Eastman Kodak

This case study examines the implementation of a Total Quality Environmental Management (TQEM) matrix system within the Utilities Division of Eastman Kodak's Kodak Park facility in Rochester, New York, between 1993 and 1996. The initiative aimed to shift the division from reactive compliance to a proactive, prevention-based environmental management strategy to reduce costs and environmental incidents.

• The Utilities Division at Kodak Park implemented the Total Quality Environmental Management (TQEM) matrix system from the Council of Great Lakes Industries starting in mid-1993 to establish a "long-term prevention-based environmental management strategy (EMS)."
• Implementation of the TQEM system required a significant investment of personnel time, estimated at 50,000 hours over a six-year period, averaging approximately 12% of available HS&E personnel time annually during the first two years.
• The TQEM program led to a dramatic increase in matrix scores across six departments; by 1995, all departments met or exceeded a score of 400 in each category, a level considered sufficient to satisfy ISO 14000 requirements.
• Environmental performance improved significantly, with high- and medium-rated severity incidents reaching an all-time low by 1995. In the Utilities Division, high-severity incidents dropped from 4 in 1990 to 1 in 1995, and medium-severity incidents dropped from 14 in 1990 to 0 in 1995.
• The effectiveness of the TQEM system was evidenced by a June 1996 audit, where the Utilities Division was the only division with no repeat findings. The effort required to rectify findings dropped from approximately 50,000 hours following a 1992 audit to an estimated 2,500 hours after the 1996 audit.
• While direct cost savings were difficult to quantify by late 1995, the company projected that the shift to proactive management would reduce annual HS&E management personnel costs by 25% by 1998 and 40% by the year 2000.
• Kodak Park faces significant environmental pressures, including a $5 million fine paid under a 1994 EPA agreement for pre-1990 violations and annual groundwater monitoring costs between $5 million and $10 million.

APA

Lave, L. B., Conway-Schempf, N., & Horvath, A. (1997). Eastman Kodak. World Resources Institute. https://pdf.wri.org/bell/case_1-56973-186-1_full_version_english.pdf

Chicago

Lave, Lester B., Noelette Conway-Schempf, and Arpad Horvath. Eastman Kodak. World Resources Institute, 1997. https://pdf.wri.org/bell/case_1-56973-186-1_full_version_english.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Lave |first1=Lester B. |last2=Conway-Schempf |first2=Noelette |last3=Horvath |first3=Arpad |title=Eastman Kodak |publisher=World Resources Institute |date=1997 |url=https://pdf.wri.org/bell/case_1-56973-186-1_full_version_english.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{lave1997eastman, author = {Lave, Lester B. and Conway-Schempf, Noelette and Horvath, Arpad}, title = {{Eastman Kodak}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, year = {1997}, url = {https://pdf.wri.org/bell/case_1-56973-186-1_full_version_english.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }