Sustainability Journal (MDPI)
2009 | 1,010,498,008 words
Sustainability is an international, open-access, peer-reviewed journal focused on all aspects of sustainability—environmental, social, economic, technical, and cultural. Publishing semimonthly, it welcomes research from natural and applied sciences, engineering, social sciences, and humanities, encouraging detailed experimental and methodological r...
Exploratory Research of ISO 14001:2015 Transition among Portuguese Organizations
Luis Miguel Fonseca
ISEP—P. Porto, School of Engineering and CIDEM R&D, Porto 4249-015, Portugal
José Pedro Domingues
ISEP—P. Porto, School of Engineering and CIDEM R&D, Porto 4249-015, Portugal
Download the PDF file of the original publication
Year: 2018 | Doi: 10.3390/su10030781
Copyright (license): Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license.
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[Summary: This page introduces an exploratory study on ISO 14001:2015 transition in Portuguese organizations. It highlights the study's abstract, keywords, and introduction, emphasizing the rise of voluntary environmental management systems and the importance of ISO 14001.]
[Find the meaning and references behind the names: Luis Miguel, Top, Iso, Change, Doi, Certified, Better, Standard, Path, Ems, Luis, Porto, Braga, Miguel, Development, Janeiro, September, February, Cidem, Jos, Size, Domingues, Rise, Fonseca, Pedro, Success, Portugal, Wallis, Rio, Laws, Due, Constant, Company, Goal, Strong, Tel, March, Legal, Quality]
sustainability Article Exploratory Research of ISO 14001:2015 Transition among Portuguese Organizations Luis Miguel Fonseca 1, * ID and Jos é Pedro Domingues 1,2 ID 1 ISEP—P. Porto, School of Engineering and CIDEM R&D, Porto 4249-015, Portugal 2 Department of Production and Systems, University of Minho, Braga 4710-057, Portugal; jpd@isep.ipp.pt * Correspondence: lmf@isep.ipp.pt; Tel.: +351-228-340-500 Received: 16 February 2018; Accepted: 10 March 2018; Published: 12 March 2018 Abstract: The purpose of this paper is the assessment of the ISO 14001:2015 transition process among Portuguese ISO 14001 certified organizations, including those that successfully have already achieved ISO 14001:2015 certification. A considerable number of the surveyed companies proceeded with the transition to the ISO 14001:2015 by introducing slight adjustments and were supported by external consultants. Nearly all of the respondent companies (97%) intend to transition until 15 th September 2018. The highest ranked reported benefit is the “integrated approach with other management sub-systems” with a well-consolidated perception from the surveyed companies. This is aligned with the ISO 14001:2015 goal of improving the compatibility of management standards supported on the Annex SL. “Alignment with business strategy”, “improved top management commitment” and “improved internal and external communication” are also perceived to obtain significant benefits from ISO 14001:2015. The statistical tests carried out (Kruskal–Wallis) confirmed that the perception of some achieved ISO 14001:2015 certification benefits is dependent on the size of the organization. Concerning the motivations to proceed with certification, results suggest that there is not a particular company profile that is compelled to certify their EMS based on a specific type of motivation (Internal or External). Due to ISO 14001:2015 novelty, these exploratory results should be subjected to additional research confirmation Keywords: ISO 14001; ISO 14001:2015; Environmental Management Systems; Benefits; Certification 1. Introduction Traditional approaches aiming at environmental protection often rely on legal frameworks to enforce measures and behaviors in organizations. The 1992 Rio de Janeiro summit on Environment and Development with the approval of the Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Convention on Biodiversity, the Declaration on Forests and the Agenda 21 triggered an increased international emphasis for the development of environmental sustainability and for more environmental friendly products and services. Within this context, the demand for voluntary environmental management systems (EMS) certification has shown a constant rise, which has been depicted by trends of ISO 14001 international standard certification. ISO 14001 has reached 300,000 certificates in 2016 and seems to mimic the same success path as the widely adopted ISO 9001 Quality Management System international standard, which has more than 1,200,000 issued certificates worldwide [ 1 ]. ISO 14001 is an International Standard supported on the assumption that better environmental performance can be attained when environmental aspects are systematically identified and managed through pollution prevention, improved environmental performance and compliance with applicable laws [ 2 ]. To ensure that ISO 14001 remains updated and relevant for the marketplace by addressing the latest trends and improving compatibility with other management system standards, such as ISO 9001, ISO revised and issued the 2015 ISO 14001 edition [ 3 ]. ISO 14001:2015 proposed some Sustainability 2018 , 10 , 781; doi:10.3390/su 10030781 www.mdpi.com/journal/sustainability
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[Summary: This page details the new and reinforced approaches in ISO 14001:2015, including Annex SL, internal/external context analysis, leadership responsibilities, and life cycle perspective. It also discusses motivations, benefits, and barriers of ISO 14001 adoption, citing various research findings.]
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Sustainability 2018 , 10 , 781 2 of 16 new and reinforced approaches, such as the adoption of the Annex SL structure; the requirement demanding organizations to analyze their internal and internal context in order to ascertain the issues and requirements that may impact the EMS; the assignment of specific responsibilities for leaders to promote the EMS; more emphasis on the performance improvement by minimizing the water and energy consumption as well as producing less emission and waste; the introduction of a life cycle perspective that asks for organizations to extend their control and influence to the environmental impacts ascribed to product use and end-of-life treatment or disposal; and the development of an external and internal communications strategy to consider the reporting demanded by regulatory agencies and the expectations of other interested parties [ 2 ]. ISO 14001 international standard was first published on 1 st September 1996, which established the requirements for EMS, including the organizational structure and the responsibilities; the planning of the activities; the definition of practices, processes and procedures; and the allocation of resources to plan, implement, check and improve the environmental policy [ 2 , 4 – 7 ]. In the last few decades, many companies aimed to improve the environmental performance of their processes [ 8 ] by implementing an EMS. The theoretical literature focusing on the motivations driving organizations to implement and certify an EMS address both external [ 9 – 11 ] and internal [ 12 , 13 ] factors that lead companies to implement such self-regulatory mechanisms Additionally, there is a considerable stream of research addressing the benefits [ 14 – 24 ] and the barriers [ 13 , 15 – 18 ] of ISO 14001 adoption and certification. A systematic review analyzed the content of 48 articles published between January 2012 and April 2017 that addressed the topic of “benefits of EMS adoption and certification”. This review provided support for this resulting in fairly positive benefits (average 2.36 in a 1 to 5 Likert type scale) for the certified organizations, although there were some observed variations [ 20 ]. The main reported benefits include the ability to manage the environmental aspects more effectively and continually improve the environmental performance; an increased environmental legislation compliance; the prevention of pollution; a lower risk level of penalties and litigation; the improvement of stakeholder satisfaction and employee morale; and the potential to access new markets and new business opportunities with environmentally aware customers. This leads to both lower operating costs and new business opportunities, leveraging the competitive position of organizations [ 2 , 13 , 16 , 18 ]. However, there are also some reported negative consequences of EMS implementation and certification, such as the difficulty in measuring the EMS efficiency, increased bureaucracy, higher costs, lack of employee and management EMS support and the generic nature of the ISO 14001 requirements [ 6 , 15 , 16 ]. Based on an investigation of the benefits and difficulties of adopting ISO 14001:2004 within Italian organizations, Mazzi et al. [ 17 ] concluded that the most useful requirements of ISO 14001:2004 are “environmental aspects”, “legal and other requirements”, “competence, training, and awareness” and “evaluation of compliance”. According to this research, the most difficult ISO 14001:2004 requirements to comply with are “legal and other requirements”, “competence, training and awareness”, “operational control” and “evaluation of compliance”. These results highlight that the most difficult requirements match and concur with those considered as the most useful ones Boiral, Guillaumie, Heras-Saizarbitoria and Tene [ 25 ] concluded that whereas the mainstream literature supports the emergence of positive outcomes after ISO 14001 adoption and certification, the research is often limited in terms of “sample, scope, variables adopted and contextual aspects” and is essentially based on managerial perceptions, which may be influenced by respondent bias Additionally, according to these authors, positive and negative outcomes of ISO 14001 adoption may co-exist (e.g., less energy and resource consumption costs, but additional bureaucracy and paperwork) From a theoretical point of view, the adoption of voluntary management systems standards, such as ISO 14001, can be traced back to the following theories: Freeman Stakeholder Theory [ 26 ] focusing on the importance of a firms’ relationships with critical stakeholders, which may lead to an improved performance by integrating business and societal considerations that subsequently creates value for their stakeholders; Barney [ 27 ] Resource Base View Theory considering the unique
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[Summary: This page discusses theoretical perspectives like Stakeholder, Resource Base View, and Institutional Theories related to ISO 14001 adoption. It mentions the approaching deadline for ISO 14001:2004 certificates validity and introduces the empirical study's objective and survey methodology.]
