1-Introduction 1.1Overview

1-Introduction

1.1Overview

     Over the last two decades, concern about the environmental issues has grown throughout                                the globe rapidly. Global warming, climate change biodiversity and other environmental problems have drawn the attention of environmental experts to plan, improve and implement environmental management system (EMS) for green and sustainable future.

 In addition, concerns about environmental management have urged industrial sector to modify existing one, plan & improve and implement environmental management systems regardless size and nature of the organizations. The requirement of adoption and maintenance of EMS has become the demand of international business from both parties (suppliers and customers) in order to get competitive benefits and to prove organizations as environment friendly.

The aim of this research project is to investigate the constraints and barriers in implementation of environmental management system (ISO 14001) in manufacturing industry of Pakistan.  ISO 14001 as EMS will be considered the main area under discussion .Furthermore, this piece of work investigates its ultimate impacts on environment in manufacturing and production industry with other social and corporate benefits. In last two decades with the evolution of concept that ‘Be Green and Sustainable Development’ demand of Environmental Management Systems (EMS) adoption and implementation has grown throughout the world. EMS is a specific set of programmes, policies and techniques which provides footing stone to any organization to demonstrate responsibly to save the environment. Furthermore, EMS is helpful to handle the environmental impacts of economic and industrial activities and to enhance the environmental performance of the organizations. These impacts may result in air pollution, water pollution, carbon emission, and many more; ultimately result in environmental degradation. The role of environmental management in any industry is important to gain competitive benefits. Adoption of EMS provides a foundation to get reorganization of the products all over the world for an effective business management and development.

  On the other hand, many constraints and barriers are in path to adopt and implement EMS. These constraints may include financial constraints, lack of information, lack of awareness, poor legislations, lack of incentives to implement, poor government policies, legal implications and many more, impede the implementation process (Quazi 1999). These hurdles slow down the environmental performance improvement process, which hinders the development and growth of any company. Some authors argue that continues industrialization in developing countries without taking into consideration the environmental aspects, means the long term hunger, poverty and environmental degradation.

Most organizations (include large Pakistani Companies) across the world have realized that in a rapidly changing business environment, it is difficult to survive without proper implementation of EMS. Realizing such requirements of organizations, companies would have to design and develop such policies, which offer an integrated solution to all the functional processes in an organization and their problems.

The scope of author’s project lies around identification of constraints and barriers in implementation of EMS in industrial sector of Pakistan especially regarding manufacturing organization. It will also provide a path to investigate the impacts of those constrains on environment and progress of the company. Finally, the project will prove a base for further work to overcome and reduce these constraints.