How integrated are environmental,quality and other standardized management systems? An empirical study

The aim of this article is to analyze the extent to which environmental management systems are really integrated with the quality and other standardized management systems implemented in organizations. To this end, an empirical study was carried out on 435 companies that were registered to multiple management system standards, including ISO 14001: 2004 and ISO 9001: 2000 at the minimum. Overall, 362 of those organizations indicated that they had integrated all or at least some of their standardized management systems. Results from the cluster analysis show three types of organizations in function of their level of integration of management system goals, documentation and human resources, as well as procedures. The results also illustrate which particular management system components are integrated and to what degree.     

Implementing environmental with other standardized management systems: Scope,sequence, time and integration

The aim of this article is to analyze how the implementation of the environmental management system (EMS) in accordance with the ISO 14001: 2004 standard has been carried out in organizations having more than one standardized Management System (MSs). In particular, four implementation aspects will be discussed, namely the different management system standards (MSSs) used for registration, for example ISO 14001, ISO 9001, OHSAS 18001, ISO 27001 and SA 8000, the order in which they were implemented, the time required for each implementation, as well as the scope of integration of these MSSs into a single Integrated Management System (IMS).In order to do so, some of the results of a survey carried out in 176 organizations registered to, at a minimum, both ISO 14001: 2004 and ISO 9001: 2000 standards for environmental and quality management, respectively, are presented. As one of the few existing empirical studies regarding the integration of multiple MSs, this research reveals the importance of the different possibilities which organizations can opt for when considering EMS implementation. For example, while most respondents implemented ISO 9001 before ISO 14001, others did so simultaneously or even applied ISO 14001 first. Furthermore, although a large majority of organizations integrated their EMS with additional standardized MSs, a small percentage did not. Apart from illustrating the survey outcomes, the article contains a detailed case analysis of four specific organizations with high environmental awareness that have implemented quality and other standardized MSs.     

Integration of standardized environmental and quality management systems audits

In the last few years, many organizations have chosen to implement standardized Management Systems (MSs), such as the ones based on ISO 14001 and ISO 9001. However, few studies exist on how firms carry out the process of auditing these MSs.Our goal is to study how companies with more than one standardized MSs conduct the audits and to which extent they integrate the audit elements in order to benefit from the advantages of having a sole, integrated audit system.We provide four case studies and confirm the idea that firms with more than one MS integrate their audits. However, the degree and specific characteristics of this integration vary in the different companies analyzed.This paper contains one of the first qualitative empirical studies regarding the integration of MSs audits. The study provides an original contribution to the understanding of whether and how the four case study organizations have integrated certain aspects of the audit systems, for instance, the human resources, time, and audit inputs and outputs.     

Do integration difficulties influence management system integration levels?

The objective of this article is to empirically analyse whether there is a relationship between the difficulties found in the integration process and the level of system integration achieved.A sample of 362 organisations registered, at least, to both ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 14001:2004, is examined. Structural equation modelling is applied to their responses to a mailed survey. Two different groups are studied depending on the number of management systems implemented: two systems for the first group and three for the second.The results demonstrate that organisations with three implemented management systems face difficulties in the integration process that affect the level of integration, while this relationship is not significant for those organisations with two management systems.This paper is one of the first studies focussing on integration difficulties and their effect on the level of integration achieved.     

Integrated management systems – three different levels of integration

Different approaches to integration of management systems (ISO 9001, ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001 and SA 8000) with various levels of ambition have emerged. The tendency of increased compatibility between these standards has paved the road for discussions of, how to understand the different aspects of integration. The focus of the article is primarily to discuss three ambition levels of integration: from increased compatibility of system elements over coordination of generic processes to an embeddedness of an integrated management system (IMS) in a culture of learning and continuous improvements. At present, national IMS standards are being developed, and the IMS standards in Denmark and Spain are being analysed regarding the ambition level for integration. Should the ISO organisation decide to make a standard for IMS, then it would be necessary to consider the different levels of integration in order to make a coherent standard. So far, management systems have had major focus within organisations. However, in order to create competitive advantages for the organisation and contribute to a sustainable development, the IMS has to be expanded to include the whole product chain and all the stakeholders.     

Towards more sustainable management systems: through life cycle management and integration

The standards for management systems such as ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 are developing towards a higher degree of compatibility. At the same time, organisations increasingly integrate these systems. The paper discusses this development and presents different levels of integration. The aim is to suggest the next steps to take in order to improve an integration which promotes sustainable management. Product-oriented management and stakeholders are in focus and the standards for management systems and the need for a common integrated ISO standard are discussed. Finally, the need for changes in life style and needs is presented as crucial to the development of more sustainable management systems.     

Critical factors for implementing ISO 14001 standard in United States industrial companies

The purpose of this paper is to present the results of an empirical study carried out on a sample of certified industrial companies that operate in the United States, with the aim of identifying some of the critical factors for successful implementation of the ISO 14001 registration process. The paper reveals that it takes most of the companies between 8 to 19 months to obtain ISO 14001 certification. In addition, the ISO 14001 elements requiring the greatest effort are: identifying environmental aspects, environmental management system (EMS) documentation, training, EMS audits, operational control, environmental management program, objectives and targets, and document control. The survey also reveals that high certification cost and lack of other available resources are the greatest obstacles for implementing the ISO 14001 standard.     