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Sustainability 2018 , 10 , 781 3 of 16 combination of resources and capabilities (internal) of each firm allowing it to be unique and different with improved performance compared to its competitors; and Meyer and Rowan Institutional Theory [ 28 ] addressing the mode of behavior of institutions as a result of societal influence, which explains why organizations converge and become similar (Fonseca et al. [ 29 ]; Tuczek, Castka and Wakolbinger [ 30 ]). By analyzing the changes introduced in the ISO 9001:2015, Fonseca [ 31 ] pointed out that it brings a stronger open systems approach (influence of the environment, dynamic perspective, need for survival) when compared with the 2008 version. Due to the commonalities of both International Standards 2015 edition, this can be generalized to the ISO 14001:2015 when compared to the 2004 version As of 15 September 2018, all ISO 14001:2014 certificates will be no longer valid, so ISO 14001 certified organizations should proceed with the transition process until that date. After this time, they should demonstrate their compliance in being successfully audited and certified accordingly to ISO 14001:2015 international standard by a credible and recognized certification body. This is a relevant research issue, both for scholars (since previous research did not address ISO 14001: 2015 edition) and for practitioners (that need to migrate the ISO 14001:2004 EMS to the new edition) As part of a broader research project to study the phenomenon of the management systems standards certification, an empirical study, supported by an online survey, was designed, developed and made available to the potential respondents, which had the specific purpose of gathering knowledge of the ISO 14001:2015 transition process. The survey was carried out throughout May 2017 and yielded a total of 108 valid responses The next section is devoted to Materials and Methods. In Section 3 , the authors present, discuss and dissect the empirical results. Section 4 summarizes the soundest results and point out the implications of the research 2. Materials and Methods Data was collected by the means of an online survey among ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 Portuguese certified organizations by the leading Portuguese certification body. This approach is consistent with those adopted by other researchers, such as Mazzi et al. [ 17 ]. An e-mail was sent to the companies in April 2017, followed by a second call in May 2017. The data were collected anonymously through an automatic online database. The sample comprised a total of 108 Portuguese organizations simultaneously certified according to the clauses of both the ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 standards The overall response rate was 18%, encompassing 19 organizations already certified against ISO 14001:2015 and the remaining against ISO 14001:2004. This research is included in a broader research project that aims to achieve deeper understanding of the phenomenon of management systems standards certification (e.g., Hypotheses 4 and 11 relate to an ongoing parallel research addressing Quality Management Systems—QMS). The survey was designed to include several sections, which is shown in Table 1 . The detail is presented for the sections relevant to this research. IBM Social Sciences Statistical Package (SPSS) v. 22 software was adopted to conduct the statistical tests and calculations (after ordinal to numerical transformation of the Likert scale type of answers). The non-parametric Kruskal–Wallis one-way analysis of variance statistical test was used to determine whether some variables, measured on an ordinal scale, differed based on other variables (namely those related to the characterization of the company). Hence, the following research hypotheses were raised: Dimension 1—Benefits Research Statement: The assessment of some benefits derived from the implementation of the ISO 14001:2015 standard differ according to the . . Hypothesis 1 (H 1). . . activity sector where the organization operates Hypothesis 2 (H 2). . . dimension of the organization (N ◦ of employees).
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[Summary: This page presents the materials and methods used in the study, including the online survey, sample demographics, and statistical tests. It outlines the research hypotheses related to benefits and motivations, based on factors like activity sector, organization size, and QMS/EMS maturity.]
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Sustainability 2018 , 10 , 781 4 of 16 Hypothesis 3 (H 3). . . exposure to international markets Hypothesis 4 (H 4). . . maturity (years) of the QMS Hypothesis 5 (H 5). . . maturity (years) of the EMS Hypothesis 6 (H 6). . . organizational role of the respondent Hypothesis 7 (H 7). . . experience (years) of the respondent Dimension 2—Motivations Research Statement: The motivations (internal or external) driving organizations to implement the ISO 14001:2015 standard differ according to the . . Hypothesis 8 (H 8). . . activity sector where the organization operates Hypothesis 9 (H 9). . . dimension of the organization (N ◦ of employees) Hypothesis 10 (H 10). . . exposure to international markets Hypothesis 11 (H 11). . . maturity (years) of the QMS Hypothesis 12 (H 12). . . maturity (years) of the EMS Hypothesis 13 (H 13). . . organizational role of the respondent Hypothesis 14 (H 14). . . experience (years) of the respondent Table 1. Survey structure Section Variable(s) ID Item Assessed Typology 1—Characterization of the company Var_Num_1.1 Activity Sector Structured (S.O) Var_Num_1.2 Dimension (N ◦ of employees) Structured (S.O.) Var_Num_1.3 International market activity (%) Structured (S.O.) 3—Environmental Management System (ISO 14001) Var_Num_3.1.1 Maturity (Years) Structured (S.O.) Var_Num_3.1.2 Transitioned to new revision (2015) Structured (S.O.) Var_Num_3.2.1 Structured (S.O.) Var_Num_3.2.2 Structured (M.O.) Var_Num_3.2.3 Structured (M.O.) Var_Num_3.2.4 Structured (M.O.) Var_Num_3.2.5 Structured (M.O.) Var_Num_3.2.6 Structured (S.O.; L.S.) Var_Num_3.3.1 Not transitioned to new revision (2004) Structured (M.O.) Var_Num_3.3.2 Structured (S.O.) Var_Num_3.3.2 Structured (S.O.) Var_Num_3.3.3 Structured (M.O.) Var_Num_3.3.4 (a to d) Structured (S.O.; L.S.) 5—Questions relevant to the business processes of the certification entity Var_Num_6.1.1 ISO 14001 Structured (S.O.) Var_Num_6.1.2 Structured (S.O.) Var_Num_6.2.1 Structured (S.O.; L.S.) Var_Num_6.2.2 Open question Var_Num_6.2.3 Open question Var_Num_6.2.4 Open question Var_Num_6.2.5 Open question 6—Motivations for certification and impacts Var_Num_7.1 Structured (S.O.; L.S.) Var_Num_7.2 (a to s) Structured (S.O.; L.S.) Var_Num_7.3 (a to h) Structured (S.O.; L.S.) 8—Respondent characterization Var_Num_9.1 Organizational role Structured Var_Num_9.2 Experience (Years) Structured S.O.—Single option (Solely allows the selection of one option); M.O.—Multiple option (Allows the selection of more than one option); L.S.—Likert scale; Solely the survey items related and pertinent to this research are presented (1, 3, 5, 6 and 8).
