d not give sufficient attention to the environment. This has started to change as the damage has become more apparent. The notion of unimpeded growth has been replaced with a desire for sustainable development.
An environmental consciousness has developed on the part of the public and in corporations as well. Canadians are demanding a say in the business decisions of corporations that influence their lives. The more consumers insist on environmentally friendly products, the more manufacturers will seek to meet this demand. Consumers are more conscious of the environmental record of companies, and this means people are giving more attention to their decision to purchase products, invest in stocks, or even seek employment at a particular company. More and more companies today respond by printing their annual reports on recycled chlorine-free paper with environmentally friendly vegetable dyes, showing just how much companies want to portray themselves environmentally sensitive. As the public and other stakeholders become more concerned about the environment, companies will place even greater effort on addressing environmental issues. The question to be addressed is just how much influence do stakeholders have on the environmental stance of companies and how might that influence increase in the future.
The Canadian pulp and paper industry shows the nature of the relationship between business and different stakeholders, and for many years these companies have been caught between the conflicting expectations of the public and the limitations of the technology that may be available to address those expectations. The setting of environmental standards creates the need for new technologies to solve problems and satisfy regulatory demands. The chlorine debate is one of today(s most controversial issues, and the pulp and paper industry must now meet new standards regarding organochlorine emissions. Other industries ...