The ISO 14001 EMS implementation process and its implications: A case study of Central Japan

This study aims to investigate the ISO 14001 implementation process and its implications for regional environmental management. The region of Central Japan (known as Chubu in Japanese. which literally means center) was chosen for this case study. The study focuses on selected issues such as the: (1) trends and motives of private firms in the implementation of an ISO 14001- based environmental management system (EMS); (2) obstacles during system im plementation; (3) role of the system in enhancing environmental performance within the certified organization; and (4) relation between the major stak eholders, local citizens, governments, and firms after adopting the system. To achieve these objectives, a questionnaire survey was mailed to all cert ified firms in the region. A 58% response was achieved overall. The results show that the main aims behind the adoption of ISO 14001 by firms in the C hubu region are to improve the environmental aspects within the enterprises and to enhance the employees' environmental awareness and capacity. The re sults have also shown that the ISO 14001-based EMS has had a great effect o n a firm's environmental status as certified firms have claimed that natura l resources such as fuel, water, and paper consumption have been more effic iently managed after adopting the system. implementation of the system caus es the firms to consider the role of the local people and the government in more effectively involving the local people in the firm's daily environmen tal activities. It also helps to enhance the environmental awareness among the local people. Adopting the system also promotes a better relation withi n the enterprises affiliated to the same group, such as more attention give n by the parent firms (head offices) towards other firms working for the sa me group, or branches-mainly small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs)-in t he field of EMS. Finally, the results show that firms give serious consider ation to their final products' impacts on the environment. In other words, attention is given to life cycle analysis (LCA) among certified firms.