Methods for Dealing with Regulatory Nuance

Regulations vary from country to country, despite the existence of overarching frameworks. There is no single, unified way to meet all the regulations, but there are methods for dealing with regulatory nuance efficiently and strategically. Kerrie Canavan, consultant at Environmental Resources Management (ERM), shared some of those methods with Stewardship 2016 attendees.

For example, language barriers can sometimes be a challenge. For example, some Serbian regulations have no English translations. In those instances, you need to partner with local subject matter experts to assist with the registration.

Data requirements will differ from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, so Canavan suggested starting with the most demanding registration. Then when you seek to register with less demanding jurisdictions, you’ll already be prepared.

A robust IT system also facilitates registration in multiple jurisdictions. If data isn’t collected and managed properly, the registration is at risk. In other words, the data quality affects the quality of the registrations. A good IT system will also be adaptable.

Canavan also encouraged the industry to get involved in rulemaking. It’s in the industry’s best interest to support collaboration between governments and to make rules and regulations understandable.