I recently attended training on Ecomapping and ISO Easy delivered by Heinz-Werner Engel. Heinz developed this elegantly simple approach to creating an Environmental Management System (ISO14001) by asking the question “how can we implement an effective EMS without excessive paperwork and documentation?”. He has succeeded in applying Lean thinking to the process.

When I first learned Value Stream Mapping in 2000, a “light went on” when I realised that up to that point I had been using a very tool centric approach to implementing Lean. VSM not only has the benefits of being a simple visual way of applying the right lean tools in the right order to the entire value stream, but also has the benefits of team engagement, building understanding and buy-in. Ecomapping has similar advantages. It is used to generate action plans in areas of energy, water, waste, emissions, risks etc. The elegant part of the process is how it can be expanded to an effective EMS which complies with ISO14001 without the reams of paperwork. I wish I had know about this approach when I implemented ISO14001 7 years ago – the agony and joy of finding a better way!

You can find out more information about this at http://www.ecomapping.org/en/index.html

The AME ran a half day session in Adelaide on 6 March 2009.  This was attended by around 40 people from a variety of manufacturing and service companies.  The topics were as follows:-

Lean tools & techniques – Alister Lee – Download presentation

Leadership & strategy – Mark Fusco

Implementation of Lean – Lessons Learnt – Mark Worthington & Darren Toy

IQPC presented a 2 day conference on Lean and Six Sigma in Mining in Brisbane on May 28 & 29, 2008. There were 9 presentations on issues ranging from engaging employees, deployment, leadership, Lean & Six Sigma principles & tools and ensuring results hit the bottom line.

A number of good case studies were presented on the implementation of information centres and the use of visual management. There was enthusiasm amongst some of the participants for implementing this back at their sites.

I was invited to present a session on “Lean Leadership” having been involved with the BHP Billiton Operational Excellence program. View presentation (0.5mb).