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Are EMS environmentally effective? The link between environmental management systems and environmental performance in European companies

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  • Julia Hertin
  • Frans Berkhout
  • Marcus Wagner
  • Daniel Tyteca

Abstract

Based on the analysis of a large dataset on the environmental performance of European companies in five industrial sectors, this paper examines the question of whether the presence of an environmental management system (EMS) has a positive impact on the eco-efficiency of companies. It begins with a review of evidence about the link between EMS and environmental performance in business organisations, finding that, despite much research, there is still little quantitative evidence. The second part of the paper uses three independent statistical methods (simple correlations, Jaggi-Freedman indices and a 'trend differences' approach) to assess whether companies and production sites with EMS perform better than those without and whether performance improves after an EMS has been introduced. The paper shows that there is currently no evidence that EMS have a consistent and significant positive impact on environmental performance. Policy action based on the simple assumption that companies with an EMS perform better than those without therefore seems inappropriate.

Suggested Citation

  • 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.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:jenpmg:v:51:y:2008:i:2:p:259-283
    DOI: 10.1080/09640560701865040
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. 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.
    2. Paweł Nowicki & Marek Ćwiklicki & Piotr Kafel & Janusz Niezgoda & Magdalena Wojnarowska, 2023. "The circular economy and its benefits for pro‐environmental companies," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(7), pages 4584-4599, November.
    3. Tai-Wei Chang, 2020. "Corporate Sustainable Development Strategy: Effect of Green Shared Vision on Organization Members’ Behavior," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-20, April.
    4. A.D. Nuwan Gunarathne & Ki‐Hoon Lee & Pubudu K. Hitigala Kaluarachchilage, 2021. "Institutional pressures, environmental management strategy, and organizational performance: The role of environmental management accounting," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(2), pages 825-839, February.
    5. William Young & Matthew Davis & Ilona M. McNeill & Bindu Malhotra & Sally Russell & Kerrie Unsworth & Chris W. Clegg, 2015. "Changing Behaviour: Successful Environmental Programmes in the Workplace," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(8), pages 689-703, December.
    6. Marcus Wagner, 2013. "‘Green’ Human Resource Benefits: Do they Matter as Determinants of Environmental Management System Implementation?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 114(3), pages 443-456, May.
    7. Gerhards, Jan & Greenwood, Dan, 2021. "One Planet Living and the legitimacy of sustainability governance: From standardised information to regenerative systems," SocArXiv z4ja7, Center for Open Science.
    8. Xiang Bi & Madhu Khanna, 2017. "Inducing pollution prevention adoption: effectiveness of the 33/50 voluntary environmental program," Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 60(12), pages 2234-2254, December.
    9. Duojun He & Shenggang Ren & Huixiang Zeng, 2022. "Environmental labeling certification and firm environmental and financial performance: A resource management perspective," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(3), pages 751-767, March.
    10. Shoaib Aslam & Mohamed H. Elmagrhi & Ramiz Ur Rehman & Collins G. Ntim, 2021. "Environmental management practices and financial performance using data envelopment analysis in Japan: The mediating role of environmental performance," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(4), pages 1655-1673, May.
    11. Cosmina L. Voinea & Bas-Jan Hoogenberg & Cosmin Fratostiteanu & Hammad Bin Azam Hashmi, 2020. "The Relation between Environmental Management Systems and Environmental and Financial Performance in Emerging Economies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(13), pages 1-21, July.
    12. Martin Mueller & Virginia dos Santos & Stefan Seuring, 2009. "The Contribution of Environmental and Social Standards Towards Ensuring Legitimacy in Supply Chain Governance," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 89(4), pages 509-523, November.
    13. Marcus Wagner, 2009. "National culture, regulation and country interaction effects on the association of environmental management systems with environmentally beneficial innovation," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(2), pages 122-136, February.
    14. 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.
    15. 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.
    16. Rita Lamboglia & Francesco Paolone & Daniela Mancini, 2019. "Determinants of the implementation of environmental risk indicators: Empirical evidence from the Italian manufacturing context," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 26(2), pages 307-316, March.
    17. António Pedro Vieira & Gregor Radonjič, 2020. "Disclosure of eco‐innovation activities in European large companies' sustainability reporting," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(5), pages 2240-2253, September.
    18. Wagner, Marcus, 2015. "The link of environmental and economic performance: Drivers and limitations of sustainability integration," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 68(6), pages 1306-1317.
    19. 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.
    20. Chin-Hung Tseng & Kuo-Hsiung Chang & Ho-Wen Chen, 2021. "Strategic Orientation, Environmental Management Systems, and Eco-Innovation: Investigating the Moderating Effects of Absorptive Capacity," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-14, November.
    21. Ammar Masood & Mohsin Altaf & Mohsin Raza Khan & Tanveer Illahi & Abdul Qayyum, 2021. "Industrial Environmental Performance: Mapping And Systematic Literature Review," Bulletin of Business and Economics (BBE), Research Foundation for Humanity (RFH), vol. 10(4), pages 76-100, December.
    22. Thomas Zobel & Charlotte Malmgren, 2016. "Evaluating the Management System Approach for Industrial Energy Efficiency Improvements," Energies, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-12, September.
    23. Dietrich Earnhart, 2013. "Effect of Systems to Manage Environmental Aspects on Environmental Performance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 5(6), pages 1-32, June.
    24. Marcus Wagner, 2020. "Global governance in new public environmental management: An international and intertemporal comparison of voluntary standards' impacts," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(3), pages 1056-1073, March.

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