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[Summary: This page presents the study's results and discussion, starting with the social-demographical characteristics of the sample, descriptive statistics, and statistical tests used for hypothesis validation. It includes figures illustrating surveyed organizations by activity sector and dimension.]
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Sustainability 2018 , 10 , 781 5 of 16 3. Results and Discussion This section is devoted to the presentation and discussion of the results. The first sub-section reports the social-demographical characteristics of the sample. The second sub-section presents the descriptive statistics of the results (mainly summarized as a percentage per item assessed, average and standard deviation) and in the following section, the results of the statistical tests carried out for the validation of the hypotheses are reported and discussed 3.1. Descriptive Statistics The typological analysis of the respondent organizations suggests that the sample mimics and resemble the Portuguese reality concerning business demographics. Mainly small and medium enterprises (SMEs) operating at the product and service-oriented activity sectors answered the survey (Figures 1 and 2 ). Sustainability 2018 , 10 , x FOR PEER REVIEW 5 of 16 3. Results and Discussion This section is devoted to the presentation and discussion of the results. The first sub-section reports the social-demographical characteristics of the sample. The second sub-section presents the descriptive statistics of the results (mainly summarized as a percentage per item assessed, average and standard deviation) and in the following section, the results of the statistical tests carried out for the validation of the hypotheses are reported and discussed. 3.1. Descriptive Statistics The typological analysis of the respondent organizations suggests that the sample mimics and resemble the Portuguese reality concerning business demographics. Mainly small and medium enterprises (SMEs) operating at the product and service-oriented activity sectors answered the survey (Figures 1 and 2). Figure 1. Surveyed organizations—Breakdown by activity sector. Figure 2. Surveyed organizations—Breakdown by dimension (Nº of employees). A considerable number of the respondent organizations (62%) develop their business activities that are mainly aimed at the Portuguese business market (Figure 3) and held the environmental management system (EMS) certification over more than 4 years (Figure 4). Figure 1. Surveyed organizations—Breakdown by activity sector Sustainability 2018 , 10 , x FOR PEER REVIEW 5 of 16 3. Results and Discussion This section is devoted to the presentation and discussion of the results. The first sub-section reports the social-demographical characteristics of the sample. The second sub-section presents the descriptive statistics of the results (mainly summarized as a percentage per item assessed, average and standard deviation) and in the following section, the results of the statistical tests carried out for the validation of the hypotheses are reported and discussed. 3.1. Descriptive Statistics The typological analysis of the respondent organizations suggests that the sample mimics and resemble the Portuguese reality concerning business demographics. Mainly small and medium enterprises (SMEs) operating at the product and service-oriented activity sectors answered the survey (Figures 1 and 2). Figure 1. Surveyed organizations—Breakdown by activity sector. Figure 2. Surveyed organizations—Breakdown by dimension (Nº of employees). A considerable number of the respondent organizations (62%) develop their business activities that are mainly aimed at the Portuguese business market (Figure 3) and held the environmental management system (EMS) certification over more than 4 years (Figure 4). Figure 2. Surveyed organizations—Breakdown by dimension (Nº of employees) A considerable number of the respondent organizations (62%) develop their business activities that are mainly aimed at the Portuguese business market (Figure 3 ) and held the environmental management system (EMS) certification over more than 4 years (Figure 4 ).
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[Summary: This page continues presenting descriptive statistics, with figures showing international business orientation and EMS maturity. It discusses the reasons for organizations not transitioning to the 2015 revision and their expected transition dates.]
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Sustainability 2018 , 10 , 781 6 of 16 Sustainability 2018 , 10 , x FOR PEER REVIEW 6 of 16 Figure 3. International business orientation. Figure 4. Surveyed organizations—Breakdown by EMS maturity (years). When the survey was completed online, around three quarters of the respondent organizations had not transitioned to the 2015 revision (Figure 5) due to lack of time and mandatory study and analysis of the novel requirements (Figure 6). However, the majority of the respondent organizations (97%) intend to proceed with the transition before the three-year transition period, with essentially the majority of the organizations expecting to have transitioned by 15 th September 2018 (Figure 7). In addition to the major reasons pointed out previously, those organizations that did not proceeded with the transition point out some difficulties in understanding and implementing some requirements and the ascribed costs inherent to the transition process. Figure 5. Surveyed organizations- Breakdown by transition to 2015 version. Figure 3. International business orientation Sustainability 2018 , 10 , x FOR PEER REVIEW 6 of 16 Figure 3. International business orientation. Figure 4. Surveyed organizations—Breakdown by EMS maturity (years). When the survey was completed online, around three quarters of the respondent organizations had not transitioned to the 2015 revision (Figure 5) due to lack of time and mandatory study and analysis of the novel requirements (Figure 6). However, the majority of the respondent organizations (97%) intend to proceed with the transition before the three-year transition period, with essentially the majority of the organizations expecting to have transitioned by 15 th September 2018 (Figure 7). In addition to the major reasons pointed out previously, those organizations that did not proceeded with the transition point out some difficulties in understanding and implementing some requirements and the ascribed costs inherent to the transition process. Figure 5. Surveyed organizations- Breakdown by transition to 2015 version. Figure 4. Surveyed organizations—Breakdown by EMS maturity (years) When the survey was completed online, around three quarters of the respondent organizations had not transitioned to the 2015 revision (Figure 5 ) due to lack of time and mandatory study and analysis of the novel requirements (Figure 6 ). However, the majority of the respondent organizations (97%) intend to proceed with the transition before the three-year transition period, with essentially the majority of the organizations expecting to have transitioned by 15 th September 2018 (Figure 7 ). In addition to the major reasons pointed out previously, those organizations that did not proceeded with the transition point out some difficulties in understanding and implementing some requirements and the ascribed costs inherent to the transition process Sustainability 2018 , 10 , x FOR PEER REVIEW 6 of 16 Figure 3. International business orientation. Figure 4. Surveyed organizations—Breakdown by EMS maturity (years). When the survey was completed online, around three quarters of the respondent organizations had not transitioned to the 2015 revision (Figure 5) due to lack of time and mandatory study and analysis of the novel requirements (Figure 6). However, the majority of the respondent organizations (97%) intend to proceed with the transition before the three-year transition period, with essentially the majority of the organizations expecting to have transitioned by 15 th September 2018 (Figure 7). In addition to the major reasons pointed out previously, those organizations that did not proceeded with the transition point out some difficulties in understanding and implementing some requirements and the ascribed costs inherent to the transition process. Figure 5. Surveyed organizations- Breakdown by transition to 2015 version. Figure 5. Surveyed organizations- Breakdown by transition to 2015 version.
