FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Campus Environmental Management
Systems
May 10, 2010
The 2010
Survey of Environmental Management Systems (EMS) at Colleges and
Universities found that EMS implementation at U.S. colleges and
universities has increased over 300% since 2006 when a similar survey
was conducted.
Conducted
by the Campus Consortium for Environmental Excellence (C2E2), the
survey=92s significant findings include:
=95 The overwhelming EMS priority
continues to be compliance with applicable environmental regulations,
such as hazardous waste requirements.
=95 More than half of the 151
respondents have a complete EMS in place (17%) or a partial EMS in place
for selected campuses or selected environmental impacts (35%). The real
growth in campus EMS is the development of partial or selective program
EMS deployment.
=95
Accountability and management review - based on the
establishment of formal objectives and targets - was seen as the
single most important factor leading to positive
changes.
=95 EMS
implementation experience has been mixed. More than 50% of respondents
report limited progress or restrictions on the system=92s scope due to
lack of interest in EMS or inadequate funding.
=95 More than 40% report that
sustainability is being addressed within the scope of their
EMS.
The 2010 survey is a follow-up to the 2006 Benchmark
Survey of the State of Environmental Management Systems at Colleges and
Universities that assessed the =93maturity=94 of campus EMSs with
respect to scope, design and organizational integration. The 2010 Survey
was developed to assess progress in the development and deployment of
EMSs. More than 150 individuals from 133 colleges and universities
responded to the 2010 survey.
The
mission of the Campus Consortium for Environmental Excellence (C2E2) is
to support the continued improvement of campus environmental
performance, which includes regulatory compliance, environmental
management, and sustainability initiatives. For additional information
with respect to this updated report, contact Tom Balf at tbalf**At_Symbol_Here**c2e2.org or
978-281-5020.
