Gestão Ambiental em Instituição de Ensino Superior na Visão de seus Dirigentes Environmental Management in an Institution of Higher Learning from the Viewpoint of its Directors

The objective of the present work is to describe environmental management in a community Institution of Higher Learning from the viewpoint of its directors. It starts with the premise that environmental management is no longer restricted to a determined group of companies that use natural resources for the development of their activities, but extends to any type of organization and community in general. In light of this, an exploratory study was made, by means of a case study of a philanthropic and community-based Institution of Higher Learning (IES), using a qualitative approach with data. Research results show that assuming or not assuming responsibility depends on the beliefs and values of the principal directors of the IES, since they are the decision makers. Their principles and practices in relation to the environment are fundamental to the treatment of impacts to the environment caused by the IES. The study concluded that mainly because of their being providers and disseminators of knowledge, responsibility also falls to them for the protection and quality of the environment where they are inserted.