Implementing an Environmental Planning System

Abstract: Problem Climate change is here now causing dramatic storms, heat waves and other extreme temperature that affects everyone on earth. The importance of environmental issues has triggered politicians, governmental bodies and industries to take precautionary measures. This has caution organizations to initiate activities that will reduce the damage caused by them to the environment although it may involve cost. One of these organisations is the Green Scorpion in South Africa that has prosecuted steel companies in the country for environmental violation. Highveld Steel Limited is one of these companies. This has prompt these steel companies to implement an environmental management system (EMS). The cost and benefits, of introducing such preventive measure makes it advisable to implement a suitable EMS that will be relatively important to the organization interest. Purpose The research is meant to guide the implementation of an environmental management system. This will be the result of steel companies in South Africa to develop an environmental management system that would be realized to suit them. Also, the research will examine the strength, weakness and managerial endeavours of Highveld Steel Limited to implement an efficient environmental management system. Method Qualitative and deduction based research approaches were preferred compared to quantitative and induction research. Grounded theory is the qualitative research method that is used in this research. It was done with caution to confirm and verify the trustworthiness of the data we used with other sources of information and references. Telephone interview was used to collect empirical data. The author beforehand will prepare a questionnaire for interview with a top manager. To accompany the research an extensive literature review will also be undertaken. Not only will this provide a valuable insight into how others have approached this subject area, but it will also ensure that the investigation is not duplicated by any previously undertaken work in addition to ensuring a degree of depth in understanding the concepts and theories involved. Result The research reveals that Environmental Management Implementation Process (EMIP) could help South Africa Steel companies to adopt an appropriate environmental management system. Four main stages were deduced for the proposed EMIP for an environmental management system to be efficient. The four main stages are research, analysis, choice and implementation. The research concludes that EMIP could generate environmental management system (EMS) that would be of interest to stakeholders and enhance better use of resources for Highveld limited. Also, EMIP will ensure that, Implementation of an EMS will not restrain corporate objective achievement.