The Environmental Management System has proved the basis upon which productive processes and installations have been developed using a continuous improvement approach.

Since 2009, SOS Group has had one more factory whose system of environmental management conforms to the UNE- EN ISO 14001:2004 standard, namely the oil production plant in Inveruno (Italy). And, in 2009 the certification of the System of Environmental Management at the Alcolea (Cordoba) plant was renewed in accordance with the UNE- EN ISO 14001:2004 standard.

Tools of the Management System

The online indicator tool known as SOSMA was a major step forward for Grupo SOS in guaranteeing the quality and quantity of environmental information available to management. The range of information it provides guarantees that benchmarking and continuous improvement are tangible gains.

In 2009, the introduction of the on-line indicator management tool SOSMA was extended to the olive oil activity, in the form of the factory at Dos Hermanas (Seville).

Continuous improvement of Contamination Prevention

During 2009, reports were prepared on Risk Evaluation in the Andújar and Alcolea plants. The findings of those reports will be used to make plans for improvement.

In 2008, the Organization had already begun studies to identify the most efficient way to satisfy the demands of the relevant environment authorizations in some of the plants concerned:

• In the Alcolea factory, a waste disposal audit was performed by an external company.
• As a result of that waste disposal audit, several improvements were introduced during 2009, increasing the efficiency of the purification system.

In the Andújar factory, work had begun on improving the drainage system and extending and improving the residual water treatment equipment.