Implementation of the Environmental Management Systems (ISO 14001 and EMAS)
The implementation of Environmental Management System is not done in a random manner, as the policy makers and consultants have developed specific standards that allow companies to implement EMS in a structured and comparable way. In the early 1990s, different countries had identified their EMS standards, in which each State had an objective of making the implementation of EMS prominent and successful (Steger. 2000). In addition, Steger (2000) reveals that since the mid-centuries, a significant number of organisations have been applying Environment Management System (EMS), in particular, ISO 14001, and EMAS. The study by Steger (2000) further states that companies that implement the 1SO 14001 and EMAS view the two forms of environmental system as the new management tools that will make them more efficient in their operation and tools that will enhance ecological and economic benefits for the organisations,
The discussion above shows that EMS has become an integral part of the companies that are applying the environmental systems, as it gives the companies many benefits. Despite the awareness of the advantages that are related to the implementation of the ISO 14001 and EMAS, some of the companies in the global market have been reluctant when it comes to the implementation of the two environmental management tools. Thus, this study focuses on discussing the implementation EMS, with the key focus being on the benefits that companies will have when they apply ISO 14001 and EMAS Environmental Management System tools. As some of the companies in the international market have become reluctant to implement EMS tools, this paper will review the empirical evidence concerning the validity of EMS and review studies that touch on the implication that is there when organisations implement the EMS management tools.
Historical Overview of Environmental Management System (EMS)
According to Steger (2000), the concept of EMS was first introduced in America in the mid-eighties. In the United States, Environment Management System was introduced so that companies’ ould comply with the increasing environmental legislations within all fields of business operation. In the similar era (mid-eighties), the innovative businesses in Europe also played a major role in the development of the EMS as the companies in Europe identified a more proactive attitude toward environmental issues, as it allowed them to perceive environmental issues as business opportunities rather than a burden (Steger 2000). Through the search of the managerial tools that would help companies in the implementation of the environmental management system, businesses that were operating in Europe in the mid-eighties came up with environmental audits as one of the environmental risk management tools. From the development of such instrument, the European companies contribute to the evolvement of the EMS concept, in which later, the companies in the region implemented ISO 14001 and EMAS environmental management tools. Steger (2000) points out that the growth of EMS was perpetrated by the spreading EMAS in German-speaking countries whereas the spreading of the 1SO 14001 was promoted by the introduction of Environmental Management System programs in Japan and the United Kingdom.
The Process of Implementing the Environment Management System (EMS)
Most companies implement Environmental Management System (EMS) as a top-down process. Steger (2000) posits that the process of implementing EMS in the organisation is not complicated because to carry out the procedure, it takes the organisations 6 to 12 months. As a process recognised for its benefits to organisations, the EMS standard in each stage requires interpretation, learning, and discussion with verifiers. Here, the people verifying the process in each step certifies the implementation of the EMS program (Steger 2000). In the process of implementing EMS programs, both financial and human resources are needed, in which the resources are used to handle the implementation procedures. In bigger or smaller organisations, the process of EMS implementation starts with approximately 50 employees, but the organisations may outsource external staffs, where the outsourced teams will assist the companies to conduct the EMS implementation process. For a successful process, the company relies on the people such as the suppliers, service contractors, and customers. The involvement of such people is a requirement for the implementation of both EMAS and ISO 14001, as the individuals assist in creating the value chain that in turn makes the EMS to have specific potentials and benefits that can influence the company’s performance in different ways (Steger 2000). The EMS process is important to the business because, through it, the process organisations get opportunities to identify the possibility of win-win chances that can be discovered through ISO 14001 or EMAS Environmental Management System (EMS).
Benefit of Implementing Environmental Management system (ISO 14001 and EMAS)
For the modern organisations, an EMS can be a powerful tool that can improve the organisation’s environmental performance and make sure that the businesses carry out their operation in an efficiency manner. Psomas, Fotopoulos, and Kafetzopoulos (2011) assert that implementation of EMS assists companies to minimise environmental liabilities. For instance, they suggest that ISO 14001 os an EMS tool that helps companies to maximise the efficiency use of resources, reducing wastes, allowing the businessed to have a good corporate image (Psomas, Fotopoulos, & Kafetzopoulos 2011).
Besides, ISO 14001 gives the businesses an opportunity to build the awareness that is needed for the business, especially concerning environmental impacts that the company’s activities have in the environments. Whitelaw (2004) asserts that the implementation of EMS gives an organisation the benefit of commitment. As such, since the implementation of EMS is a process that involves all members of the organisation, for a successful program, the top management team is required to show the commitment. The implementation of EMS makes the top management in the organisation get committed to the environment protection programs, in which they carry out their organisational responsibility and roles that concern environmental protection programs according to their authority within the organisation (Whitelaw 2004).
Silva and De Medeiros (2004) outline that implementation of EMS is significant for the company because it helps a business to improve its environmental performance prevent environmental pollution, conserve resources, attract a new group of customers, and market. From this benefit, it is clear that EMS ensures that a company does not spend more, and they make more profits than the expected return. In a different study by Proto and Supino (2000), it is clear that the implementation of EMS is importance to companies as the concept allows the companies to improve in the aspect of managing and controlling the companies’ activities. For instance, when a business does apply ISO 14001, the environment system allows the business to continuously monitor and control the business activities, especially the one related to the environmental performance.