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[Summary: This page details the characteristics of the survey respondents, noting their roles as management system managers with significant experience. It includes figures showing the role and experience of the respondents involved in the survey.]
Sustainability 2018 , 10 , 781 7 of 16 Sustainability 2018 , 10 , x FOR PEER REVIEW 7 of 16 Figure 6. Reasons for not proceeding to the transition. Figure 7. Expected date for transition. Concerning the characterization of the individual respondent responsible for the submission of the survey, it should be pointed out that these were mainly management system managers (Figure 8) that held more than 11 years of experience (Figure 9). Figure 8. Role of the respondent. Figure 6. Reasons for not proceeding to the transition Sustainability 2018 , 10 , x FOR PEER REVIEW 7 of 16 Figure 6. Reasons for not proceeding to the transition. Figure 7. Expected date for transition. Concerning the characterization of the individual respondent responsible for the submission of the survey, it should be pointed out that these were mainly management system managers (Figure 8) that held more than 11 years of experience (Figure 9). Figure 8. Role of the respondent. Figure 7. Expected date for transition Concerning the characterization of the individual respondent responsible for the submission of the survey, it should be pointed out that these were mainly management system managers (Figure 8 ) that held more than 11 years of experience (Figure 9 ). Sustainability 2018 , 10 , x FOR PEER REVIEW 7 of 16 Figure 6. Reasons for not proceeding to the transition. Figure 7. Expected date for transition. Concerning the characterization of the individual respondent responsible for the submission of the survey, it should be pointed out that these were mainly management system managers (Figure 8) that held more than 11 years of experience (Figure 9). Figure 8. Role of the respondent. Figure 8. Role of the respondent.
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[Summary: This page presents summarized results, indicating no favored resource/strategy for transition. It notes that most organizations made slight adjustments to their EMS for ISO 14001:2015, with some using external consultants for training.]
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Sustainability 2018 , 10 , 781 8 of 16 Sustainability 2018 , 10 , x FOR PEER REVIEW 8 of 16 Figure 9. Experience of the respondent (years). 3.2. Summarized Results The results suggest that no particular resource/strategy was favored over other (Figure 10) and a considerable proportion (around 77%) of the surveyed organizations that proceeded with the transition to the ISO 14001:2015 introduced slight adjustments to the pre-existing EMS (Figure 11). Approximately one-third of the organizations proceeded with the transition and were supported solely on the available internal resources. The remaining organizations reported the support of external consultants, who carried out some training sessions focusing on the ISO 14001 new requirements (Figure 10). Figure 10. Resources/strategies adopted throughout the ISO 14001:2015 transition. Figure 11. Changes introduced throughout the implementation of ISO 14001:2015 revision. Figure 9. Experience of the respondent (years) 3.2. Summarized Results The results suggest that no particular resource/strategy was favored over other (Figure 10 ) and a considerable proportion (around 77%) of the surveyed organizations that proceeded with the transition to the ISO 14001:2015 introduced slight adjustments to the pre-existing EMS (Figure 11 ). Approximately one-third of the organizations proceeded with the transition and were supported solely on the available internal resources. The remaining organizations reported the support of external consultants, who carried out some training sessions focusing on the ISO 14001 new requirements (Figure 10 ). Sustainability 2018 , 10 , x FOR PEER REVIEW 8 of 16 Figure 9. Experience of the respondent (years). 3.2. Summarized Results The results suggest that no particular resource/strategy was favored over other (Figure 10) and a considerable proportion (around 77%) of the surveyed organizations that proceeded with the transition to the ISO 14001:2015 introduced slight adjustments to the pre-existing EMS (Figure 11). Approximately one-third of the organizations proceeded with the transition and were supported solely on the available internal resources. The remaining organizations reported the support of external consultants, who carried out some training sessions focusing on the ISO 14001 new requirements (Figure 10). Figure 10. Resources/strategies adopted throughout the ISO 14001:2015 transition. Figure 11. Changes introduced throughout the implementation of ISO 14001:2015 revision. Figure 10. Resources/strategies adopted throughout the ISO 14001:2015 transition Sustainability 2018 , 10 , x FOR PEER REVIEW 8 of 16 Figure 9. Experience of the respondent (years). 3.2. Summarized Results The results suggest that no particular resource/strategy was favored over other (Figure 10) and a considerable proportion (around 77%) of the surveyed organizations that proceeded with the transition to the ISO 14001:2015 introduced slight adjustments to the pre-existing EMS (Figure 11). Approximately one-third of the organizations proceeded with the transition and were supported solely on the available internal resources. The remaining organizations reported the support of external consultants, who carried out some training sessions focusing on the ISO 14001 new requirements (Figure 10). Figure 10. Resources/strategies adopted throughout the ISO 14001:2015 transition. Figure 11. Changes introduced throughout the implementation of ISO 14001:2015 revision. Figure 11. Changes introduced throughout the implementation of ISO 14001:2015 revision.
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[Summary: This page discusses the difficulties faced by organizations during the transition, such as implementing the life cycle perspective. It also highlights the most useful concepts, including risk/opportunity determination and context mapping.]
Sustainability 2018 , 10 , 781 9 of 16 Concerning the difficulties faced by the organizations (Figure 12 ) when implementing the new revision requirements, approximately one-quarter of the respondents pointed out the implementation of the life cycle perspective. Other noticeable items pointed out were: “risk management approach”, “context–environmental conditions” and “determining results of EMS”. Regarding the most useful concepts, nearly one-fifth of the companies found the determination of risks and opportunities, the life cycle perspective and the mapping of the context of the organization the most relevant added values (Figure 13 ). Sustainability 2018 , 10 , x FOR PEER REVIEW 9 of 16 Concerning the difficulties faced by the organizations (Figure 12) when implementing the new revision requirements, approximately one-quarter of the respondents pointed out the implementation of the life cycle perspective. Other noticeable items pointed out were: “risk management approach”, “context–environmental conditions” and “determining results of EMS”. Regarding the most useful concepts, nearly one-fifth of the companies found the determination of risks and opportunities, the life cycle perspective and the mapping of the context of the org Figure 12. Difficulties faced throughout the transition. Figure 13. Most useful concepts throughout the transition. Concurrently, those organizations that did not yet proceeded with the transition expect the implementation of “life cycle perspective” requirement as the one which will present most challenges. Other difficulties pointed out by organizations include the “determination of risks and Figure 12. Difficulties faced throughout the transition Sustainability 2018 , 10 , x FOR PEER REVIEW 9 of 16 Concerning the difficulties faced by the organizations (Figure 12) when implementing the new revision requirements, approximately one-quarter of the respondents pointed out the implementation of the life cycle perspective. Other noticeable items pointed out were: “risk management approach”, “context–environmental conditions” and “determining results of EMS”. Regarding the most useful concepts, nearly one-fifth of the companies found the determination of risks and opportunities, the life cycle perspective and the mapping of the context of the org Figure 12. Difficulties faced throughout the transition. Figure 13. Most useful concepts throughout the transition. Concurrently, those organizations that did not yet proceeded with the transition expect the implementation of “life cycle perspective” requirement as the one which will present most challenges. Other difficulties pointed out by organizations include the “determination of risks and Figure 13. Most useful concepts throughout the transition Concurrently, those organizations that did not yet proceeded with the transition expect the implementation of “life cycle perspective” requirement as the one which will present most challenges.
