Environmental management can extend far beyond day to day direct operational activities, reaching up into organisational strategy; stretching back into global supply chains; and unravelling the traditional ways products have been designed, used and disposed of.

Through environmental management organisations can influence the way that services are provided and products are designed, manufactured, distributed, consumed, used and disposed of by consumers and society. Such a life-cycle perspective is vital, to ensure that in tackling one issue an organisation does not inadvertently generate unintended social, environmental, or economic consequences elsewhere.

In this way environmental management embodies the collaborative nature that is key to transforming the world to sustainability. Businesses and non-commercial organisations need to ensure effective management of the impacts they have on the environment and society, and how they respond and build resilience to external environmental change that will shape and constrain their future long-term success.