Moreover, EMS benefits an organisation in a way that the concept defines better the employee’s responsibilities and tasks (Proto & Supino 2000). Consequentially, this gives the organisation an opportunity to integrate the employees and environmental issue, as through EMS a company defines the formal documents that describe the responsibilities of the employees in the implementation of the environmental protection programs.
On the other hand, Steger (2000) highlights that EMS is a cost saving system and the program is relatively important for the business implementing it, as EMS gives companies many competitive opportunities. For instance, it is believed that when businesses values and implement EMAS it has high chances to get a chance of venturing into new markets since the environmental management tool makes the organisation attractive for the customers in the existing and new markets. Finally, it is evident that EMS a system that is viewed as a quality assurance program, because EMS demonstrate that an organisation is complying with the environment law and regulations (Psomas, Fotopoulos, & Kafetzopoulos, 2011).
Difficulties in Meeting Environmental Management System (ISO 14001 and EMAS)
The difficulties that relate to the implementation of EMS make organisations reluctant to the idea of implementing ISO 14001 and EMAS. According to Psomas, Fotopoulos, and Kafetzopoulos (2011), most of the business managers continue to experience resistance and challenges when carrying out the task of implementing and maintaining ISO 14001 and EMAS environmental management systems. In their study, Psomas, Fotopoulos, and Kafetzopoulos (2011) found out that despite ISO 14001 being one of the most important tools of environmental management, there are various factors may prevent the success of ISO 14001 implementation. One of the difficulties that make the managers in companies to become reluctant to the implementation of EMS is time and resources available in the implementation of EMS (Psomas, Fotopoulos, & Kafetzopoulos, 2011). The aspect of resources and time being influences the perspective of the managers who are given the responsibility of putting EMS in place. In fact, for many managers in the organisations, they believe that once EMS is implemented, there is no need of constantly reviewing it for improvement.
Due to the issues such as identification of environmental or quality aspects, training, and lack of the commitment from the top management, it has made the companies in the present days to become more reluctant on implementing the EMS programs (Psomas, Fotopoulos, & Kafetzopoulos, 2011). These issues affect the process of EMS implementation in a negative way because the organisation’s EMS becomes less flexible and the managers work with little support to the organisations when it comes to the application of EMS programs. Whitelaw (2004) says that most of the modern businesses are unsure of how long they can be committed to the implementation of EMS. Therefore, it is clear that with the lack of knowledge on to the time a business need to be committed to the process of implementing EMS; it is likely for a company to be reluctant on conducting the process.
Ann, Zailani, and Abd Wahid (2006) claim that the issue of organisational bureaucracy also makes many companies reluctant on implementing the EMS programs set to improve businesses environmental performance. In most of the global organisations, the issue of documentation in each department makes it difficult for the organisation to implement the EMS programs. Ann, Zailani, and Abd Wahid (2006) report that many departments in organisations that operate in the international market believe that some of the documents that are used in the process of implementing ISO 14001 are unnecessary and they make the EMS implementation expensive. For this reason, organisations become reluctant to the issue of applying ISO 14001 and EMAS, which makes the EMS programs to be considered as a process that is not part of the essential activities done by the organisations.
Conclusion
In essence, the discussion is important as it clearly explains different points that concern the implementation of Environmental Management System. For a successful process in the implementation of the EMS, organisations should consider several factors such as the numbers of employees, the duration of the process, and whether to involve departments such as suppliers in the process. A realistic duration is essential to the success of the EMS process, and it is necessary for the organisation to use the maximum number of employees in the implementation of the 14001 or EMAS systems. For companies that have already implemented both ISO 14001 and EMAS, it is evident that they are experiencing many benefits. Further, organisations with EMS program in place enjoy an improved market share and get opportunities to get new customers, among other benefits that are related to the EMS program. Finally, the paper presents the reasons that make companies reluctant on the implementation of EMS. As such, the study outlines that time and resources are major factors that make organisations resist the implementation of EMS. Lack of commitment and training also makes companies unwilling to apply ISO 14001 and EMAS systems.
References
Ann, G., Zailani, S., & Abd Wahid, N. (2006). A study on the impact of environmental management system (EMS) certification towards firms’ performance in Malaysia. Management of Environmental Quality: An International Journal, 17(1), 73-93. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/14777830610639459
Proto, M., & Supino, S. (2000). Eco management quality system: ISO 14000. The state of the art in Italy. Total Quality Management, 11(4-6), 767-772. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09544120050008192
Psomas, E. L., Fotopoulos, C. V., & Kafetzopoulos, D. P. (2011). Motives, difficulties and benefits in implementing the ISO 14001 Environmental Management System. Management of Environmental Quality: An International Journal, 22(4), 502-521. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/14777831111136090
Silva, G.C.S. & De Medeiros, D. D. (2004). Environmental management in Brazilian
Companies. Management of Environmental Quality: An International Journal, 15(4), 380-388. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/14777830410540126
Steger, U. (2000). Environmental Management Systems: Empirical Evidence and Further Perspectives. European Management Journal, 18(1), 23-37. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0263-2373(99)00066-3
Whitelaw, K. (2004). ISO 14001 environmental systems handbook. Amsterdam: Elsevier/Butterworth-Heinemann.
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