Environmental management certification and environmental performance: Greening or greenwashing?

This article analyzes the contribution of certifiable environmental management standards—such as ISO 14001 and the Eco‐Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS)—to corporate environmental performance. Based on a content analysis of 414 third‐party‐verified environmental statements from EMAS‐registered Spanish organizations, which included information for around 6,700 detailed indicators, a weak improvement in environmental performance was found. Less than half of the analyzed indicators—namely, 48.27%—revealed a net improvement. Similarly, analysis of the justifications of the registered companies for the lack of improvement points to a rather symbolical adoption of the certification, intended to do only the bare minimum. These findings call into question the prevailing opinion about the positive impact of voluntary certifiable environmental management standards on environmental greening. Implications for managers and public policy makers, as well as for other stakeholders, are discussed.     

Why do standardized ISO 14001 environmental management systems lead to heterogeneous environmental outcomes?

Institutional theories and resource‐based views have suggested that, although they appear similar externally, standardized management systems may be implemented very differently in different organizations. This variability in implementation may be responsible for the heterogeneous performance of these standardized management systems. The current literature on the environmental impacts of ISO 14001 certification has largely neglected this phenomenon. Drawing on our survey of all US 14001 certificate holders, this study finds that great variability does exist in facilities' implementation of ISO 14001 standards. This heterogeneity has a significant impact on the linkage between ISO 14001 certification and facilities' environmental performance. In particular, we find that facilities that integrate ISO 14001 standards into their daily operations are more likely to report improvements in environmental performance. Environmental improvements are also more likely to occur in facilities that include performance management elements in their ISO 14001 standards. Furthermore, both types of facility are more likely to report that ISO certification contributes to this improvement. Neglecting the heterogeneity in facilities' implementation of ISO 14001 standards may explain the instability of findings from the empirical literature investigating the impacts of ISO 14001 certification. Theoretically, this paper informs the understanding of heterogeneous organizational behavior under isomorphic pressures. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.     

从ISO14001到EMAS

ISO14001是目前应用最为广泛的环境管理体系标准,而EMAS是欧盟法令发布的自愿性环境管理工具。本文围绕环境绩效、环境评审、环境因素、信息公开、全面合规性、员工参与等方面,分析ISO14001和EMAS两种环境管理工具的相关性和主要差异,为组织从ISO14001升级至EMAS提供参考。     

ISO 14001, EMAS and environmental performance: A meta‐analysis

The adoption of voluntary environmental certifications such as ISO 14001 and Eco‐Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) has gained momentum in the last two decades. The scholarly literature has analyzed in depth the performance implications of the adoption of these certificates. Yet the findings are scattered and inconclusive. This article aims to shed light on this issue by meta‐analyzing the influence of the adoption of voluntary environmental certifications on corporate environmental performance, drawing on a sample of 53 scholarly studies analyzing a total of 182,926 companies. The findings show a positive influence of ISO 14001 and EMAS certifications on corporate environmental performance. A set of underlying moderating effects are also identified, such as a more pronounced positive effect for adoptions based on environmental innovation and for firms with a more mature certification. Implications for scholars, managers, and other stakeholders are discussed.     

Seeing the Need for ISO 14001

ABSTRACT    Many firms worldwide have adopted environmental management systems, and some have taken the extra step and had their systems certified for the international standard ISO 14001. While institutional pressures and market demand often motivate firms to adopt an EMS, the reasons why they certify for ISO 14001 are less clear. In this study, we interviewed members of the Canadian pulp and paper industry who had either an EMS or ISO 14001 certification to understand why they may have become ISO 14001 certified. We found that task visibility and environmental impact opacity lead to differences in a firm's approach to ISO 14001 certification in the absence of coercive pressures.     

ISO 14001 – experiences,effects and future challenges: a national study in Austria

More than 60000 organizations worldwide have implemented environmental management systems (EMSs). About 800 of them are located in Austria. As Austria was one of the leading countries in promoting the EU scheme EMAS, and as there has been no specific study on Austrian experiences with ISO 14001, the purpose of this study is to describe the experiences with and effects of ISO 14001 in Austria. The results show that ISO 14001 often leads to reduced environmental impact, especially in the area of waste. A strong driving force behind implementation is the expected improvement of an organization's image. The average repayment time on an investment in an EMS is less than two years. Legal compliance tends to be difficult to implement, but on the other hand it works well in daily practice. To develop an EMS into a sustainability management system, the two most important challenges are to improve coordination between the EMS and the organization's strategies and to synchronize the EMS with central value chains. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.     

Companies' participation in EMAS: The influence of the public regulator

When adopted in 1993, the European Union's Eco‐Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) was viewed as emblematic of a new policy approach involving more flexible and market‐based environmental instruments. A few years after coming into force, EMAS does not appear to be a tremendous success in terms of industrial participation. Apart from in Germany and Austria, participation is insignificant and comparatively very far behind that in ISO 14001, the environmental management standard of the International Organization for Standardization. The paper seeks to explain this modest result. It focuses on the influence of the European and national regulators on industrial participation. Using a comparative analysis of the implementation of EMAS in France, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, it argues that the most powerful participation leverage has been the granting of regulatory relief for registered companies. This leads one to be pessimistic as to the future of EMAS. The possibility and scope for a lighter regulatory touch are primarily nationally specific since they are related to the national regulatory traditions. Consequently, the systematic and comprehensive use of this leverage is unlikely to generalize. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. and ERP Environment.     

