Environmental Audit, its Regulation in the Legal System of the Republic of Panama. Practice and Sanctions in the Panamanian Industrial Business Sector

Abstract

In this article we investigate the origin of environmental auditing and how it has been developed in the Republic of Panama, as well as environmental sanctions in the industrial business sector, declared by the National Environmental Authority (ANAM), with the aim of characterizing it to starting from its recognition and regulation in the legal system of this country, for this, this study has been structured in two sections. The first addresses five topics (background to environmental auditing and its relationship with accounting sciences, conceptualization, environmental auditing and its regulation in the Panamanian legal system, types of sanctions, and environmental auditing in industrial companies). The second section presents its conclusions. This study is descriptive in nature; in addition, the exploratory and bibliographic methodology is applied. In theory, environmental auditing is a systematic and documented verification process, which consists of evaluating and obtaining evidence of its application. It is an effort to obtain many types of information, such as how it facilitates communication with the administration and public opinion; Above all, it is the first step for technological innovation in environmental matters. It is necessary to implement clean technologies, so that the State, public institutions and companies linked to environmental auditing have a diagnosis of the current situation, as well as strategies and action plans to improve their technology, the rational use of resources and the environmental self-control.