The role of environmental management systems in Hungary : theoretical and empirical insights

Environmental and social aspects, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Environmental Management Systems (EMS) play an increasingly important role in Western societies. Their role in the Hungarian business sphere has been growing continuously since the removal of the Socialist regime at the end of the 1980s. CSR and EMS are strengthened by two main factors: Hungary’s EU accession and the German-oriented Hungarian economy. Recognizing this process, the aim of this paper is to give an insight to the reader regarding the present state of environmentally-conscious company management in Hungary, taking a strategic approach, on the basis of empirical research carried out at the end of 2004.