Procedure for Stockholm University's environmental management system

Ansvarig enhet: Planeringssekretariatet
Kontaktperson: Lena Söderlundh

Introduction

Stockholm University is required by law to conduct systematic environmental management. The main regulatory frameworks governing the structure and content of the environmental management system are:

• Ordinance (2009:907) on Environmental Management in Government Agencies
• The environmental management standard ISO 14001:2015

The purpose with this procedure, together with other environmental governance and support documents, is to regulate the framework for environmental management at Stockholm University. The procedures describe how the University’s environmental management system is structured, including its organisation, responsibilities, planning and follow-up, as well as improvement work.

The primary target group for this document is staff members who have a specific role within the environmental organisation, such as environmental representatives. The document is also useful for external stakeholders who wish to understand how environmental management at the University is organised, such as environmental auditors, suppliers and collaborative partners.

The Planning Secretariat is responsible for monitoring this governing document. Monitoring of its application, compliance and implementation is carried out in accordance with the processes of the environmental management system (see the section Performance Evaluation).

Context of the organisation

Stockholm University is organised into two scientific areas and a central administration. The scientific areas comprise the Human Science area and the Science area. The Human Science area includes three faculties: the Faculty of Social Sciences, the Faculty of Humanities, and the Faculty of Law. The Science area comprises one faculty with the same name, the Faculty of Science. The faculties include departments, centres of excellence, institutes, research stations and special units, while the University’s administration is organised into administrative offices.

The University’s physical operations extend across a large geographical area and several different campus areas, of which Frescati and Albano are the largest. Other locations in the Stockholm region where the University conducts operations include Solna, Kista and Filmhuset. Activities are also carried out outside Stockholm, for example in Tarfala (Kiruna), Askö (Trosa) and Tovetorp (Nyköping). The University also owns two research vessels stationed at Askö. The University conducts a large number of research collaborations both nationally and internationally. Within these collaborations, work may take place at facilities that are not owned or managed by the University.

From an environmental perspective, the University’s activities can be divided into non-laboratory and laboratory-based operations. Laboratory-based operations may include, among other things, the use of chemicals. Such activities are subject to notification and permit requirements and are classified as environmentally hazardous C-activities. In addition, specific permits are required for the handling of flammable and explosive goods, radiation sources, animal by-products, genetically modified microorganisms/organisms, and biohazards.

Scope of the environmental management system

In accordance with the Environmental Management Ordinance (2009:907), Stockholm University must have an environmental management system integrating environmental considerations into ordinary operations. Following the recommendation of the ordinance, the University is certified under ISO 14001. To obtain and maintain certification, the University must comply with the standard’s requirements. External audits are conducted annually, and a major recertification audit takes place every three years. Both ISO 14001 and the Environmental Management Ordinance require internal environmental audits to be conducted annually.

Stakeholders

Under ISO 14001, the University must identify stakeholders relevant to the environmental management system and determine their needs, expectations and requirements. A complete list of stakeholders is included in the University's environmental review. In addition to stakeholders setting requirements through laws and regulations, employees and students constitute an important stakeholder group.

Leadership

Leadership and commitment

The University’s Senior Management Team—comprising the President, Vice President, Deputy Vice Presidents and University Director—is responsible for ensuring that environmental issues are integrated into strategic work and relevant operational processes. The leadership communicates the importance of preventive work related to binding requirements and continuous improvement. Responsibilities may be delegated in accordance with the University's decision and delegation procedures (see section Roles, responsibilities and authorities).

Environmental policy

The environmental policy outlines the University’s vision and ambitions for its environmental work. The policy is steering and describes conditions and frameworks for environmental efforts. It must contribute to sustainable development and the achievement of national environmental quality objectives and global sustainability goals. The policy is updated every five years and approved by the President.

Roles, responsibilities and authorities

The University is a decentralised organisation where roles, responsibilities and authorities for environmental work follow the organisational structure of each scientific area and faculty. Below is a description of the environmental organisation and its functions in the environmental management work (see the diagram of the environmental organisation in the appendix, page 12).

Environmental responsibilities are delegated in accordance with the University’s decision and delegation procedures. The President decides on overarching matters; the University Director decides on university-wide issues; and heads of department decide on operational environmental management at departmental level. Deputy Vice Presidents decide on matters related to systematic environmental work within their respective areas.

