There is nothing more difficult than for a truly creative painter than to paint a rose, because before he can do so he has first to forget all the roses that were ever painted.
-Henri Matisse

Developing an effective environmental management system from first principles is very much like painting a rose because there are many models in existence. Very few of them, however, articulate in plain language exactly what is required.

This document presents a simple recipe for environmental excellence.

It is designed for environmental and business managers and will hopefully prevent the creation of avoidable and expensive environmental legacies. The financial and reputational damage of getting it wrong are as immense as the benefits of getting it right.