Adoption of environmental standards in Australia: focus on ISO 14001

Abstract

This study aimed to explore the adoption of environmental standards in Australia, focusing on ISO 14001. The authors used purposive sampling to select a group of ISO 14001 certified and a group of ISO 14001 non-certified companies. Data were collected through a combination of website searches and content analysis. The study found that, overall, 92.9% of the ISO 14001 certified compared to 78.4% of the ISO 14001 non-certified companies promoted their environmental commitment through various methods. In addition, 33.4% of ISO 14001 non-certified companies (compared to 19.2% of certified companies) used their environmental engagement activities as a marketing tool. Second, 80.9% of ISO 14001 certified companies' and 26.7% of the non-certified companies' reports are easy to find and are clearly stated. The study concludes that Australian companies engage in similar environmental activities irrespective of whether they are ISO 14001 certified or not. Both management and research implications of the study's findings are presented.

Evaluating the organizational intention to implement an Environmental Management System: evidence from the Indonesian food and beverage industry

“…Second, its product (s) must be processed within East Java. This study used a purposive sampling method to collect the data, as it was necessary that respondents were literate as well as knowledgeable and experienced in managing their companies (Naudé et al, ). The main units of analysis were, therefore, the owner (s) or manager (s) of the studied companies who were generally involved in environmental or operational decision‐making (Prajogo et al, ).…”

“…This internalization process of EMS will produce a set of routines and operational procedures as a unique value that cannot be easily replicated by competitors. Thus, companies wish to adopt an EMS standard as a tool for marketing to attract a larger market share (Naudé, Quaddus, Rowe, & Nowak, ). Firms strive to improve their operational efficiency by minimizing waste and pollution, as well as by reducing the use of raw materials.…”

Internal contextual factors influencing the extent of environmental disclosure

“…Numerous studies argue that adoption of an EMS will enhance the extent of environmental disclosure (Mitchell and Hill, 2009;Naude et al, 2011). This study measures the presence of an EMS as a dichotomous variable.…”

“…For example, management systems assist companies to measure and report on various aspects such as financial, quality, environmental, ethical and social performances. Naude et al (2011) show that there is a growing trend for companies to adopt EMS to promote their environmental engagement and in order to improve the quality and reliability of disclosure. Therefore, a sophisticated EMS is needed by companies to generate information which forms the basis for communication to internal and external stakeholders on matters such as health, safety and the environment (Bouma and Kamp-Roelands, 2000).…”

Global trends in environmental management system and ISO14001 research

“…The standard consists of a systematic framework which leads to environmental regulatory compliance by setting-up measurable environmental targets and performing a regular review on their effectiveness (Zutshi and Sohal, 2004). It utilises a set of comprehensive guidelines for an organisation to establish its environmental policies and perform continuous environmental improvement via consistent control of its operations (Naudé et al, 2011). Massoud et al (2010) argue that EMS can be an instrument to reorient consumption and production patterns of industrial activities to secure natural resources and prevent ecological damages.…”