Overview of corporate environmental management

Corporations have been facing a variety of greening pressures. At first greening effort focused on making sure that corporations did not break the law. Completing forms, putting in requests for permits, making sure information is kept, reporting to various levels of governments to meet regulations and avoid fines are the core and traditional concerns of corporate environmental management functions. Greening was viewed as a cost center and costs needed to be minimized. Minimizing costs includes minimizing risks and liability. The thought was private lawsuits and paying fines and penalties are minimized through good environmental practice.