A Strategic Environmental Management System (SEMS) Innovation—Both Entrepreneurial and Technological—Is the Key

Abstract

Leading companies in the world are on a path to a new environmental protection strategy based on pollution prevention, clean technologies, and environmentally responsible products. This new strategy requires the full participation of everyone in the organization, supported by an aggressive entrepreneurial and technological innovation effort. In this article, a new model is proposed as an organizational framework for the chemical and process industry (CPI) in order to attain a sustainable development approach in the mid-term. This model is based on a creative strategic environmental management system (SEMS) and is formed by the following key elements: a) Corporate environmental excellence and stewardship philosophies. b) A life cycle analysis approach. c) A pollution prevention focus linked to total quality management. d) Clean technology application through pollution prevention strategies and practices. e) The manufacture of ecological products based on environmental marketing. f) A system supported on entrepreneurial and technological innovation. The proposed SEMS model, designed with a holistic focus, considers that environmentally sound products and manufacturing processes can have many benefits. In other words, a proactive and global environmental management will be the essence of sustainable development in industry.