Significance and Issues of the ISO14001 Environmental Management System in Corporate Environmental Management: The Case of a Company Division, a General Electrical Manufacturer

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  • 企業の環境経営におけるISO14001「環境マネジメントシステム」の意義と課題――総合電機A社の一事業部を事例として――
  • キギョウ ノ カンキョウ ケイエイ ニ オケル ISO 14001 カンキョウ マネジメント システム ノ イギ ト カダイ ソウゴウ デンキ Aシャ ノ イチ ジギョウブ オ ジレイ ト シテ

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<p>In recent years, many companies have had their environmental management systems (EMSs) certified in accordance with ISO14001. This study attempts to clarify how EMS fulfills its functions in actual corporate environmental management, and in particular, the mechanism by which EMS functions. A company is a subject of the economic system, and simultaneously, it is also a system in itself, comprising various strata from top management to the rank-and-file employees. To clarify the distinctive features of EMS as a management tool for corporate environmental management, as well as the mechanism by which it functions, it is necessary to clarify the factorial relationships. Therefore, this paper examines these issues by dividing the study into frameworks of three levels from the viewpoint of system and subject. In framework ① the distinctive features of a corporate EMS and, against this background, the factors which control the decision-making and actions of subjects (i. e., organizational strata) are examined. In framework ② the effect of the interaction between an audit client company and a certification/registration organization on the company’s EMS under ISO14001 as an institution is investigated. In framework ③ the relationship between corporate environmental management strategy and corporate cognition, with regard to other subjects in the economic system, is considered.</p><p>The following conclusions were obtained from interviews and a questionnaire survey conducted in E Division (manufacturing information equipment, approximately 2200 employees) of A Company (a general electrical manufacturer) and an ISO14001 certification organization (J Organization). The EMS in E Division is distinguished by the prioritizing of environmental efforts which lend to cost saving and the developing of image-conscious ‘green products’. These activities reflect a lock-step and image-conscious strategy in corporate environmental management based on the top management’s perception that the environmental market is still uncertain and immature. Another distinction of EMS in E Division is an operational efficiency-oriented system, reflected in the setting of low level targets and partial employee participation. Such operation of EMS reduces rank-and-file employees to the sidelines and leads to their acceptance of the status quo. Be cause ISO14001 prescribes the auditing of the system and not the performance of EMS, and furthermore, certification organizations compete for clients, they tend to cater to the client’s wishes and accept operational efficiency-oriented EMS in auditing.</p><p>Finally, this paper presents some personal suggestions on the operation of EMS and ISO14001 as an institution.</p>

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