ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the reasons for implementing an environmental management system (EMS). Increasingly, stakeholders expect that organisations should be more environmentally and socially responsible in conducting their business. One approach to this is through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). CSR is a form of corporate self-regulation integrated into a business model. The environmental policy will be appropriate in nature and scale to the organisation's activities and demonstrate a commitment to continual improvement. This will help to ensure that the organisation complies with local legislation. The ISO 14000 family addresses various aspects of environmental management. It provides practical tools for companies and organisations looking to identify and control their environmental impact and constantly improve their environmental performance. ISO 14001 and ISO 14004 focus on environmental management systems. The other standards in the family focus on specific environmental aspects such as life cycle analysis, communication and auditing.
