BriefingpaperTheBusinessCaseforEnvironmental.docVIP

Briefing paper: The Business Case for Environmental Management Systems in the United Nations Table of contents Executive summary p2 1. Why the UN system is considering EMS p3 2. Overview of EMS p4 3. The UN’s environmental impacts and the ‘value at stake’ p6 4. Evaluating the costs and saving of implementing EMS p12 5. Environmental management experience in UNU and ADB p17 6. EMS for the UN system p19 7. Recommendations p22 Executive Summary A range of internal and external drivers has prompted UN entities to consider systematic adoption of Environmental Management System (EMS) for measuring and managing environmental risks, costs and impacts in their organizations. In September 2012 the High Level Committee for Management (HLCM) asked UNEP to present an “elaborated cost benefit analysis” of EMS approaches, to help UN system agencies to understand whether and how the UN could realize a range of financial and intangible benefits, and what commitment would be required. This paper provides an overview of EMS and how it can add value to public sector organizations. It outlines potential costs and benefits for UN organizations, including meeting stakeholder expectations of accountability and efficiency, and enhancing reputation, organizational resilience and staff morale. The paper highlights achievements from best-practice environmental projects in UN organizations to date and notes that the best way to replicate these successes and realize further gains is through systematic measurement, management and reporting, integrated into existing organizational frameworks (an EMS). The precise nature and extent of the financial savings that each agency might achieve will require more detailed and case-specific investigation. Using available data, however, this paper finds that systematic measurement and management of environmental impacts through an EMS could help the UN system as a whole to achieve reductions in operating costs of