An investigation into the categorisation of organisations to understand the potential barriers and motivations to certification of an environmental management system: BS EN ISO14001:2004

Abstract

An investigation has been undertaken to ascertain the extent of the existing knowledge base regarding publically voluntary instruments capable of supporting organisations in developing improvements in environmental management. The multifaceted nature of the organisations seeking certification mean a generic approach to implementation is unlikely to deliver the desired after results or a resource efficient approach. Furthermore, the diversity of opinions recorded in the literature is often based on anecdotal evidence and small scale research projects. There is a lack of verifiable knowledge and understanding of the difficulties and barriers experienced by organisations attempting to secure certification for existing voluntary instruments for environmental management such as ISO 14001. The aim of the Research: ISO 14001 is the fastest growing of the ISO Standards related to Environmental Management Systems; however existing research has been small scale and anecdotal. This research aims to confirm or dispute the present discussions and assumptions surrounding the motivations and barriers to certification to ISO 14001. Through deductive reasoning this research will provide a comprehensive investigation into the barriers and motivations experienced in its implementation. It is proposed that more comprehensive opportunities for organisational categorisation may also be defined. The focus of the research has been to consider:  The potential for integration of these voluntary instruments.  The effects of the detailed requirements of the standard ISO 14001 on its certification and implementation processes.  The perceived and actual barriers to implementation  The opportunities to categorise participating organisations accordingly. An analysis of instruments available to support organisations in improving their environmental management has been undertaken. A complex and diverse array of instruments have been reviewed beyond the most regularly discussed ISO 14001. Considerable overlaps were identified in the requirements of the various instruments, suggesting opportunities for integration and resource efficiencies in implementation which have not previously been investigated. A detailed review of the certification processes of over 850 organisations certified to ISO 14001 was undertaken. This highlighted patterns in the barriers to implementation that have not previously been observed and which, in some cases, contradict existing literature. It has been shown that existing categorisation of originations was often only on the basis of whether an organisation was an SME or NON SME. However, it was proposed that this method lacked discrimination, with SME encompassing 99.8% of private sector businesses in the UK. This research has elicited significant motivations and barriers to EMS implementation and used these to provide an objective basis to categorise organisations. The outcome of this research has been:  A novel assessment of integration opportunities for 13 instruments.  An objective review of the certification and implementation processes for ISO 14001.  The development of taxonomies that encompasses multiple criteria that exhibit significant variability that could provide a method of classification for organisations.