Marvin (see previous case studies) has been delighted at the growth of his business and the beginnings of his internationalisation strategy. However, he was rather surprised when his bank manager, who has provided important new funding for his business, asked him about his ‘environmental footprint’! The bank manager had told him that being ‘environmentally friendly’ was important to the future of Marvin’s business and that, in the future, Marvin may have to include information on his business’s environmental activities, as

‘environmental accounting’ was something the government had promised to introduce.

Questions 1 What did the bank manager mean by ‘environmental footprint’?

2 Why has the bank manager suggested that Marvin should start to think about his

‘environmental footprint’?

3 What kind of information would Marvin need in order to assess the ‘environmental footprint’ of his business?