Osnabrück Environmental Management Model for Universities ------------------------------------------------------------------
The building blocks and their implementation
    Organisational Structure
(building block EM 1)
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  In the building block "organisational structure" it is decided how to set up and carry out environmental protection within the running of the university. A functionally-integrative organisational structure is recommended: instead of creating a separate department for environmental protection the environmental aspects are increasingly integrated into the existing task areas of the administration which have already been involved in environmental protection. The advantage of staff members becoming responsible for environmental protection in their own areas is that the responsibility does not lie with a small number of specialists. Furthermore, the specialist knowledge in the individual areas can then be utilised. The integration of environmental protection tasks is supplemented by a central position in the university management. The "coordinator of environmental management" is responsible for bringing together and coordinating the individual environmental areas, answers any enquiries that may arise, collects ideas and carries out public relations work.

At the University of Osnabrück environmental protection aspects were particularly taken into consideration in the areas of waste, dangerous substances and energy saving, thanks to the personal dedication of the staff involved. The described organisational idea was developed to implement professional environmental management, but has not yet been carried out. In addition to the Environmental Protection Working Group, which already existed before the elaboration of an EMS, a project group on waste avoidance was brought into being at the end of 1997 to prepare and accompany the implementation of a new waste concept. The following building blocks still have to be carried out

  • nomination of the president as the top management representative,
  • creation of a position for the coordinator of environmental management, and
  • optimisation of the organisational structure within the university's administrative departments.
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© 2000 Peter Viebahn - last change: October 2000