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[Summary: This page continues discussing difficulties and expectations regarding the transition, focusing on challenges like risk determination, context mapping, and top management involvement. It presents a table assessing benefits from ISO 14001:2015 implementation.]
Sustainability 2018 , 10 , 781 10 of 16 Other difficulties pointed out by organizations include the “determination of risks and opportunities”, “mapping of the context of the organization” and the assurance of the “top management involvement” (Figure 14 ). Sustainability 2018 , 10 , x FOR PEER REVIEW 10 of 16 opportunities”, “mapping of the context of the organization” and the assurance of the “top management involvement” (Figure 14). Figure 14. Expected difficulties throughout the transition. Table 2 presents the items assessed by variable 3.2.6—Benefits from the implementation of the new requirements of the ISO 14001: 2015 edition. Figures 15 and 16 display the summarized results (average and standard deviation). The highest rated benefit pointed out by the surveyed organizations was the “integrated approach with other management sub-systems (Num_Var_3.2.6 g)” and the small standard deviation suggests that this is a well consolidated perception from the surveyed organizations. This result is consistent with one of the purposes of the new revision: to improve the compatibility of the standards supported on the Annex SL. Furthermore, one should point out the benefits of “alignment with business strategy (Num_Var_3.2.6 a)”, “improved top management commitment (Num_Var_3.2.6 b)” and “improved internal and external communication (Num_Var_3.2.6 c)”. The lowest rated benefit perceived by the organizations was “less prescriptive requirements and documentation (Num_Var_3.2.6 d)”. The benefit of “improved top management commitment (Num_Var_3.2.6 b)” presented the greatest standard deviation (Figure 16), suggesting that it is not perceived consistently among the surveyed organizations. Figure 15. Benefits from the ISO 14001:2015 implementation—Average. Figure 14. Expected difficulties throughout the transition Table 2 presents the items assessed by variable 3.2.6—Benefits from the implementation of the new requirements of the ISO 14001: 2015 edition. Figures 15 and 16 display the summarized results (average and standard deviation). The highest rated benefit pointed out by the surveyed organizations was the “integrated approach with other management sub-systems (Num_Var_3.2.6 g)” and the small standard deviation suggests that this is a well consolidated perception from the surveyed organizations. This result is consistent with one of the purposes of the new revision: to improve the compatibility of the standards supported on the Annex SL. Furthermore, one should point out the benefits of “alignment with business strategy (Num_Var_3.2.6 a)”, “improved top management commitment (Num_Var_3.2.6 b)” and “improved internal and external communication (Num_Var_3.2.6 c)”. The lowest rated benefit perceived by the organizations was “less prescriptive requirements and documentation (Num_Var_3.2.6 d)”. The benefit of “improved top management commitment (Num_Var_3.2.6 b)” presented the greatest standard deviation (Figure 16 ), suggesting that it is not perceived consistently among the surveyed organizations Sustainability 2018 , 10 , x FOR PEER REVIEW 10 of 16 opportunities”, “mapping of the context of the organization” and the assurance of the “top management involvement” (Figure 14). Figure 14. Expected difficulties throughout the transition. Table 2 presents the items assessed by variable 3.2.6—Benefits from the implementation of the new requirements of the ISO 14001: 2015 edition. Figures 15 and 16 display the summarized results (average and standard deviation). The highest rated benefit pointed out by the surveyed organizations was the “integrated approach with other management sub-systems (Num_Var_3.2.6 g)” and the small standard deviation suggests that this is a well consolidated perception from the surveyed organizations. This result is consistent with one of the purposes of the new revision: to improve the compatibility of the standards supported on the Annex SL. Furthermore, one should point out the benefits of “alignment with business strategy (Num_Var_3.2.6 a)”, “improved top management commitment (Num_Var_3.2.6 b)” and “improved internal and external communication (Num_Var_3.2.6 c)”. The lowest rated benefit perceived by the organizations was “less prescriptive requirements and documentation (Num_Var_3.2.6 d)”. The benefit of “improved top management commitment (Num_Var_3.2.6 b)” presented the greatest standard deviation (Figure 16), suggesting that it is not perceived consistently among the surveyed organizations. Figure 15. Benefits from the ISO 14001:2015 implementation—Average. Figure 15. Benefits from the ISO 14001:2015 implementation—Average.
[[[ p. 11 ]]]
[Summary: This page presents figures displaying the average benefits from ISO 14001:2015 implementation and their standard deviation. It highlights the integrated approach with other management sub-systems as the highest-rated benefit.]
[Find the meaning and references behind the names: Normal, Sig, Show, Smirnov, Shapiro, Cost, Wilk]
Sustainability 2018 , 10 , 781 11 of 16 Sustainability 2018 , 10 , x FOR PEER REVIEW 11 of 16 Figure 16. Benefits from the ISO 14001:2015 implementation—Standard deviation. Table 2. Assessment of the benefits from the implementation of ISO 14001:2015. Var_ID Item Assessed Observations Num_Var_3.2.6 a Alignment with business strategy. (1) Not relevant (2) … (3) … (4) … (5) Very relevant Num_Var_3.2.6 b Improved top management commitment. Num_Var_3.2.6 c Improved internal and external communication. Num_Var_3.2.6 d Less prescriptive requirements and documentation. Num_Var_3.2.6 e Consumption and cost reduction. Num_Var_3.2.6 f Improved environmental performance. Num_Var_3.2.6 g Integrated approach with other management sub-systems. 3.3. Statistical Tests The Kolmogorov–Smirnov and the Shapiro–Wilk statistical tests were used to evaluate the normality of the distribution of the results collected (Table 3) and decide the tests to be used for the research questions. The statistical tests show that the results did not have normal distribution (Sigma ≤ 0.05) and therefore, the Kruskal–Wallis statistical test was used to ascertain and validate the statistical hypotheses formulated. Table 3. Normality tests (Kolmogorov–Smirnov and Shapiro–Wilk) Kolmogorov–Smirnov a Shapiro–Wilk Statistic df Sig. Statistic df Sig. Num_Var_3.3.4 a 0.224 75 0.000 0.898 75 0.000 Num_Var_3.3.4 b 0.315 75 0.000 0.721 75 0.000 Num_Var_3.3.4 c 0.296 75 0.000 0.772 75 0.000 Num_Var_3.3.4 d 0.296 75 0.000 0.815 75 0.000 Num_Var_3.2.6 a 0.298 27 0.000 0.839 27 0.001 Num_Var_3.2.6 b 0.272 27 0.000 0.865 27 0.002 Num_Var_3.2.6 c 0.240 27 0.000 0.872 27 0.003 Num_Var_3.2.6 d 0.248 27 0.000 0.872 27 0.003 Num_Var_3.2.6 e 0.272 27 0.000 0.856 27 0.002 Num_Var_3.2.6 f 0.231 27 0.001 0.890 27 0.008 Num_Var_3.2.6 g 0.268 27 0.000 0.783 27 0.000 Num_Var_3.2.6 h 0.216 27 0.002 0.850 27 0.001 Num_Var_7.1 0.210 87 0.000 0.915 87 0.000 a Lilliefors Significance Correction. Figure 16. Benefits from the ISO 14001:2015 implementation—Standard deviation Table 2. Assessment of the benefits from the implementation of ISO 14001:2015 Var_ID Item Assessed Observations Num_Var_3.2.6 a Alignment with business strategy Num_Var_3.2.6 b Improved top management commitment (1) Not relevant Num_Var_3.2.6 c Improved internal and external communication (2) . . Num_Var_3.2.6 d Less prescriptive requirements and documentation (3) . . Num_Var_3.2.6 e Consumption and cost reduction (4) . . Num_Var_3.2.6 f Improved environmental performance (5) Very relevant Num_Var_3.2.6 g Integrated approach with other management sub-systems 3.3. Statistical Tests The Kolmogorov–Smirnov and the Shapiro–Wilk statistical tests were used to evaluate the normality of the distribution of the results collected (Table 3 ) and decide the tests to be used for the research questions. The statistical tests show that the results did not have normal distribution (Sigma ≤ 0.05) and therefore, the Kruskal–Wallis statistical test was used to ascertain and validate the statistical hypotheses formulated Table 3. Normality tests (Kolmogorov–Smirnov and Shapiro–Wilk) Kolmogorov–Smirnov a Shapiro–Wilk Statistic df Sig. Statistic df Sig. Num_Var_3.3.4 a 0.224 75 0.000 0.898 75 0.000 Num_Var_3.3.4 b 0.315 75 0.000 0.721 75 0.000 Num_Var_3.3.4 c 0.296 75 0.000 0.772 75 0.000 Num_Var_3.3.4 d 0.296 75 0.000 0.815 75 0.000 Num_Var_3.2.6 a 0.298 27 0.000 0.839 27 0.001 Num_Var_3.2.6 b 0.272 27 0.000 0.865 27 0.002 Num_Var_3.2.6 c 0.240 27 0.000 0.872 27 0.003 Num_Var_3.2.6 d 0.248 27 0.000 0.872 27 0.003 Num_Var_3.2.6 e 0.272 27 0.000 0.856 27 0.002 Num_Var_3.2.6 f 0.231 27 0.001 0.890 27 0.008 Num_Var_3.2.6 g 0.268 27 0.000 0.783 27 0.000 Num_Var_3.2.6 h 0.216 27 0.002 0.850 27 0.001 Num_Var_7.1 0.210 87 0.000 0.915 87 0.000 a Lilliefors Significance Correction.
