Climate Change, Chemicals, Emission Reports, Soil Contamination, Carcinogens, Enforcement, Product Safety, Corporate Social Responsibility -- These are just some of the buzzwords businesses have to grapple with in order to maintain compliance with environmental, occupational health and safety (EHS) laws. The regulatory requirements imposed on companies in Europe in order to protect the environment, public health or worker safety are rapidly changing and are being copied worldwide. To allow managers to test their knowledge on these issues and help them stay out of trouble, Enhesa has launched the “European EHS Compliance Quiz.” Participation in the quiz is free of charge, and all participants will receive a free copy of the report “Trends in EHS regulations, how to stay out of trouble.” Enhesa is a consultancy firm assisting businesses to comply with environmental, health and safety regulations around the globe, with main offices in Brussels and Washington, DC.
Every year some 8,000 new regulations are issued worldwide on EHS issues. Some 2,000 of these have a direct impact on business. Enhesa keeps track of all these regulatory developments and makes a detailed analysis of each of them. Many of the regulations that have been adopted in recent years follow a pattern which originates in Europe. Enhesa Consultants have reviewed the regulations adopted in the period 2005-2007 and identified 10 examples that illustrate the key issues which business will have to take into account in the coming years. The quiz contains a question about each of these ten examples. Mr. Paul Beatley, Enhesa Director in Washington DC, comments, “Compared to previous regulatory forecasts, it is clear that the environmental regulations increasingly impact the bottom-line of companies. The regulations determine market access for products, impact corporate reputations, trigger costs that impact profitability, target senior management in case of non-compliance;
According to Mr. Thierry Dumortier, Enhesa Director in Brussels, “It is often overlooked that many of the environmental regulations adopted by the European Union are triggered by initiatives taken by some of the Member States. Issues that are currently being discussed in the European Union have been on the statute book in some of the Member States for several years. Once they get adopted by the European Union, they are not only being implemented throughout Europe, but are often also being copied in Asia and the Americas.” The example of the restrictions on mercury illustrates this. It has been banned in some European Union member states for several years, which has now triggered the European Commission to propose further restrictions throughout the European Union.
The European EHS Compliance Quiz contains 10 questions, most of which are multiple choice. Participation in the quiz is free of charge. Anyone can participate by completing the form and faxing it to Enhesa or by answering the online version at www.enhesa.com. All participants will receive a free copy of the Enhesa report “Trends in EHS regulations, how to stay out of trouble.” On 1 October 2007, the correct answers will be made public and from the participants who provided correct answers 10 winners will be drawn to receive a free one-year subscription to Enhesa Update (a EUR 1,000 value). This monthly publication contains around 50 pages of titles and descriptions of the latest EHS developments in more than fifty countries around the world.
To participate in the Quiz, visit webpage http://www.enhesa.com
The reproduction of the quiz is encouraged provided the source is acknowledged. Any news medium that reproduces the quiz and informs Enhesa of this, will also be informed of and authorized to publish the correct answers and the explanations that come with them.
For further information or interviews, please contact:
- Paul Beatley, Enhesa Director in Washington DC, Tel: +1-301-530-1392
- Thierry Dumortier, Enhesa Director in Brussels, Tel: +32-2-775.97.97
