Environmental management accounting in Czech companies that have implemented environmental management systems

The first attempts to use of environmental management accounting (EMA) were taken in the Czech Republic in recognition of the need for a change in the approach of the enterprise sector to the protection of the environment. Implementation of environmental accounting in the practice of Czech companies during the late 1990s consisted, in particular, of tracking and evaluation of environmental costs. The need for management of environmental costs followed from an increase in the funds expended by companies on environmental protection or in connection with environmental damage. Systems of environmental cost accounting began to be employed, especially by companies that implemented environmental management systems (EMS). This paper deals first with an analysis of the current state of affairs in relation to the introduction of EMS in the Czech Republic. It concentrates on the reasons for implementation and the expected and actual benefits of EMS. It is also concerned with the current state of implementation of environmental cost accounting in companies that have implemented EMS. The paper also refers to anticipated developments in the use of EMA within the company sector in the Czech Republic.