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[Summary: This page presents tables with results from the Kruskal-Wallis statistical test, showing the influence of organization size on benefits like alignment with business strategy. It discusses the consistency of motivations for certification across different company profiles.]
[Find the meaning and references behind the names: Large, Meta, Peculiar, None]
Sustainability 2018 , 10 , 781 12 of 16 Tables 4 and 5 present the results from the Kruskal–Wallis statistical test (Asymptotic Sigma) The results (Table 4 ) suggest that the benefits of “Num_Var_3.2.6 a—alignment with business strategy”, “Num_Var_3.2.6 b—increased commitment from Top Management” and “Num_Var_3.2.6 f—improved environmental performance” are strongly influenced by the size of the organization (N ◦ of employees) ( p < 0.1). Essentially, the alignment with business strategy seems to be perceived mainly by mediumand large-sized organizations, while the increased commitment from Top Management and improved environmental performance are mainly perceived by smalland medium-sized organizations. Moreover, the perception regarding the benefit of “Num_Var_3.2.6 d—less prescriptive requirements and documentation” seems to be dependent on the international exposure of the company to the international market as companies operating mainly in the internal market rate this benefit higher Table 4. Benefits from the implementation of ISO 14001:2015 (SPSS Kruskal–Wallis test outputs) Tested Variable Var_3.2.6 a Var_3.2.6 b Var_3.2.6 c Var_3.2.6 d Var_3.2.6 e Var_3.2.6 f Var_3.2.6 g Grouping Variable Var_1.1 0.432 0.555 0.727 0.254 0.313 0.375 0.390 Var_1.2 0.066 * 0.078 * 0.263 0.537 0.264 0.061 * 0.239 Var_1.3 0.965 0.185 0.584 0.067 * 0.167 0.197 0.922 Var_2.1.1 0.336 0.044 ** 0.451 0.014 ** 0.029 ** 0.024 ** 0.955 Var_3.1.1 0.179 0.132 0.306 0.272 0.225 0.218 0.545 Var_9.1 0.248 0.868 0.865 0.351 0.375 0.386 0.478 Var_9.2 0.736 0.589 0.339 0.531 0.869 0.782 0.685 * Statistically relevant at p < 0.1; ** Statistically relevant at p < 0.05 More robust results were achieved when testing the variable of “Num_Var_7.1—internal or external motivations” to proceed with certification (Table 5 ). The results suggest that none of the grouping variables impact significantly on the overall results as the differences within the different sub-groups comprising each grouping variable are not statistically relevant. This consistency within the results point out that there is not a peculiar company profile that is compelled to certify their management sub-systems based on a peculiar type of motivation (Internal or External), which is consistent with the generic approach of the meta-standards Table 5. Motivations for certification (SPSS Kruskal–Wallis test outputs) Tested Variable Var_7.1 Grouping Variable Var_1.1 0.203 Var_1.2 0.962 Var_1.3 0.507 Var_2.1.1 0.299 Var_3.1.1 0.529 Var_9.1 0.356 Var_9.2 0.102 * Statistically relevant at p < 0.1; ** Statistically relevant at p < 0.05 Table 6 summarizes the validation of the several research hypotheses raised and pertinent to this research.
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[Summary: This page summarizes the validity of the research hypotheses. It presents the conclusions of the study, highlighting key findings regarding transition strategies, useful concepts, and difficulties in implementing ISO 14001:2015.]
[Find the meaning and references behind the names: Low, Seem, High, Comment, Still]
Sustainability 2018 , 10 , 781 13 of 16 Table 6. Validity of the research hypotheses Dimension Research Hypotheses Validity Comment Assessment of ISO 14001:2015 Benefits H 1 × Not confirmed activity sector where the organization operates H 2 √ Confirmed dimension of the organization (N ◦ of employees) H 3 √ Confirmed exposure to international markets H 5 × Not confirmed maturity (years) of the EMS H 6 × Not confirmed organizational role of the respondent H 7 × Not confirmed experience (years) of the respondent Motivations H 8 × Not confirmed activity sector where the organization operates H 9 × Not confirmed dimension of the organization (N ◦ of employees) H 10 × Not confirmed exposure to international markets H 12 × Not confirmed maturity (years) of the EMS H 13 × Not confirmed organizational role of the respondent H 14 × Not confirmed experience (years) of the respondent 4. Conclusions More than 75% of the surveyed organizations proceeded with the transition to the ISO 14001:2015 by introducing slight adjustments to the pre-existing EMS, 37% were supported by external consultants and the remaining 63% proceeded with the transition solely supported on available internal resources. ISO 14001:2015 training was also extensively promoted and carried out. By May 2017, approximately three quarters of the respondent organizations still had not attained ISO 14001:2015 certification, which was reportedly due to lack of time and the mandatory study and analysis of the novel requirements However, 97% of the organizations intended to transition by 15 September 2018 The respondents considered that the most useful concepts of ISO 14001:2015 were the “determination of risks and opportunities”, the “life cycle perspective” and the “mapping of the context of the organization, which is aligned and supports the intended added value of the new ISO 14001:2015 approaches. Simultaneously, some of these concepts were also reported as the hardest difficulties to overcome by the organizations when implementing or transitioning to the 2015 edition of ISO 14001, which were namely the implementation of the “life cycle perspective”, “risk management approach”, “context–environmental conditions” and “determining results of EMS”. Due to the novelty of ISO 14001:2015 and the fact these requirements were not included in the previous ISO 14001:2014 edition, we cannot discuss these results compared to existing literature. However, these conclusions seem to be aligned and concur with the notion that the requirements usually most difficult to comply with are those also considered the most useful, which was expressed by Mazzi et al. [ 17 ] (Italian ISO 14001:2004 certified companies). Similarly, the reported results in the current paper suggest a correspondence between usefulness and difficulty of some EMS requirements of the ISO 14001:2015 The highest ranked benefit is “integrated approach with other management sub-systems”, which seemingly is a well-consolidated perception from the surveyed companies (low score of the standard deviation). This result supports one of the major ISO 14001:2015 objectives: the improvement of the standards compatibility supported on the Annex SL. Furthermore, this is aligned with the conclusions of Domingues et al. on the relevance of Integrated Management Systems [ 32 ]. “Alignment with business strategy”, “improved top management commitment” and “improved internal and external communication” also achieved high rankings, while the lowest rated benefit perceived by the organizations was “less prescriptive requirements and documentation”. The benefit of “improved top management commitment” (due to its high standard deviation) is not perceived consistently by all the surveyed companies The results from this research highlight that the perception of some achieved ISO 14001:2015 certification benefits varies according to the organization size. The alignment with business strategy seems to be perceived mainly by mediumand large-sized organizations, whereas the increased commitment from Top Management and improved environmental performance are mainly perceived by smalland medium-sized organizations. Small organizations are usually considered to be more flexible, but less formal and strategic than larger organizations, which might explain these results.
