ENV437E

Corporate environmental management

Professor Chris Cocklin and Mr Doug Holmes

6 points -2 hours per week (on-campus students) -First semester, Clayton -Second semester, distance education (subject to approval) -Prerequisites: None

Objectives On successful completion of this subject, students will be expected to understand the notion of 'corporate environmentalism' within the wider context of social and organisational change in support of ecological sustainability, and understand the social, political, and economic drivers which underpin corporate environmentalism. The student should also recognise the implications of ecologically sustainable development for business in terms of corporate environmental strategy, policy, and practice, and be able to differentiate a range of corporate responses to the environmental challenge. In addition, the student will need to demonstrate an understanding of key management tools and approaches, and show an appreciation of the key strategic issues facing corporations in moving toward ecologically sustainable development.

Synopsis This subject provides an introduction to environmental management from a corporate management perspective. The subject will focus on the increasingly strategic role of the environment in corporate decision-making, and the evolution of environmental management from a peripheral business concern to a core business issue. A key theme of the subject is the relationship between environmental sustainability and economic performance, and the implications for business now and into the future. The first half of the subject sets out the broad context of corporate environmentalism and ecological sustainability, and introduces the notion of strategic choice. Also addressed are key strategic requirements to move business toward sustainability. The second half of the subject reviews key management tools and approaches including environmental management systems (including ISO14000), environmental performance measurement, eco-efficiency, innovation and technology, and product development/eco-design. The focus will be on methods which integrate environmental considerations across corporate strategy and business functions.

Assessment (on-campus students) Essay and group project (4500 words) : 80% -Seminars: 20%
Assessment (distance education students)Two short assignments (1000 words each) A case study (2500 words)

Prescribed texts

Welford R (ed.) Corporate environmental management - systems and strategies Earthscan Publications, 1996
Hawken P The ecology of commerce Weidenfeld and Nicolson, London, 1993
Schmidheimy S Changing course - a global business perspective on development and the environment MIT Press, 1992
Willig J T Environmental TQM Executive Enterprises Publications, 994

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