ISO 14001 in environmental supply chain practices

This paper focuses on the role of ISO 14001 in environmental supply management practices in Swedish companies. It discusses the existing and potential role of ISO 14001 for three key operational tasks of environmental supply chain management: to communicate the requirements to the supplier, to motivate and enable the supplier, and to verify that the supplier follows the requirements. The study used three different research methods: interviews with environmental managers, focus group discussions and a survey of two multinational companies and their operating units in several countries.It concludes that cooperation between the purchasing and environmental functions within a company is frequently not sufficiently achieved in implementation of ISO 14001; this makes the communication of customer requirements to suppliers less efficient. Building close relationships with suppliers is important to overcome initial difficulties, but this often conflicts with having a large supplier base. For the supplier to have an ISO 14001 certificate is seldom an absolute requirement, however, preference is often given to such suppliers. The value of the ISO 14001 certificate, as a proof of environmental performance, is a combination of the supplier's environmental ambitions, the advancement of supply chain practices of the customer and the ambitions of the certification bodies. Supplier audits are not commonly used as they are resource-consuming. Monitoring and verification approaches need further development.     

ISO 14001 diffusion after the success of the ISO 9001 model

The interest shown by organizations and other entities linked by the implementation of environmental management systems (EMS), especially the family of ISO 14000 standards and the EMAS regulation in Europe, has grown spectacularly all over the world in recent years, even though a certain saturation has been detected in some countries. That leads us to ask, is EMS implementation already saturated? This article will analyze the case of the successful ISO 14000 standard, based on previous experience with the most widely used standardised management systems in the entire world: quality management systems (QMS). Will EMS follow in the footsteps of QMS?The analysis carried out, using a logistic curve that fits quite well to explain the nature of this growth, distinguishes three general patterns to explain the diffusion of these norms, namely, expansionistic, mature and retrocessive.     

Voluntary GHG management using a life cycle approach. A case study

Voluntary GHG management is a primary issue for many organizations. To support organizations with this activity, authoritative bodies have published many different guidelines. Nevertheless, these guidelines show limitations in identification of the direct and indirect processes that have a major impact on climate change, which should be considered in GHG management.In this paper, a life cycle approach is used to identify the processes of an organization and its supply chain that have major impacts on climate change. The results show that this approach is compatible with the current ISO standards and that in the case study the greatest emissions come from the organization’s indirect processes.     

环境和质量管理体系一体化实质分析

阐述了过程方法在ISO14001（2004版）环境管理体系标准和ISO9001（2000版）质量管理体系标准中的运用。介绍了过程的概念、过程特性的概念、过程的输入和输出要求。分析了环境管理体系和质量管理体系一体化的实质及其意义。指出一体化管理体系不是将2个标准中要素的要求简单叠加。     

Comparative analysis of diffusion of the ISO 14001 standard by sector of activity

In recent years there have been many approaches to understand the cross-country diffusion rate of the most common environmental management standards issued by the International Organization for Standardization, the ISO 14000 series, due to their spectacular growth around the world, even though a certain saturation has been detected in some countries. However, few studies have shed light on the diffusion process of these standards across sectors of activity. Therefore, the present paper examines whether there are patterns of diffusion of the ISO 14001 standard that are singular at specific sectors of economic activity. The analysis was carried out using a logistic curve that fits quite well to explain the nature of this growth, and instability and concentration indexes were calculated to analyze the evolution of the rankings of the sectors attending the number of certifications ISO 14001. It concludes that the diffusion among sectors is quite homogeneous: all sectors have experienced similar behavior. Moreover, the article proposes some suggestions for future research.     

实施ISO14000系列标准应与我国实际相结合

简要介绍ＩＳＯ１４０００系列标准的特点，内容和目的，一年多试点工作表明实施ＩＳＯ１４０００环境管理系列标准将成为环境管理模式的一次重大发展，从６个方面阐述了实施ＩＳＯ１４０００系列标准必须与我国的环境保护工作实际尤其应与正在推行的清洁生产相结合。     

The state of environmental performance evaluation in the public sector: the case of the Portuguese defence sector

The environmental performance evaluation (EPE) of organizations is becoming an autonomous management tool. The main goal of this research was to assess the state of EPE practice in the Portuguese defence sector, as a particular part of public services. A questionnaire survey was conducted involving all Portuguese military units that have a person in charge of environmental issues. The questionnaire was designed to assess: (i) the importance and drivers of EPE; (ii) the ISO 14031 knowledge and implementation; (iii) the knowledge and use of environmental indicators; (iv) the optimal format for indicators; and (v) the advantages and drawbacks of using environmental indicators. Despite various initiatives driving environmental practices in public organizations, most of that experience is only centred on an environmental management system, and EPE is quite a new issue. Nevertheless, general environmental performance evaluation is a growing reality and one in which Portuguese military units are taking an increasing interest. Overall respondents agree on the importance of measuring and communicating environmental performance related to their main missions and activities. The main drivers for EPE in military units are the prevention of health risks and compliance with regulations. However, to date, ISO 14031 and environmental performance indicators are almost unknown in the respondent military units. Among the three military branches, the Navy revealed the worst environmental performance evaluation knowledge, awareness and practice.     