Strategies for Developing an Environmentally Sustainable Supply Chain: Differences Between Manufacturing and Service Sectors

This research illuminates the debate on whether there are differences between the manufacturing and service sectors in the matter of developing a sustainable environmental supply chain. Over the past 5 years a survey has been conducted with 800 large European companies, of which half are in the manufacturing sector and half in the service sector. The hypotheses within the survey are related to strategies for developing an environmental supply chain. They were derived from a literature review and were tested by means of a chi‐square test. The survey questionnaire enabled the respondents to give some viewpoints about the hypotheses. In this way, strategies for developing the supply chain such as ISO 14001, the Eco‐Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS), Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), auditing, waste management systems, reverse logistics, environmental indicators, remanufacturing and reuse have been investigated. Results show interesting and unexpected differences between manufacturing and service sectors that can lead to further research, practical implications and even suggestions for the surveyed companies. For instance, the viewpoints of manufacturing and service industries differ over ISO 14001 and EMAS implementation in the supply chain. In addition, service industries approach the implementation of auditing, reverse logistics, reuse and remanufacturing in a way different from that of manufacturing. Other strategies are considered essential by both sectors. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.     

Driving sectoral sustainability via the diffusion of organizational eco‐innovations

Using insights from institutional literature, the resource‐based theory of the firm, and internationalization, we explain variations in the diffusion of organizational eco‐innovations. Studies have previously reported that the drivers of eco‐innovation are regulatory pressures, technology push, market pull, and firm factors. But relatively little attention has been paid to nontechnological forms of eco‐innovation, such as environmental management systems (EMS). Consequently, how exactly to encourage EMS adoption across sectors is still unclear. We attempt to address this question by combining sectoral panel data (2009–2014) from a number of sources in Spain. The econometric analysis reveals that environmental policy is driving the adoption of ISO 14001 largely due to differences across sectors in energy and pollution intensity. In addition, the adoption of ISO 9001 increases the use of ISO 14001 in industry because of complementarities between the two systems. Third, in highly internationalized sectors, firms adopt a greater amount of ISO 14001.     

Explaining the impact of ISO 14001 on emission performance: a dynamic capabilities perspective on process and learning

I draw upon the dynamic capability model to explore how new process standards influence the ability of manufacturing facilities to improve environmental performance by reducing toxic emissions. The process standards studied are the ISO 14001 environmental management standards, in use since 1996. Hypotheses are developed to account for how early adoption of ISO 14001 and experience with the standards influence emission levels. These hypotheses are tested using a large sample of electronics manufacturing facilities and data from 1996 through 2001. Consistent with theoretical expectations, analyses show that being one of the first facilities to adopt ISO 14001 was associated with lower emissions. Further, a separate effect is due to experience: the longer a facility operated under ISO 14001, the lower its emissions. The paper discusses the implications of these results for theory and policy development. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.     

浅谈初期环境评审的内容

在建立和实施ISO14001环境管理体系的过程中,做好初期环境评审工作十分重要。本文对初期环境评审的主要内容进行了探讨。     

The impact of ISO 14001 on firm environmental and economic performance: The moderating role of size and environmental awareness

This paper analyzes the impact of adopting the ISO 14001 standard on firm environmental and economic performance. In particular, it is argued that the degree of environmental awareness of the society (EAS) and firm size are two factors moderating the effect of ISO 14001 on firm performance. A number of hypotheses are formulated and empirically tested on an international sample of 583 listed companies in 46 countries over the period of 2009–2018. The findings show that (i) ISO 14001 adoption contributes to reducing firm carbon emission intensity and increasing firm profitability; (ii) the impact of ISO14001 on profitability is greater for companies from countries with high EAS and for larger firms; and (iii) the impact of ISO 14001 on carbon intensity is greater for headquartered in countries with low EAS. Managerial and policy implications resulting from the widespread adoption of certifiable environmental standards are also discussed.     

