While strategies to improve environmental performance may differ depending on a companies sector, size and culture, leading companies follow a series of steps to manage their environmental impact. These statements express a company s intentions toward the environment in the design, production and distribution of its products and services. Leadership companies also recognize that to be effective an environmental policy needs to be endorsed by top management and embraced by employees. This usually involves some kind of environmental audit. A wide range of audit approaches are available that help companies understand the type and amount of resources used and the types of waste and emissions generated.
Businesses see a range of benefits with an effective supply-chain environmental management program.
Green design applies to both products and buildings. Green product design includes a variety of techniques and strategies to increase a product s recycled content or create a system for its reuse or recycling. Business environmental responsibility in the new millennium will involve more than compliance with government regulations or implementing recycling and energy efficiency initiatives. Leadership companies will take a more comprehensive approach which integrates environmental responsibility as a core business value at all levels of their operations.