Discussion
In a capitalist society, industry is trying to make money. The steps on the staircase to sustainable development
are a prescription of how to do this in the new environmental realities. Companies that do not
move up the staircase will eventually be driven out of business by their competitors who are moving up
past them. The realities will keep increasing environmental pressures on industry, particularly on the
chemical industry, and will also keep changing. Good management systems that recognize and respond to
the changes and continuously improve company environmental performance are a necessity.