your reference list when considering whether or not your work is plagiarised.
As a general rule you should aim to get your similarity index into the “green” zone on Turnitin. If you are in the “amber” zone you will need to look very carefully at your work to see what you can put into your own words to reduce your score. High amber scores may be referred to the plagiarism panel and will certainly mean that a significant part of your work will not be considered in the marking. If you are in the “red” zone you will be referred to the plagiarism panel.
We strongly advise you to submit a final draft through Turnitin well before the cut- off date to check your similarity index. Please remember that you are only allowed to submit one draft version of your coursework every day so leave yourself plenty of time to revise and resubmit your final version of the coursework.
Sample Answer - This is Plagiarised
Understand the principles behind environmental management systems
This statement from Aiyub et al. (2009) highlights the potential benefits and challenges of implementing the ISO 14001 Environmental Management System (EMS) for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The authors suggest that while SMEs may not see the same immediate financial benefits as larger organizations, they can still gain a competitive edge through a strong environmental image. However, the cost and time associated with the implementation and maintenance of ISO 14001 can be significant barriers. This analysis will examine the statement by considering a range of academic sources that explore both the advantages and challenges of ISO 14001 implementation in SMEs and larger firms, as well as the external support required to overcome these challenges.
Benefits of ISO 14001 for SMEs
ISO 14001 has been shown to offer various benefits to organizations, including cost savings from resource efficiency, improved regulatory compliance, and enhanced stakeholder relationships. According to Hillary (2004), one of the primary advantages for SMEs is the improvement of their environmental reputation, which can translate into market opportunities, especially in industries where environmental performance is becoming increasingly important due to supply chain pressures. For SMEs, adopting ISO 14001 can position them as environmentally responsible players, which is attractive to larger companies that prioritize sustainable suppliers.
In addition, Darnall et al. (2008) found that organizations that implement ISO 14001 not only improve their environmental performance but also experience operational efficiencies, such as reduced waste and energy consumption. This can lead to long-term cost savings, which can be particularly beneficial for SMEs with tighter financial constraints. While these savings may not be as immediate or as large as those enjoyed by larger corporations, over time, SMEs can build on these incremental improvements to gain a stronger market position.
Challenges in ISO 14001 Implementation for SMEs
Despite these potential benefits, the challenges mentioned in Aiyub et al. (2009) regarding cost and time constraints are well-documented in the literature. Biondi, Frey, and Iraldo (2000) argue that the high costs of implementing and maintaining ISO 14001 can deter SMEs, especially since the standard often requires investments in technology, staff training, and administrative processes. These costs can be burdensome for smaller firms that do not have the same financial resources as larger corporations.
Continued...
Order this Assignment Now:£129
100% Plagiarism Free & Custom Written, Tailored to your instructions
