Implementing ISO 14001—An International Survey Assessing the Benefits of Certification
Department
Political Science and International Affairs
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
12-2002
Abstract
The costs and benefits of ISO 14001 certification result in firms choosing this route as a tool for proactive environmental management, according to a survey of 131 companies across the world. The following paper examines the motivation to pursue ISO 14001 certification for companies in developed and developing countries. While the costs of ISO 14001 certification vary widely, almost all respondents report substantial cost savings as a result of implementation. This was especially the case in developing countries, where enthusiasm about the standard (among certified firms) is very high. Contrary to the concerns voiced by skeptics, many firms stated that they decided to implement an ISO 14001 in order to “be a good neighbor” and to raise their employee''s level of environmental awareness. Surprisingly, very few respondents stated that their primary motivations for implementation were profit-related. The majority of firms appear to be using ISO 14001 as a tool for proactive environmental management, as its creators intended.
Journal Title
Corporate Environmental Strategy
Journal ISSN
1066-7938
Volume
9
Issue
4
First Page
418
Last Page
426
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
10.1016/S1066-7938(02)00009-X