Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) Looking Beyond Compliance

Abstract

Generally in India (with few respectable exceptions) EHS is looked at as an item of checking the box i.e. a matter of formality to be followed primarily due to the corporate policy requirement, OSHA, ISO requirement or compliance of the applicable local laws and due to many other reasons as discussed below. Intention many a times is to comply in letter and it is more of a reactive in nature viz-a- viz following in spirit and a proactive. This happens due to lack of awareness of criticality of EHS, cultural issues, to some extent due to government & regulatory environment and many times due to lack of top down approach by the management. Management of many companies sees EHS as a cost and not an integral part of its operation. Companies never understands that EHS being such an important or vital function which has an ability to give a competitive edge to a company over its competitors, peers and hence worth to be called as its core value and to be worked upon.