ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses some of the implementation experiences of environmental management programmes at an old cement plant—Kunda Nordic Cement Ltd in Estonia. The town of Kunda is heavily dependent on the company, both economically and environmentally. Like most industries in Central and Eastern European countries, Kunda Nordic Cement was owned by the state, which planned all investments centrally according to 'command economy rules'; environmental investments were given no priority during the Soviet era. Although in a very weak economic and environmental shape, the company was privatised by international financial intermediaries: the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the European Investment Bank (EIB), the Nordic Environment Finance Corporation (NEFCO) and some multinational corporations. Based on recommendations made in the audit report, the company accepted the proposal of the Estonian Ministry of Environment to join the Estonian–Finnish bilateral co-operation programme as a pilot company to implement an environmental management system that fulfils the requirements of the international standard ISO 14001.