论新时期贯彻执行测绘标准的重要性

从测绘标准具有科学性、权威性、法规性、系统性、实用性等特点出发,阐述了贯彻测绘伯重要性,提出贯彻测绘标准是保证测绘产品质量的关键、是生产管理的重要手段、是提高队伍整体素质的有效途径、是获得ISO9000认证的前程。     

Forest Certification and ISO 14001: Current State and Motivation in Forest Companies

In this study, we explore the current state of specific corporate responsibility practices in the global forest sector. We compare the motivations for the leading forest industry companies to invest in certification from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC), and in the ISO 14001 environmental management system. For the empirical investigation, we use quantitative survey data collected from 60 of the world's leading forestry companies. This study's empirical results indicate that incentives for adopting forest certification are more often external rather than internal, and more market driven than regulation driven, which would suggest the dominance of extrinsic motivation. The results also indicate that the adoption of ISO 14001 certification represents a reactive strategic approach, emphasizing customer satisfaction as a key motivation. Motivations differ depending on the firm's business sector and the geographical location of its headquarters. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment     

ISO14000在西部大开发中的地位

随着全球范围内环境意识的增强，ＩＳＯ１４０００系列标准认证已成为产品进入国际市场的“绿色通行证”。简要介绍ＩＳＯ１４０００的内容、重要性，以及贯彻中须注意的问题。     

Factors for succeeding in ISO 14001 implementation in Italian construction industry

The main aim of this research is to find the most relevant factors for a successful ISO 14001 implementation in the construction industry. Thousands of companies, including those in the construction industry, are interested in an ISO 14001 environmental management system (EMS). Italy holds one of the largest databases of ISO 14001 certified organisations; in this database, the construction industry represents the second largest sector. Using a questionnaire, the research tested six potential factors that affect the success of an ISO 14001 EMS implementation. Moreover, the quantitative results were discussed together with qualitative notes left by respondents. The results showed that only three out of the six factors really affect ISO 14001 EMS implementation in the construction industry: involvement of employees, top management commitment, and development of environmental technical skills. It seems that the respondents perceived that economic and financial results, identification of environmental aspects and impacts, and the involvement of stakeholders have a limited or null effect on ISO 14001 implementation. Particular issues concerning developing workers' awareness, evaluating all the environmental impacts, and obtaining real economic advantages were raised in the respondents' comments. Conclusions highlight specific contributions for practitioners and other stakeholders involved in EMS.     

Navigating through firm–environmental groups' relationships: The impact of societal trust on corporate environmental strategy

This study examines the impact of societal trust on corporate environmental strategy with particular reference to the firm–environmental groups' relationship, which has received very little attention in trust literature. Using data on 2332 firms from 16 countries, we find that societal trust exerts a negative effect on the likelihood of ISO 14001 certification. The negative relationship between societal trust and the likelihood of ISO 14001 is more pronounced for firms having intense collaboration with environmental groups. However, this effect appears to be weak in higher market uncertainty. These findings, besides significantly adding to the literature, have practical and managerial implications.     

Environmental considerations within manufacturing strategy: an international study

This paper examines the relative importance of environmental management in four key areas of manufacturing strategy: competitive priorities, action programmes, performance improvement and improvement goals. Its overall position in manufacturing strategy is measured through the creation of an original index using data from the 2001 International Manufacturing Strategy Survey (IMSS). Results show that in a minority of firms environmental management is positively positioned. The index's relationships with indicators of innovation and performance in manufacturing are examined. Some significant results include capabilities in the areas of strategy formalization, strategic fit and ISO14001 certification. While results are specific to the IMSS context, implications may be drawn for resource‐based view of the firm research on the application of resources and capabilities. An implication for policy makers is that the development of capabilities for strategy formalization and implementation should be incorporated into environmental policy. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.     

Using ISO 14001 to promote a sustainable supply chain strategy

Formally adopted in 1996 by the International Organization of Standardization, ISO 14001 represents a voluntary international environmental standard, which will likely be adopted by a vast majority of corporations. Its major focus is on the structure, implementation and maintenance of a formal environmental management system. Despite its international acceptance, ISO 14001 is surrounded by controversy and criticism. The literature is clearly divided in its assessment of ISO 14001, which is viewed as a variant of total quality environmental management or a paper‐driven process of limited value. In this study, case‐based research is used to address the competing views of the standard to show that ISO 14001 registration can be leveraged across the supply chain into a competitive advantage. By looking at ISO 14001 registered firms, we compare different amounts of integration and sustainability in the supply chain. We then posit several research propositions to provide an empirical framework for the impacts of ISO 14001 on supply chain design and how it will evolve in the future. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.     

Pollution Prevention and Service Stewardship Strategies in the Third‐Party Logistics Industry: Effects on Firm Differentiation and the Moderating Role of Environmental Communication

A growing number of firms are considering the incorporation of environmental thinking into their business strategies, hoping to improve their competitiveness. In this paper, we analyze the effects of pollution prevention and service stewardship capabilities on firm differentiation advantage in the third‐party logistics industry. Since prior research claims that complementary assets play an important role in fully understanding the environmental‐management‐competitiveness link, we furthermore examine the moderating role of environmental communication on the pollution‐prevention‐differentiation and the service‐stewardship‐differentiation linkages. We theoretically base our research in natural‐resource‐based thinking. Drawing on survey data, we apply multivariate regression and moderation analysis. The results highlight that pollution prevention and service stewardship capabilities can help third‐party logistics providers to achieve a differentiation advantage. Also, the results show that environmental communication moderates the effect of pollution prevention on differentiation advantage and can hence be considered a valuable complementary asset. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.