Regulatory requirements
While there is no over-arching requirement which obliges your company to communicate internally or externally regarding environmental issues, there are some specific laws. For example, if your sites or processes come under regulatory regimes such as Environmental Permitting (see emissions overview), you are obliged to communicate both internally and externally as conditions of your permit.
This is also the case for companies which come under the COMAH regulations (see emissions overview and hazardous substances in the Register of Environmental Legislation).
Example
In this permit-based regulatory system, the exact details of what kinds of communication are required depend upon the individual permit. Typically, these communications include:
External:
- detailed application sent to Environment Agency;
- newspaper advertisement announcing application for permit or change to permit;
- digests of emissions data to Environment Agency every six months;
- immediate notification to the Environment Agency of excursions above limit; and
- immediate notification to the Environment Agency of any significant releases not limited in the permit.
Internal:
- training and information to workforce as required by permit.
Other types of permit will require their own specific channels of communication. The exact details will be determined by the relevant authorities and included in the conditions of the permit, licence or authorisation (the name of the document changes according to which regulation applies). This is compulsory according to the conditions of your permit etc..
In an emergency
The roles, responsibilities and accountability of the emergency response team need to be established alongside communication links for key personnel within your organisation. The most important thing is to plan ahead. The communication issues regarding emergency situations need to be thought out with procedures in place.
You need to be clear about who contacts the emergency services and enforcement agencies. Training in emergency procedures alongside simulations of potential accident situations should be carried out to test the effectiveness of control measures and response times.