Companion User's Guide - Modular Approach to Analyzing Environmental Management System Projects and Programs

Projects involving Environmental Management Systems (EMSs) may be process or substance-oriented, project or program-based, on a facility or geographic scale, community-based or nation-wide, or produce systemic organizational change. In all cases, it is important to determine whether the project is achieving its intended outcomes, whether it provides greater process efficiencies or superior environmental performance compared to standard practice, and to identify ways in which to improve the project. Program managers must be able to measure and describe to others the impacts of their programs. The National Center for Environmental Innovation (NCEI) has developed a series of analysis 'modules' to assist staff and program . The purpose of this document is to assist users with the application of the modules. Each chapter corresponds to the actual module, each of which may be used independently or in combination with other modules, and is intended to serve three purposes: (1) To inform the evaluative process. (2) To help a manager plan for evaluation at the beginning or intermediate stages of an EMS project. (3) To help serve as a project management/development tool. The main goal of these tools is to allow the user to collect data in an organized manner, conduct an ongoing assessment of the EMS project, and provide the information necessary to conduct a full evaluation.