The President has appointed an advisory body, the Environmental Council , responsible for providing strategic guidance. The Council consists of a chair and seven other members. Four faculty representatives are appointed by the President on the recommendation of the area boards. Student representatives are appointed according to the Student Union Ordinance. The Head of Planning is also an ordinary member. In accordance with the University's Decision and Delegation Procedure, the Environmental Council decides on proposals for documents of overarching strategic importance for the University's environmental work, prior to decisions by the University Director or the President.
The administration comprises both coordinating support functions and central areas of responsibility for the environmental work. The central environmental function, consisting of the Environmental Coordinator and the Environmental Controller, is located at the Planning Secretariat. The central environmental function is responsible for monitoring the environmental work, preparing various governance and support documents, reporting environmental performance, and proposing improvements to the environmental work. The central environmental function also supports the Chair of the Environmental Council, for example by providing administrative support to the Environmental Council. The Property Management Office also includes a central support function for fire safety, the physical work environment, and the laboratory environment . The Communications Office has dedicated resources intended to support communication within the environmental management work.

Each department, centre under a faculty, and administrative office shall conduct local environmental work. The department/equivalent determines the focus of its environmental work and identifies the environmental aspects that are most relevant to address. There must be at least one Environmental Representative at each department/equivalent who is responsible for coordinating and leading the operational environmental work at the local level, in close dialogue with the manager who holds the overall responsibility. The Head of Department/equivalent is responsible for ensuring that the necessary resources are allocated for the environmental work and for appointing an Environmental Representative. The scope of the Environmental Representative’s assignment is determined in dialogue with the responsible manager, taking into account the size of the operations and their environmental impact.

At the area level and within the University Administration, there are Environmental Coordinators who shall support and coordinate the Environmental Representatives in their local environmental work. In accordance with the decision and delegation procedures, the Environmental Coordinators at the areas are appointed by the Deputy Vice Presidents in consultation with the deans.

Planning

Risk management

Within the framework of the environmental management work, risks are evaluated and managed continuously and regularly.
At both the central and local levels, environmental-related risks are identified and managed on an ongoing basis, for example through the reporting of environmental nonconformities, during legal compliance checks, in internal and external environmental audits, and during safety inspections and supervisory activities. Risks are compiled in the material for the Management Review and may be used as a basis for prioritising the environmental work.
Departments that conduct operations involving risk elements – such as handling environmentally or health‑hazardous chemicals, flammable or explosive substances, radiation sources, or infection risks – must conduct risk assessments for individual laboratory procedures. In addition, an overall environmental risk assessment[1] must be carried out for the entire operation, with the purpose of documenting quantities, hazardous properties, and the environmental consequences in the event of a spill. The overall environmental risk assessment must be reviewed annually for validity and updated in the event of significant changes in the operations.

Environmental aspects

When changes occur in the operations, or at least every five years, significant environmental aspects must be identified and assessed in order to determine whether the University is prioritising the correct areas in its environmental work—that is, whether it is working with the areas that have a significant environmental impact. The significant environmental aspects form the basis for the development and maintenance of the environmental policy, the establishment of environmental objectives, governance and support documents, as well as training and information. In the University’s environmental review, the significant environmental aspects that may lead to either a positive or negative environmental impact are identified. The significant environmental aspects constitute prioritised areas for improvement within the University’s environmental work.

Compliance obligations

Compliance obligations for the systematic environmental work are found in governing documents and are visualised in the University’s legal registers . There is one register for the overarching environmental work and one legal register for laboratory safety. The legal registers contain all regulatory requirements and other requirements that govern the environmental work. The University continuously monitors compliance with binding requirements and updates the legal registers and governing documents when needed.

Environmental objectives and planning to achieve them

The University’s overarching goals for the environment and sustainable development are integrated into the University’s Climate Roadmap. The environmental objectives aim to reduce negative and increase positive environmental impact.

The Climate Roadmap describes the University’s climate footprint and outlines the path toward the University’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2040 at the latest. The Climate Roadmap includes proposed measures for prioritised areas. The Area Boards, as well as the University Administration, are expected to implement and report back on measures based on the Climate Roadmap. The work is carried out within the framework of the University’s regular operational planning. The Climate Roadmap is revised every two years, and responsibility for this lies with the Environmental Council.

At departments and centres, local environmental action plans must be prepared annually. The action plans are adopted by the Department Boards/equivalent. Each Area Board may also decide on environmental objectives that are to be included in the local environmental action plans. For the administrative offices, no separate action plans need to be prepared; instead, goals and measures relating to environmental work are gathered in the University Administration’s action plan. In addition to this, individual offices may also decide on goals in local environmental action plans. The environmental action plans at the local level are followed up annually in connection with the annual review. For objectives or activities that extend over several years, an annual status review must be conducted as part of this process.

Support

Resources

The University’s Senior Management Team has overall responsibility for ensuring that the necessary resources are available for the systematic environmental work, as well as for leading and supporting employees and other stakeholders who are important for the effectiveness of the environmental management system. During the review of the environmental work at the local level, and during the Management Review at the central level, an annual assessment of the resources for the environmental work is carried out. See more on resources and their allocation in the section Roles, Responsibilities and Authorities.

