Responsible Care And Related Voluntary Initiatives To Improve Enterprise Performance On Health Safety And Environment In The Chemical Industry

This book considers the corporate governance of sustainability from a co-evolutionary perspective, exploring the linkages between pro-active approaches at the corporate level, market-based incentives and environmental networks. The contributors contend that governance for sustainable development has not yet been fully formulated, and requires further analysis in the context of policies, the role of the state and the inclusion of corporate and private actors. They question whether the governance of sustainable development goes beyond traditional, state-centred policy-making by aiming for proactive changes of private actors' behaviours at different levels. The discussion also encompasses relevant theory on corporate governance, competition, market failures and regulatory tools. An assessment methodology suitable for empirical network analysis at the meso-level is introduced, and its application is demonstrated using eight case studies. Raimund Bleischwitz and his team of contributing authors draw important conclusions for policy analysis and sustainability assessments and the actors involved. The book will therefore prove an invaluable resource for academics, scholars and policymakers focussing on applied sustainability research, policy analysis and evaluation.

Voluntary environmental agreements (VEAs) – generally agreements between government and business – have been regarded by many as a key new instrument for meeting environmental objectives in a flexible manner. Their performance to date has, however, also led to considerable criticism, with several parties arguing that they are methods for avoiding real action that goes beyond "business-as-usual". Is either of these positions justified? The aim of this book is to highlight and learn the lessons from existing experience, looking not just at results but also at specific elements of agreements and also at the process of the agreement itself. Lessons are drawn from experience from across the world, covering the full range of environmental challenges, and from the perspective of key stakeholder groups. Importantly, the book also presents tools for assessing and improving existing agreements and includes recommendations and guidelines for future agreements in key areas such as climate change. It also deals at length with the problem of how such agreements might be used in developing and transitional economies. The overall view of the book is that there is a real potential for the future use of VEAs as part of the policy mix and as a tool for sharing the responsibility for meeting environmental objectives. For the agreements to play this role, however, significant steps are needed to ensure that they are effective, efficient, equitable and appropriately linked to a portfolio of other instruments. The book is divided into four sections. First, existing agreements, their development and efficacy are considered; second, the prospects for voluntary agreements in developing and transitional economies are discussed; third, a range of authors examine the role of VEAs as part of the policy mix to combat climate change; and, finally, the book concludes with an examination of how new tools for evaluating and improving VEAs could be utilized in the future. Voluntary Environmental Agreements will be of interest not only to academics, governments and businesses wishing to understand this specific instrument, but also to those already implementing or considering applying VEAs to meet their environmental objectives.

This textbook provides a concise introduction for students with little or no legal background, to the role of law in environmental protection. It describes and explains law and legal systems, the concept of the environment, sources of environmental law and some of the techniques used in environmental law. Interdisciplinary in approach, the book explores some of the major connections between law and the disciplines of ethics, science, economics and politics. Environment and Law offers a greater understanding of international and national environmental law and has case-studies from all over the world, including examples from UK, US and Australian law.

This second edition of the OECD Guiding Principles for Chemical Accident Prevention, Preparedness and Response is a comprehensive document to help public authorities, industry and communities worldwide prevent and prepare for accidents involving hazardous substances.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has increasingly been promoted as an important mechanism for furthering economic and social development goals in developing countries. In such an optimistic climate, questions arise as to whether CSR can bear the weight of the increasing expectations being heaped on its shoulders. This book examines the changing nature of corporate social responsibility as it has been conceived over the past eighty years. It considers the historical and socio-legal developments of the idea of CSR and the various conceptions of the corporation which underlie different realisations of CSR. The book explores the model of CSR deployed in the developing world as well as the links between CSR and development. Renginee Pillay uses Mauritius as a case-study, demonstrating how CSR and corporate governance issues have come to the fore of political, financial and legal landscapes. Drawing on empirical research, the book examines how the first legislation of its kind has been implemented in Mauritius, and analyses its impact on development. In its work to evaluate the contribution CSR can make to development, this book will be of great use and interest to students and researchers of business and company law, business ethics, and development studies.

The sector-specific approach to Corporate Responsibility (CR) has attracted little attention so far, although the industrial sector is a key variable in any company's economic environment. Therefore, this book introduces sector-specific CR as a way to increase the success and impact of business engagement. It focuses on sector-specific initiatives with government involvement as appropriate governance mechanisms to address sustainability challenges through public-private collaboration. What is the state of sector-specific CR across Europe? How do sector-specific initiatives work and what are criteria for their good performance? What roles do governments play in such initiatives? To answer these questions, the book draws on rich empirical evidence from five industries across eight European countries as well as on the expertise of numerous CR and industry experts. In doing so, its target audience is both researchers and practitioners. Academics will find a starting point for further research in this emerging field, whereas practitioners are offered empirical and effective models for promoting sector-specific CR.