IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v9y2016i10p774-d78859.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Evaluating the Management System Approach for Industrial Energy Efficiency Improvements

Author

Listed:
  • Thomas Zobel

    (Industrial Environmental Management Unit, Luleå University of Technology, Luleå SE-971 87, Sweden)

  • Charlotte Malmgren

    (Industrial Environmental Management Unit, Luleå University of Technology, Luleå SE-971 87, Sweden)

Abstract

Voluntary environmental management systems (EMS) based on the international standard ISO 14001 have become widespread globally in recent years. The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of voluntary management systems on energy efficiency in the Swedish manufacturing industry by means of objective industrial energy data derived from mandatory annual environmental reports. The study focuses on changes in energy efficiency over a period of 12 years and includes both ISO 14001-certified companies and non-certified companies. Consideration is given to energy improvement efforts in the companies before the adoption of ISO 14001. The analysis has been carried out using statistical methods for two different industrial energy parameters: electricity and fossil fuel consumption. The results indicate that ISO 14001 adoption and certification has increased energy efficiency regarding the use of fossil fuel. In contrast, no effect of the management systems has been found concerning the use of electricity. The mixed results of this study are only partly in line with the results of previous studies based on perceptions of company representatives.

Suggested Citation

  • Thomas Zobel & Charlotte Malmgren, 2016. "Evaluating the Management System Approach for Industrial Energy Efficiency Improvements," Energies, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-12, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:9:y:2016:i:10:p:774-:d:78859
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/9/10/774/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/9/10/774/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Barla, Philippe, 2007. "ISO 14001 certification and environmental performance in Quebec's pulp and paper industry," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 53(3), pages 291-306, May.
    2. Thomas Zobel, 2016. "The impact of ISO 14001 on corporate environmental performance: a study of Swedish manufacturing firms," Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 59(4), pages 587-606, April.
    3. Julia Hertin & Frans Berkhout & Marcus Wagner & Daniel Tyteca, 2008. "Are EMS environmentally effective? The link between environmental management systems and environmental performance in European companies," Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 51(2), pages 259-283.
    4. Dieudonne Alemagi & Pius M. Oben & Jürgen Ertel, 2006. "Implementing environmental management systems in industries along the Atlantic coast of Cameroon: drivers, benefits and barriers," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 13(4), pages 221-232, September.
    5. Jonas Ammenberg & Olof Hjelm, 2003. "Tracing business and environmental effects of environmental management systems—a study of networking small and medium‐sized enterprises using a joint environmental management system," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 12(3), pages 163-174, May.
    6. Palm, Jenny & Thollander, Patrik, 2010. "An interdisciplinary perspective on industrial energy efficiency," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 87(10), pages 3255-3261, October.
    7. Laskurain, Iker & Heras-Saizarbitoria, Iñaki & Casadesús, Martí, 2015. "Fostering renewable energy sources by standards for environmental and energy management," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 1148-1156.
    8. Patrik Thollander & Jenny Palm, 2015. "Industrial Energy Management Decision Making for Improved Energy Efficiency—Strategic System Perspectives and Situated Action in Combination," Energies, MDPI, vol. 8(6), pages 1-10, June.
    9. Michael V. Russo, 2009. "Explaining the impact of ISO 14001 on emission performance: a dynamic capabilities perspective on process and learning," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(5), pages 307-319, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Mette Talseth Solnørdal & Lene Foss, 2018. "Closing the Energy Efficiency Gap—A Systematic Review of Empirical Articles on Drivers to Energy Efficiency in Manufacturing Firms," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-30, February.
    2. Nursyazwani Mohd Fuzi & Sabrinah Adam & Mohamad Rohieszan Ramdan & Sharon Yong Yee Ong & Juliana Osman & Subramaniam Kolandan & Siti Zubaidah Mohd Ariffin & Nor Sa’adah Jamaluddin & Karmilah Abdullah, 2022. "Sustainability Management Accounting and Organizational Performance: The Mediating Role of Environmental Management System," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-17, November.
    3. Bartlomiej Gawin & Bartosz Marcinkowski, 2020. "Setting up Energy Efficiency Management in Companies: Preliminary Lessons Learned from the Petroleum Industry," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-16, October.
    4. Sébastien Bissey & Sébastien Jacques & Jean-Charles Le Bunetel, 2017. "The Fuzzy Logic Method to Efficiently Optimize Electricity Consumption in Individual Housing," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-24, October.
    5. Rafael Uriarte-Romero & Margarita Gil-Samaniego & Edgar Valenzuela-Mondaca & Juan Ceballos-Corral, 2017. "Methodology for the Successful Integration of an Energy Management System to an Operational Environmental System," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(8), pages 1-9, July.
    6. P. Pablo Poveda-Orjuela & J. Carlos García-Díaz & Alexander Pulido-Rojano & Germán Cañón-Zabala, 2019. "ISO 50001: 2018 and Its Application in a Comprehensive Management System with an Energy-Performance Focus," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(24), pages 1-33, December.
    7. Shun Jia & Qinghe Yuan & Dawei Ren & Jingxiang Lv, 2017. "Energy Demand Modeling Methodology of Key State Transitions of Turning Processes," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-19, April.
    8. Kristaps Locmelis & Dagnija Blumberga & Andra Blumberga & Anna Kubule, 2020. "Benchmarking of Industrial Energy Efficiency. Outcomes of an Energy Audit Policy Program," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-15, May.
