Over the past twenty years, responsible environmental management has
become an increasingly important focus of companies throughout the
world. During this period, a number of regulations have been enacted by
various nations, as well as through agreements such as the North American
Free Trade Agreement, requiring management to consider the environmental
implications of virtually every decision facing their companies
(Epstein 1996, pp. 15-17). Such public policy initiatives represent a fundamental
shift in the economics of business, as environmental issues, which
have traditionally been treated as beyond the boundaries of the organization,
have become the responsibility of the firm. Consider the following: