The impact of environmental intervention on business management: an empirical survey of its presence in the packaging sector in Spain and of results achieved

This paper first reviews the theoretical basis or rationale underlying the environmental management of businesses in response to pressure from stakeholders, and more specifically the actions undertaken by government in environmental matters. It thereafter takes a quantitative look at the packaging sector with the aim of giving an idea of its size and the consequences that can arise from the use, recovery and treatment of the waste it generates. Once the regulatory framework introduced for packaging and packaging waste by new legislation has been analysed, consideration is given to the range of actions that the various agents involved have put in train with a view to adjusting their behaviour to the legal requirements. The paper ends with an overview of the economic and organisational logic ensuing, in the shape of forms of contract able to bring about an adequate level of collaboration, and by an analysis of various indicators of the quantitative efficiency of the systems set up to comply with the objectives laid down by the law.