Step 1 Engage Management
Step 1 Engagement Management is the first step to establish a sustainable and resilient energy management program at your organization. This step begins by first taking the time to understand the basics of energy management. This understanding will allow you to more effectively communicate the benefits of energy management, in order to help you secure the support of your top management. Top management is the person or group of people who directs and controls the organization at the highest level. Their commitment is critical. Without their buy-in and support for energy management as an organizational priority, the resources needed to establish, implement, maintain and improve your organization’s energy management program will not be allocated. Only after you have secured your organization’s top management’s support will be able to assign an energy management representative and establish an energy team.
eGuide Level 1, Step 1 Engagement Management involves the following:
- Step 1.1 Learn energy management system basics
- Step 1.2 Understand and communicate benefits
- Step 1.3 Secure top management commitment
- Step 1.4 Appoint a management representative
- Step 1.5 Establish an energy team
Since top management directs and controls an organization at the highest level, their support is critical to any organizational initiative, including energy management. At Level 1 (foundational energy management), you learned about energy management basics, developed and presented a business case on energy management program benefits, and secured top management’s commitment to providing the necessary resources. This included appointing a management representative and authorizing the formation of an energy team.
ISO 50001 (Level 2) is an energy management system (EnMS) that involves integrating energy management into your organization’s business processes. Top management has an extensive and critical role and considerable responsibilities. Their commitments go well beyond resource provision and periodic energy performance review. The required commitments are specific and set out formally in an energy policy, including an explicit organizational commitment to achieving continual improvement in energy performance.
In ISO 50001, top management sets the direction and the priorities for energy management and energy performance improvement. They decide on the scope and boundaries of the activities, operations and facilities to be included in the EnMS. They are also directly responsible for communicating the importance of energy management across the organization and ensuring that energy objectives and targets and energy performance indicators (EnPIs) are established and provide meaningful information.
In short, for a successful ISO 50001 EnMS, top management must provide visible leadership through active participation and a focus on results that demonstrates their commitment to energy management and energy performance improvement.
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