Landscape of Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) in India
India is progressing on a trajectory of high GDP growth rate of 7 to 9% by 2022 to enable its development and, as a means to achieve the same, has also stepped on the pedal to accelerate the growth of the industrial sector. Consequently, a significant policy thrust has been laid by the new government on expanding the share of the manufacturing sector in the GDP from the current level of 15% to 25% by 2022. However, the inherent predicament in the growth of the manufacturing sector is that both manufacturers and buyers need to address newer challenges, primarily related to environment and industrial safety. Additionally, this would necessitate an increase in total employment of skilled workforce in the manufacturing sector.
Export buyers (large corporates) are increasingly concerned about the environmental and social footprint of their supply chains, which, in-turn, have a substantial impact on their brand image and appeal; this is apparent from the severe backlash faced by large corporates, that are found lacking on environmental, social and safety issues.
A latest research shows that India ranks amongst the top 10 countries on the Health and Safety Risk Index (HSRI) developed to assess and compare health and safety risks worldwide. Simultaneously, the existing manufacturing units (especially the small and medium enterprises) are plagued with problems of wafer-thin margins getting further stressed as an outcome of inadvertent environmental and social accidents and rising resource prices.
The emerging landscape makes it imperative that capacity is created within the industrial sector to predict and effectively deal with Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) issues.
EHS: Ensuring compliance and implementing sustainable manufacturing in Indian industries
Sustainable manufacturing is defined as ‘the creation of manufactured products that use processes that are non-polluting, conserve energy and natural resources, and are economically sound and safe for employees, communities, and consumers’.
The goal of the EHS+ Center is advance sustainable manufacturing practices by improving environment, health and safety conditions for factory workers and the surrounding communities, significantly increase resource efficiency, and achieve lasting and measurable reductions in greenhouse gas emissions in factories by building the capacity of an EHS Manager or a safety officer. The EHS+ Center equips them with the skills they need to boost performance — and sustain improvements over time.
Located in the SIIB campus in Hinjewadi, Pune EHS+ Center is world-class, independent, and advanced EHS training center developed by Indian and multinational experts.
Why industrial safety is important?
Each year many workers die as a result of workplace accidents, and many in the local communities get adversely impacted due to bad environmental practices of the industries operating closer to the communities. The Ministry of Labour's (MoL) Indian Labour Statistics reports an average annual incidence of 1,400 fatal and one lakh non-fatal accidents in non- domestic workplaces. The single largest barrier to preventing these incidents and overall EHS compliance by an industry is a lack of trained practitioner with the skills to address EHS priorities.
A trained and skilled EHS manager can reduce these incidents by implementing industrial safety measures at the factory and also ensure compliance to the government regulations. The EHS+ Center fill this capacity gap by developing a pool of qualified EHS managers equipped to improve EHS performance in their individual factories.
What is EHS+ Center?
Supported by the GE foundation, The Walt Disney Company and Symbiosis Institute of International Business, EHS+ Center is a one of its kind industrial safety training center located in the heart of Pune. The training programs will focus on core EHS practices, industrial safety, occupational health and safety. The courses are conducted in accordance with the needs of the industry. The priority industry sectors the EHS+ Center will focus comprise automobile, engineering and heavy equipment, chemical, pharmaceutical, and textiles. The EHS+ Center will grow in the next few years to address the other sectors as well.
What does the module cover?
Based on perusal of industry studies and discussions with practitioners, it is observed that there are broadly two-bucket areas where EHS oriented trainings are required:
Core Environment Health and Safety (EHS): comprising of compliance management, industrial health and safety management, occupational health and safety management and hazardous waste management.
EHS + (i.e., other environment management areas): comprising of GHG/carbon management, greenhouse gas accounting, water management and energy management
Who can benefit from the program?
The courses offered by the EHS+ Center will benefit all the major industries and their supply chain comprising small and medium scale manufacturers.
How to apply for the courses?
To enrol your employees for the course or for any participant interested to pursue the programs offered by EHS+, the application procedure is extremely simple. They can contact Symbiosis Institute of International Business for the upcoming programs or simply stay updated with the http://ehs.siib.ac.in/ website. All the latest programs and courses to be conducted are displayed on the website along with the information needed to apply.