Companies across the globe are realizing the benefits of implementing quality, environmental and safety management systems. Managements systems provide a framework for companies to manage, prioritize, control, review, correct and continually improve their operations. Responsible Recycling (R2) is a standard that includes the requirements for an environmental, health and safety (EH&S) management system specifically developed for the electronic waste recycling industry.

Consumers and corporations are increasingly concerned about protecting the environment and the impacts of inadequate controls on electronic waste disposal and recycling. Responsible disposal and recycling practices are just good business. Certification to the R2 standard validates to consumers, government agencies and customers that your company and downstream vendors are operating in an environmentally reasonable and safe manner in compliance with applicable domestic and international laws. Certification improves your competitive advantage and can give you access to new customers. For example, the United States government (nation's largest single consumer of electronics) has announced that it will only contract with certified electronic recyclers. Also, there are state run programs that require recyclers to be certified by a third-party, including Vermont. Additionally, Dell, Sprint and Sony have made commitments to only use certified recyclers.

EH&S management systems require companies to set goals, continually improve and go beyond compliance with domestic and international laws. Organizations that have implemented management systems prioritize their EH&S issues and operate using more proactive and preventive approaches rather than reactive. Companies that ignore or don't excel in EH&S management are more likely to experience inefficiencies, recurring problems, government violations, injuries, and accidents, all of which can hurt a company's reputation and bottom line.

The following are some key lessons learned by organizations that have existing certified R2 management systems:

• A company must truly embrace R2 to get the benefits. Use R2 as a tool to improve your business and meet customer expectations.
• Management support and employee buy-in is critical. Your management system must be driven from the top down and supported from the bottom up. Implemented correctly, it will improve awareness of EH&S issues at all levels.
• Don't be afraid of nonconformances identified during an audit. Addressing audit findings are how you improve.
• EH&S training must be effective and tracked because employees will be audited.
• Do a thorough root cause analysis of audit findings and EH&S incidents. Avoid short-term and quick fixes.
• Implement EH&S goals that improve regulatory compliance, save money and avoid costs, and help you meet customer expectations.
• Develop practical and user friendly procedures that improve compliance to domestic and international laws and increase efficiencies and consistency.
• Ensure that your internal audits/inspections are effective and that auditors understand company priorities.
• Share best practices between multiple facilities.
• The R2 standard is relatively new. The benefits will increase as your system and the R2 standard matures

After a company has implemented R2, the next step is third-party certification by an accredited registrar. A registrar independently verifies your management system to ensure it conforms to the requirements of R2. The initial audit and periodic subsequent audits increases the credibility of your management system. Also, certification audits allow an outside set of eyes and EH&S expert to review your management system and help you make improvements. Third party independent audits supplement your own internal inspections and audits, and verify if your EH&S management system processes and procedures are effective.