Total Quality Environmental Management: The Primer

In 1992, GEMI introduced the business world to a management concept known as Total Quality Environmental Management (TQEM). TQEM merges the principles of Total Quality Management, espoused by management guru Dr. W. Edwards Deming, and the goals of environmental management. GEMI is committed to TQEM because it emphasizes the continuous improvement of a company’s environmental activities. As part of this commitment, GEMI provides guidance on, and serves as a forum for, TQEM ideas.

GEMI is generally credited as being the first organization to marry environmental management and Total Quality Management (TQM). This primer outlines methods of applying TQM to corporate environmental strategies, a process GEMI has identified as Total Quality Environmental Management, or TQEM.

Total Quality Environmental Management: The Primer is intended to help you get started, to show you how to use TQEM to continuously improve your environmental performance. In no way do these pages comprise a comprehensive training tool on Total Quality; for that, you will need to reference the many excellent books, papers and courses already available.

This Primer is organized into three chapters as follows:

• Chapter 1 – TQEM Defined : explains the elements of a TQEM system – identify your customers; continuous improvement; do the right job the first time; and take a systems approach to work.
• Chapter 2 – Implementing a TQEM Program : describes how to build a TQEM system within a business – assess your status; identify your customers (both internal and external); learn to use P-D-C-A.; and learn to use TQEM tools.
• Chapter 3 – Measurements and How to Use Them : summarizes the benefits of incorporating a TQEM system in your company.