[[[ p. 14 ]]]
[Summary: This page continues the conclusions, discussing the impact of organization size on perceived benefits and the consistency of motivations for certification. It emphasizes the value of the results for managers and practitioners.]
[Find the meaning and references behind the names: Range, Final, Pros, Cons, Wave, Under, Post, Grant, Thank, Author, Early, Doc]
Sustainability 2018 , 10 , 781 14 of 16 Moreover, mediumand large-sized organizations are more pressured by higher stakeholder scrutiny and therefore, are more accustomed to performance measurement Concerning the “internal or external motivations” for proceeding with certification, the results indicate that the differences due to activity sector, organizational dimension, exposure to international markets, the maturity of the EMS and the respondent profile are not statistically relevant. This suggests that there is no specific company profile that is compelled to certify their EMS based on a specific type of motivation (Internal or External), which is consistent with the generic approach of the ISO international meta-standards In summary, the results of the statistical analysis highly that in May 2017, only one-quarter of ISO 14001 certified Portuguese organizations had successfully proceeded with the ISO 14001:2015 transition, although 97% of the companies intended to transition by 15 th September 2018. The results show that surveyed organizations benefited from the ISO 14001:2015 implementation and the adoption of the new and reinforced requirements, such as determination of risks and opportunities; the mapping of the organizational context and stakeholder identification; and the adoption of the life cycle perspective. Such benefits enhance the environmental performance of the organization and improve the compatibility with other management system standards, such as ISO 9001. According to the statistical tests, the perception of some achieved ISO 14001:2015 certification benefits varies with the size of the organization, whereas the motivation to proceed with certification is independent of organization profile These results are valuable for managers and practitioners as they identify the ISO 14001:2015 transition strategies, the most useful requirements and the major obstacles to be overcome as well as pointing out priorities to successfully achieve the transition and maximize the benefits of ISO 14001:2015 adoption. Another interesting conclusion is the relevance of the training made available to the employees (addressing the novel ISO 14001:2015) and the use of external consultants for supporting the transition process. This is consistent with the conclusions of previous research that stressed the importance and criticality of the knowledge of environmental impacts and the need for training and consulting to overcome the difficulties in implementing an EMS [ 21 ]. Concerning the limitations of this research, although it addresses a wide range of activity sectors, it is restricted to ISO 14001 certified organizations in Portugal. Additionally, our research suffers from the limitations of the survey methodologies and the potential subjective and biased point of view from the respondents. The analysis of the survey results suggests that it matches (i.e., properly represents) the population, since the distribution of the companies’ sample profile is consistent with the population. “Wave analysis” was also adopted to compare the results from late respondents and early respondents [ 33 ], with the results showing no significant differences. Thus, this means that there is a minimal possible error from non-respondent bias As ISO 14001:2015 implementation is still in the early phase, these exploratory results should be subject to further research confirmation, preferably with a larger sample size and eventually assessing the maturity level attained by the resulting integrated management system [ 32 ]. It should be interesting to explore the differences between ISO 14001:2015 and ISO 14001:2004 pros and cons, considering different organizations’ sizes, sectors and EMS maturity. The assessment of the environmental outcomes (benefits) of ISO 14001:2015 EMS, its integration with other management systems and the extension of this research to other countries would be also desirable for assessing the possible generalization of these findings Acknowledgments: Authors would like to thank all the organizations that kindly answered the questionnaire and to APCER. CIDEM, R&D unit is funded by the FCT—Portuguese Foundation for the Development of Science and Technology, Ministry of Science, Technology, and Higher Education, under the Project UID/EMS/0615/2016. Pedro Domingues benefited from financial support through the FCT post-doc research grant No. SFRH/BPD/103322/2014 Author Contributions: The manuscript was written by Luis Miguel Fonseca and Jos é Pedro Domingues Both authors contributed to the study design and the results interpretation, having approved the final manuscript.
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[Summary: This page presents the references used in the study, listing various academic articles and publications related to ISO 14001, environmental management systems, and sustainability.]