    9. Akvile Lawrence & Patrik Thollander & Magnus Karlsson, 2018. "Drivers, Barriers, and Success Factors for Improving Energy Management in the Pulp and Paper Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-35, June.
    10. Radosław Wolniak & Adam Wyszomirski & Marcin Olkiewicz & Anna Olkiewicz, 2021. "Environmental Corporate Social Responsibility Activities in Heating Industry—Case Study," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-19, March.
    11. Juraj Šebo & Jasna Prester & Miriam Šebová, 2023. "The Role of Environmental Management Systems and Energy Management Systems in the Adoption of Energy Recuperation Technologies in Central European Manufacturing Companies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(24), pages 1-18, December.
    12. Agus Joko Pramono & Suwarno & Firdaus Amyar & Renny Friska, 2023. "Sustainability Management Accounting in Achieving Sustainable Development Goals: The Role of Performance Auditing in the Manufacturing Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-13, June.
    13. José Rafael Lopes & Salvador Ávila & Ricardo Kalid & Jorge Laureano Moya Rodríguez, 2018. "Energy Efficiency Improvement in Non-Intensive Energy Enterprises: A Framework Proposal," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-16, May.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Artitzar Erauskin‐Tolosa & Eugenio Zubeltzu‐Jaka & Iñaki Heras‐Saizarbitoria & Olivier Boiral, 2020. "ISO 14001, EMAS and environmental performance: A meta‐analysis," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(3), pages 1145-1159, March.
    2. Guoyou Qi & Saixing Zeng & Xiaodong Li & Chiming Tam, 2012. "Role of Internalization Process in Defining the Relationship between ISO 14001 Certification and Corporate Environmental Performance," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 19(3), pages 129-140, May.
    3. Lorenzo Ardito & Rosa Maria Dangelico, 2018. "Firm Environmental Performance under Scrutiny: The Role of Strategic and Organizational Orientations," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 25(4), pages 426-440, July.
    4. Iñaki Heras‐Saizarbitoria & Olivier Boiral & Alberto Díaz de Junguitu, 2020. "Environmental management certification and environmental performance: Greening or greenwashing?," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(6), pages 2829-2841, September.
    5. He, Yong & Liao, Nuo & Zhou, Ya, 2018. "Analysis on provincial industrial energy efficiency and its influencing factors in China based on DEA-RS-FANN," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 142(C), pages 79-89.
    6. Kyungmin Baek, 2018. "Sustainable development and pollutant outcomes: The case of ISO 14001 in Korea," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 25(5), pages 825-832, September.
    7. Palm, J. & Kojonsaari, A.-R. & Öhrlund, I. & Fowler, N. & Bartusch, C., 2023. "Drivers and barriers to participation in Sweden's local flexibility markets for electricity," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    8. Wenlong He & Wei Yang & Seong-jin Choi, 2018. "The Interplay Between Private and Public Regulations: Evidence from ISO 14001 Adoption Among Chinese Firms," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 152(2), pages 477-497, October.
    9. Luca Marrucci & Tiberio Daddi & Fabio Iraldo, 2022. "Do dynamic capabilities matter? A study on environmental performance and the circular economy in European certified organisations," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(6), pages 2641-2657, September.
    10. Luca Marrucci & Tiberio Daddi, 2022. "The contribution of the Eco‐Management and Audit Scheme to the environmental performance of manufacturing organisations," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(4), pages 1347-1357, May.
    11. Andrea Chiarini, 2017. "Setting Strategies outside a Typical Environmental Perspective Using ISO 14001 Certification," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(6), pages 844-854, September.
    12. Jing Wang & Yunshi Mao, 2020. "Pains and gains of environmental management system certification for the sustainable development of manufacturing companies: Heterogeneous effects of industry peer learning," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(5), pages 2092-2109, July.
    13. Kimitaka Nishitani & Katsuhiko Kokubu & Takehisa Kajiwara, 2016. "Does low-carbon supply chain management reduce greenhouse gas emissions more effectively than existing environmental initiatives? An empirical analysis of Japanese manufacturing firms," Journal of Management Control: Zeitschrift für Planung und Unternehmenssteuerung, Springer, vol. 27(1), pages 33-60, February.
    14. Claudia Poser & Edeltraud Guenther & Marc Orlitzky, 2012. "Shades of green: using computer-aided qualitative data analysis to explore different aspects of corporate environmental performance," Metrika: International Journal for Theoretical and Applied Statistics, Springer, vol. 22(4), pages 413-450, January.
    15. Iñaki Heras‐Saizarbitoria & German Arana & Olivier Boiral, 2016. "Outcomes of Environmental Management Systems: the Role of Motivations and Firms’ Characteristics," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(8), pages 545-559, December.
    16. Francesco Testa & Olivier Boiral & Fabio Iraldo, 2018. "Internalization of Environmental Practices and Institutional Complexity: Can Stakeholders Pressures Encourage Greenwashing?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 147(2), pages 287-307, January.
    17. Patrik Thollander & Jenny Palm & Johan Hedbrant, 2019. "Energy Efficiency as a Wicked Problem," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-11, March.
    18. Tiberio Daddi & Fabio Iraldo & Francesco Testa & Maria Rosa De Giacomo, 2019. "The influence of managerial satisfaction on corporate environmental performance and reputation," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(1), pages 15-24, January.
    19. Dietrich Earnhart, 2013. "Effect of Systems to Manage Environmental Aspects on Environmental Performance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 5(6), pages 1-32, June.
    20. T. Daddi & M. Magistrelli & M. Frey & F. Iraldo, 2011. "Do environmental management systems improve environmental performance? Empirical evidence from Italian companies," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 13(5), pages 845-862, October.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:9:y:2016:i:10:p:774-:d:78859. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.