Competence

The Training and Competence Plan for the Environmental Work at Stockholm University describes the knowledge requirements for different target groups involved in the University’s environmental work, as well as the information channels and training required for the environmental work to function effectively. Employees at the University are responsible for acquiring knowledge about how their own work may affect the environment and what needs to be done to minimise this impact. The information is made available on the staff website so that everyone can access this knowledge. The Head of Department/equivalent is responsible for ensuring that employees are given the opportunity to acquire knowledge about the environmental work, and the Environmental Representative shall help convey relevant information to employees. Environmental Representatives and Heads of Department/equivalents must complete a digital environmental training course. The training aims to provide knowledge about environment and sustainability, the University’s objectives and environmental impact, as well as responsibilities and roles within the environmental work.

Communication

The communication of the systematic environmental work aims to increase employees’ knowledge about the environment, contribute to greater engagement in environmental issues, enable and guide behavioural change, and encourage actions and measures that promote a good environment and sustainable development.

The internal communication of the systematic environmental work shall help create an open communication climate, participation, and motivation, as well as contribute to increased efficiency and quality in the work.

Documented information

Central governance and support documents are adopted and documented in accordance with applicable procedures. At the local level, the environmental action plan and the minutes from the annual review must be documented and submitted to the Environmental Coordinator at area level/administration level.

Emergency preperdness and response

Potential environmental risks in emergency situations and accidents include emissions to air, soil and water, which may be caused by fire, explosion, technical failures, and human actions. The environmental risks can be categorised as chemical, biological, and radioactive.

The University has an emergency response plan with associated checklists at the central level, as well as requirements for each department/equivalent to develop a local preparedness plan for action in emergency situations. In addition, there is a fire safety policy with associated support documents describing how systematic fire safety work shall be carried out in order to ensure an adequate fire safety organisation in accordance with the Act (2003:778) on Protection Against Accidents.

Departments conducting laboratory activities must prepare and document the following procedures in the event of spills, emergencies, or accidents:

• General measures in the event of spills
• Emergency procedures
• Emergency contact list
  
• Environmental risk assessment in emergency situations and accidents

If the environmental risk assessment identifies environmental risks requiring special consideration that the emergency services should be aware of, these must be reported to the support function at the Property Management Office. The environmental risk assessment is an important basis for ensuring that, in the event of an emergency response, the emergency services receive information about hazardous substances that may cause severe negative impact on humans and the environment if they are released uncontrollably during an incident.

Performance evaluation

Evaluation of performance and compliance with binding requirements is carried out regularly through legal compliance checks, surveys, environmental audits, and reviews of the environmental work (see Figure 2, which illustrates the annual cycle for the local environmental work in the appendix, page 13), as well as through the continuous reporting and handling of nonconformities and improvement proposals.

Evaluation of compliance

Compliance with binding requirements is ensured through: a legal compliance check every two years for departments with laboratory activities , internal environmental audits for all departments/equivalents, and an annual survey concerning the local environmental management work.

Internal audit

Internal environmental auditing is a method for reviewing how the environmental management system is applied at the departmental level/equivalent and how internal and external requirements are fulfilled. The plan for the internal environmental audit covers a five‑year period and includes all University operations. This means that departments/equivalents undergo internal environmental audits approximately every five years.

Management review

An annual management review of the environmental work is carried out at different levels: centrally (referred to as the Management Review), for each area, and for each department/equivalent. The central environmental function is responsible for conducting the Management Review for the University’s Senior Management Team in accordance with the requirements of the ISO standard. At the area level and within the University Administration, the Environmental Coordinators are responsible for conducting the review both at the overarching level and at the departmental/office level for the Area’s/University Administration’s management. At the local level, the Environmental Representatives are responsible for carrying out an annual review of the environmental work according to the established review points, for the local management. At all levels, the review of the environmental work must be documented in minutes and formally registered.

Improvement

The University works with improvements by managing environmental nonconformities and improvement proposals received from both internal and external sources. Environmental audits constitute an important part of the systematic improvement work. Both the internal and external environmental audits identify positive observations, areas for improvement, and nonconformities. Identified areas for improvement and nonconformities from the external environmental audit serve as input for the internal environmental audit, and vice versa. In addition, the environmental audits help to increase knowledge about environmental impact and highlight the need for improvement measures. Any nonconformities from internal environmental audits are addressed in the annual review at both the local and central levels.

Employees continuously report nonconformities and improvement proposals through a case management system. Nonconformities and improvement proposals are managed in collaboration between the department/equivalent and the central environmental function.

Appendix

The policy document in pdf format

Procedure for Stockholm University's environmental management system pdf, 571.8 kB.