Incorporating sustainability into supply management in the automotive industry – the case of the Volkswagen AG

Companies are perceived as important actors in the drive for sustainability. Linked to this, and in response to increasing demands from various stakeholder groups, companies start to look at their supply chain to enhance their overall sustainability profile. Two major triggers can be identified: (1) focal companies are held responsible for environmental and social problems caused by their suppliers, which become more and more important as (2) an increasing share of value is created at the supplier level. In response to such demands, companies have to find ways to incorporate environmental and social aspects into their supply (chain) management. Therefore, environmental and social standards are integrated into supply management by amending the purchasing processes. This paper presents one approach to integrate social and environmental standards into supply policy and supply management at the Volkswagen AG, a focal company of the automobile industry. Therefore, required changes of the sourcing and supply structures were identified during an action research project, and possible options adaptable for company internal integration are shown.     

国际贸易中的环境要项

环境要素在流动性决定了国际间环境与贸易的紧密联系。随着世界快速的经济一体化，将环境要项纳入国际贸易的规范、条款已势在必行。文章分析了环境成本内在化和ＩＳＯ１４０００的实质，它们的内在联系及在国际贸易中的作用和影响，提出了将ＩＳＯ１４０００作为实施环境成本内在化的参照规则的合理、可行性。     

The need for global coordination in sustainable development

Natural resources are being depleted at faster rates than ever; this highlights the need for global audits and actions to reverse the depletion. Coordinated efforts by various organizations are essential to quantify reserves and demands in such audits in order to enable the development and implementation of strategies for sustainable recovery, usage, and recycling of natural resources. This paper discusses such audits in several industries and puts forward analytical and technical methods and policies for sustainable recovery, usage and recycling of resources in those industries. Scenario analysis can help to provide better future directions for industries whilst eco-industrial parks could improve the efficiency of usage of available resources and waste products through synergies among different industries on a regional basis. Sustainable manufacturing within industries such as micromachining, cement and leather could further reduce consumption of natural resources. New technologies in mineral recovery could help to recover valuable minerals present in concentrates generated by various processes such as reverse osmosis of sea water, chemical processing of minerals, and domestic and industrial wastewater treatments. These areas are discussed in this special issue of the Journal of Cleaner Production. It is imperative that the efforts by various organizations toward sustainable management of natural resources should compliment each other to minimize duplication; furthermore policy makers should play greater roles in developing and implementing policies and procedures to support such sustainable development oriented approaches simultaneously throughout the world in a coordinated and proactive manner for the short and long term future.     

The ISO 14001 certification of a machine-process

Some process machines in industrial manufacturing can be defined machine-process: their operations can be analysed by several points of view independently from the larger manufacturing process where they are included. For a machine-process, an Ems—Environmental management system can be set up and the ISO 14001 certification reached in an ‘earlier application’ way, with the involvement of both supplier/manufacturer and client/user. The ‘earlier certification’ of machine-processes adds new contents to the product, linked to the environment, helping the market of ‘clean technologies’, and fosters the diffusion of ISO 14001 certification among supplying/manufacturing companies and clients/users whose entire process is not yet certified.A case study is presented that has been experienced in Italy. The ‘offer and design’ phase of a port mobile shiploader is completely developed by following the ‘earlier application’ scheme for ISO 14001 certification of a machine process—introduced and explained in the paper. Achieved results are shown, and the perspective of a complete application of the scheme to the following ‘detailed design and assembly’ and ‘operations’ phases of the same machine are outlined. The feasibility of such a new application of ISO 14000 standards is proved, together with its advantages, while the readiness of the market for the new sector of earlier certification of machine-processes is highlighted.     

ISO14000标准中重大环境因素的判别方法

建立符合、有效的环境管理体系是组织实施 ISO14000环境管理标准的主要内容,而判别重大环境因素则是这一过程的基础和关键．本文探讨了判别重大环境因素的原则和标准,总结和介绍了多标准综合评价法、等标污染负荷－排污频率法等重大环境因素判别方法．     

Integrated management systems: experiences in Italian organizations

Integrated Management Systems (IMS) are becoming more and more important, but experiences may differ across regions and companies of different size and sectors. The study reported in this paper has been developed using a sample of Italian companies to investigate the potential for integration starting from an analysis of the common aspects in terms of real motivations (company image, costs saving, etc.), obstacles (unclear regulations, lack of financial support, etc.), driving forces and external pressures that companies meet when implementing each of the management systems analysed: Quality (ISO 9001:2000), Environmental (ISO 14001:2004), Occupational Health and Safety (OHSAS 18001:1999), and even, Social Responsibility (SA 8000:2007) management systems.