International environmental management benchmarks best practice experiences from America, Japan and Europe ; with 16 tables

Facing the challenges of globalization and ecology, the standards for economic, social and environmental performance of companies are becoming more demanding. This book shows what sustainable development means for the business community and presents best practice approaches in environmental management from Japan, the USA, Brazil and seven European countries. The book stresses that international competitiveness depends on the effective use of innovative management tools and has to be supported by an intelligent system of environmental regulation, that is, promoting innovation and eco-efficiency. Experts with many years of practical experience share their know-how on how to achieve excellency in environmental performance and present concrete steps towards a sustainable company. Front Matter....Pages I-VIII Front Matter....Pages 1-1 Steps Towards the Sustainable Company - Requirements and Strategic Starting Points....Pages 3-22 Goals for the Sustainable Company....Pages 23-38 The Influence of Environmental Regulation on Company Competitiveness: A Review of the Literature and Some Case Study Evidence....Pages 39-53 Environment and Competitiveness of Companies....Pages 55-69 From Environmental Management Towards Sustainable Entrepreneurship....Pages 71-86 Mandatory Environmental Reporting: Chance or Risk for Companies?....Pages 87-101 Environmental Performance Evaluation - The Link Between Management Systems and Reality....Pages 103-109 Eco-efficiency in Banking - From Assessing the Risks to Expanding the Opportunities....Pages 111-124 Front Matter....Pages 125-125 New Concepts in Environmental Auditing - The Application of Auditing Techniques to Environmental Management Systems....Pages 127-137 Waste Is Good Material at the Wrong Place - Perspectives of a Recycling Economy....Pages 139-145 Japanese Approaches to Environmental Management....Pages 147-154 Reducing Environmental Harm from Products: More than Selling “Green Goods”....Pages 155-163 Environmental Benefits Through Company Application of LCA....Pages 165-171 Competitive Advantages Through Voluntary Environmental Reporting....Pages 173-185 Mandatory Public Reporting - A Manufacturing Site’s Perspective....Pages 187-196 Environmental Benchmarking in Italy....Pages 197-209 Full Cost Accounting as a Tool for Decision-Making at Ontario Hydro....Pages 211-222 From an Individual Company’s Environmental Management to Substance Chain Management....Pages 223-231 Sustainable Development — From Guiding Principle to Industrial Tool at the Hoechst Company....Pages 233-240 Front Matter....Pages 241-243 Asian Productivity Organization....Pages 244-244 Front Matter....Pages 241-243 Environmental Auditing Research Group....Pages 245-245 European Business Council for a Sustainable Energy Future — e 5 ....Pages 246-247 European Environmental Reporting Scheme....Pages 248-249 European Partners for the Environment....Pages 250-250 European Roundtable on Cleaner Production....Pages 251-252 Global Environment Management Initiative - GEMI....Pages 253-254 Green Cross International....Pages 255-256 Greening of Industry Network....Pages 257-258 International Network for Environmental Management e.V. — INEM....Pages 259-270 International Sustainable Development Research Network....Pages 271-272 Network for Environmental Management and Auditing....Pages 273-273 United Nations Environment Programme - Industry and Environment -UNEP IE....Pages 274-276 Valdez Society, Japan....Pages 277-277 Verein für Umweltmanagement in Banken, Sparkassen und Versicherungen - VfU....Pages 278-278 World Business Council for Sustainable Development - WBCSD....Pages 279-280 Further International Sources of Information....Pages 281-283 Back Matter....Pages 285-295