[Find the meaning and references behind the names: Da Fonseca, Eng, Chinese, Stand, Ferraro, Scipioni, Mason, Capital, Gain, Gomez, Molina, Baena, Soc, King, Toniolo, Roth, Guerrero, Eco, Wang, Sweden, Int, Landin, Limon, Matter, Chain, Abarca, Tools, Lenox, Tool, Bus, Iii, Aguiari, Corbett, Tar, Bravi, Azor, Prod, Uchida, Ind, Bansal, Selig, Kirsch, Geneva, Liberatore, Green, Chiarini, Eklund, Lean, Weber, Lin, Calder, Campos, Henri, Greening, Machado]
Sustainability 2018 , 10 , 781 15 of 16 Conflicts of Interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest References 1 International Organization for Standardization The ISO Survey of Management System Standard Certifications—Executive Summary. 2017. Available online: http://www.iso.org/iso/iso_survey_executivesummary.pdf? (accessed on 3 May 2016) 2 Da Fonseca, L.M.C.M. ISO 14001: 2015: An improved tool for sustainability J. Ind. Eng. Manag 2015 , 8 , 37–50. [ CrossRef ] 3 ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management System: Requirements with Guidance for Use ; International Organization for Standardization: Geneva, Switzerland, 2015 4 Abarca, D. Implementing ISO 9000 & ISO 14001 concurrently Pollut. Eng 1988 , 30 , 46–48 5 Corbett, C.J.; Kirsch, D.A. International diffusion of ISO 14000 certification Prod. Operat. Manag 2001 , 10 , 327–342. [ CrossRef ] 6 Curkovic, S.; Sroufe, R. Using ISO 14001 to promote a sustainable supply chain strategy Bus. Strategy Environ 2010 , 20 , 71–93. [ CrossRef ] 7 Darnall, N. Why firms mandate ISO 14001 certification Bus. Soc 2006 , 45 , 354–382. [ CrossRef ] 8 Chiarini, A. Sustainable manufacturing-greening processes using specific Lean Production tools: An empirical observation from European motorcycle component manufacturers J. Clean. Prod 2014 , 85 , 226–233. [ CrossRef ] 9 Bansal, P.; Roth, K. Why companies go green: A model of ecological responsiveness Acad. Manag. J 2000 , 43 , 717–736. [ CrossRef ] 10 Chiarini, A. Strategies for Developing an Environmentally Sustainable Supply Chain: Differences Between Manufacturing and Service Sectors Bus. Strat. Environ 2014 , 23 , 493–504. [ CrossRef ] 11 Uchida, T.; Ferraro, P.J. Voluntary development of environmental management systems: Motivations and regulatory implications J. Regul. Econ 2007 , 32 , 37–65. [ CrossRef ] 12 King, A.A.; Lenox, M.J.; Terlaak, A.K. The strategic use of decentralized institutions: Exploring certification with the ISO 14001 management standard Acad. Manag. J 2005 , 48 , 1091–1106. [ CrossRef ] 13 Heras-Saizarbitoria, I.; Landin, G.A. Do drivers matter for the benefits of ISO 14001? Int. J. Operat Prod. Manag 2011 , 31 , 192–215. [ CrossRef ] 14 Poksinska, B.; Dahlgaard, J.; Eklund, J. Implementing ISO 14000 in Sweden: Motives, benefits and comparisons with ISO 9000 Int. J. Qual. Reliab. Manag 2003 , 20 , 585–606. [ CrossRef ] 15 Boiral, O.; Henri, J.F. Modelling the impact of ISO 14001 on environmental performance: A comparative approach J. Environ. Manag 2012 , 99 , 84–97. [ CrossRef ] [ PubMed ] 16 Tar í , J.J.; Molina-Azor í n, J.F.; Heras, I. Benefits of the ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 standards: A literature review J. Ind. Eng. Manag 2012 , 5 , 297–322. [ CrossRef ] 17 Mazzi, A.; Toniolo, S.; Mason, M.; Aguiari, F.; Scipioni, A. What are the benefits and difficulties in adopting an environmental management system? The opinion of Italian organizations. J. Clean. Prod 2016 , 139 , 873–885 [ CrossRef ] 18 Murmura, F.; Liberatore, L.; Bravi, L.; Casolani, N. Evaluation of Italian Companies’ Perception about ISO 14001 and Eco’Management and Audit Scheme III: Motivations, Benefits and Barriers J. Clean. Prod 2018 , 174 , 691–700. [ CrossRef ] 19 Wang, X.; Lin, H.; Weber, H. Does Adoption of Management Standards Deliver Efficiency Gain in Firms’ Pursuit of Sustainability Performance? An Empirical Investigation of Chinese Manufacturing Firms Sustainability 2016 , 8 , 694. [ CrossRef ] 20 Fonseca, L.M.; Domingues, J.P.; Machado, P.B.; Calder ó n, M. Management System Certification Benefits: Where Do We Stand? J. Ind. Eng. Manag 2017 , 10 , 476–494. [ CrossRef ] 21 Ferenhof, H.A.; Vignochi, L.; Selig, P.M.; Lezana, A.G.R.; Campos, L.M.S. Environmental management systems in small and medium-sized enterprises: An analysis and systematic review J. Clean. Prod 2014 , 74 , 44–53. [ CrossRef ] 22 Guerrero-Baena, M.D.; Gomez-Limon, J.A.; Fruet, J.D. A multicriteria method for environmental management system selection: An intellectual capital approach J. Clean. Prod 2015 , 105 , 428–437. [ CrossRef ]
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[Summary: This page continues the references section. It also includes acknowledgements, author contributions, and a conflict of interest declaration. It concludes with the copyright information and licensing details for the article.]
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Sustainability 2018 , 10 , 781 16 of 16 23 Oliveira, J.A.; Oliveira, O.J.; Ometto, A.R.; Ferraudo, A.S.; Salgado, M.H. Environmental management system ISO 14001 factors for promoting the adoption of cleaner production practices J. Clean. Prod 2016 , 133 , 1384–1394. [ CrossRef ] 24 Ferreira Rino, C.A.; Salvador, N.N.B. ISO 14001 certification process and reduction of environmental penalties in organizations in Sao Paulo State, Brazil J. Clean. Prod 2017 , 142 , 3627–3633. [ CrossRef ] 25 Boiral, O.; Guillaumie, L.; Heras-Saizarbitoria, I.; Tayo Tene, C.V. Adoption and Outcomes of ISO 14001: A Systematic Review Int. J. Manag. Rev 2017 . [ CrossRef ] 26 Freeman, R Strategic Management: A Strategic Approach ; Pitman: Boston, MA, USA, 1984 27 Barney, J. Firm resources and sustained competitive advantage J. Manag 1991 , 17 , 99–120. [ CrossRef ] 28 Meyer, J.W.; Rowan, B. Institutionalized organizations: Formal structure as myth and ceremony Am. J. Sociol 1977 , 83 , 340–363. [ CrossRef ] 29 Fonseca, L.; Ramos, A.; Rosa, A.; Braga, A.C.; Sampaio, P. Stakeholders satisfaction and sustainable success Int. J. Ind. Syst. Eng 2016 , 24 , 144–157. [ CrossRef ] 30 Tuczek, F.; Castka, P.; Wakolbinger, T. A review of management theories in the context of quality, environmental and social responsibility voluntary standards J. Clean. Prod 2018 , 176 , 399–416. [ CrossRef ] 31 Fonseca, L.M. ISO 9001 quality management systems through the lens of organizational culture Qual. Access Success 2015 , 16 , 54–59 32 Domingues, J.P.T.; Sampaio, P.; Arezes, P.M. Integrated management systems assessment: A maturity model proposal J. Clean. Prod 2016 , 124 , 164–174. [ CrossRef ] 33 Armstrong, J.S.; Overton, T.S. Estimating Nonresponse Bias in Mail Surveys J. Mark 1977 , 14 , 396–402 S [ CrossRef ] © 2018 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
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Transition, Internal or external, Difficulties faced, External context, Benefit, Statistical analysis, Legal framework, Transition period, Business strategy, Business activities, Environmental condition, Statistical test, Environmental protection, Normality test, Integrated approach, Regulatory agencies, International market, Standard deviation, Exploratory research, Online Survey, Environmental sustainability, Environmental performance, Pollution Prevention, Empirical study, Sustainability, Quality management system, Positive outcome, Negative consequence, Training session, External motivation, Research hypotheses, Environmental management system, Risk management approach, Internal communication, Transition process, Certification, International standard, Internal motivation, Interested parties, Environmental aspect, Organizational context, Research issue, Internal context, External consultants, Organizational role, Institutional theory, Stakeholder theory, Environmental Policy, Theoretical literature, Internal resource, Applicable laws, ISO 14001, Stakeholder identification, Self-regulatory mechanism, Managerial Perceptions, Activity Sector, Top management commitment, Management standards, Exploratory Results, Individual Respondent, Organizational dimension.
