Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

Environmental management systems are a way of systematizing and streamlining an organization's environmental efforts. Within its EMS the organization determines it´s environmental policy and various environmental objectives. In order to achieve their environmental objectives the organization produces action plans that describe how they will work towards the objectives.

Stora Enso Skog AB´s districts have been assigned to produce action plans for the company´s environmental objective of 90 % approved everyday nature consideration in final felling and any targets included within this objective. The purpose of this study was to investigate how the districts work with these action plans and how this could be improved. As the environmental objective in question is so comprehensive the study has been limited to a target within the objective which was to improve the quality of stream crossings.

The study included interviews conducted both by telephone and during visits. The interviews included personnel from two districts, a region headquarter and the central headquarters in Falun. Two machine operators were also interviewed resulting in a total number of nine interviews. Based on the interviews and literature review, a proposal for a work process and content of an action plan was developed.

The interviews showed that Stora Enso´s environmental management work is extensive and the company has a complex structure to deal with. It was found that the company has a good structure in its formal work, but some problems with the implementation in the organization. The major potential for improvement was identified as 1) a system that continuously monitors results and trends in everyday nature consideration 2) better, i.e. a more immediate, feedback of audit results, and 3) a clearer description of the targets.