Environmental Management Systems

The course provides students with a clear understanding of the environmental impacts of a firm or an organisation together with the methodology and the tools necessary to identify and evaluate them. The costs and benefits of implementing an environmental management system are examined thoroughly, taking into consideration the existing regulatory framework and the pressure from society. It then examines how these impacts can be effectively managed within the context of an environmental management system, by considering how corporate environmental management can respond efficiently and effectively to the challenge of sustainable development requirements. The course will examine the theoretical background of setting up an environmental management system, the similarities and differences between total quality and environmental management systems, and the key prerequisites for their success. The course will also examine the practical application of environmental auditing and environmental management systems. Emphasis will be placed on presenting the range of environmental management tools and techniques available as well as the two main standards, the ISO 14000 family and EMAS