ABSTRACT
This chapter describes sustainability for those who want to know how their firms could become sustainability-seeking or those who need to know what drives sustainability-seeking firms and how they can use International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) 14001. A gradual but intensifying process of 'greening' has been under way in many markets around the world since 1960. This evolution has been punctuated by several surges of growth in environmental concern. Those are scientific evidence, transformative technologies, community lifestyle programmes, win–win macro-economic policies, green business tools for sustainability, key corporations go for sustainability, and media interest. To achieve ecological sustainability, an increasing number of firms will have to take on an internal commitment to help catalyse the change. Knowing that whole-system design is the key to achieving ecological sustainability with win–win productivity gains is one thing: doing something about it is another. When firms design their environmental management system, it is essential that they adopt a sustainability-seeking interpretation of ISO 14001.
