An insight into the associations between environmental activity management, environmental management systems and performance

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin Baird ◽  
Sophia Xia Su ◽  
Amy Tung
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Management ◽  
Financial Performance ◽  
Environmental Performance ◽  
Management Systems ◽  
Environmental Management Systems ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Activity Management ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Environmental Activity

Purpose This study uses the survey method to examine the associations between the three levels of environmental activity management (EAM) (environmental activity analysis, environmental activity cost analysis and environmental activity based costing) with environmental management systems (EMSs), and assesses the effectiveness of these EAM practices and EMSs by examining their associations with both environmental and financial performance. While this study is unable to assert causality, the findings provide an important insight into the need to integrate EMSs and EMA practices, specifically EAM. In addition, the findings provide an initial insight into the relationship between the extent of use of these practices and organisational performance (environmental and financial). Design/methodology/approach Data was collected using a mail survey of 659 manufacturing organisations identified from the Onesource on-line database. A total of 140 completed questionnaires were returned (21.2%), 72 (10.9%) following the initial mail-out, and a further 68 (10.3%) from the follow-up mail-out. Findings In respect to the association between EAM and EMSs, this study provides empirical evidence to support the integration of EAM practices with the use of EMSs, suggesting the relationships between the two is bi-directional. In respect to the association between EMSs with environmental and financial performance, while the extent of use of EMSs is not associated with financial performance, there is strong evidence supporting the positive association between EMSs with environmental performance. Further, while there are minimal results regarding the direct association between the three EAM practices and environmental performance, a cyclical relationship between EAM and financial performance is identified. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature by providing an empirical insight into the relationship between the extent of adoption of EMSs and the use of EMA. The focus on the relationship between EMSs and EMA is pertinent owing to the sparse research on EMA practices and the “importance of using such [EAM] practices and integrating them within the organisation rather than using them on an ad hoc basis” (Phan et al., 2018, p. 657). This study also contributes to the literature by examining the effectiveness of both practices in respect to their association with environmental and financial performance.

scholarly journals The Relation between Environmental Management Systems and Environmental and Financial Performance in Emerging Economies

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (13) ◽  
pp. 5309 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cosmina L. Voinea ◽  
Bas-Jan Hoogenberg ◽  
Cosmin Fratostiteanu ◽  
Hammad Bin Azam Hashmi
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Management ◽  
Financial Performance ◽  
Emerging Economies ◽  
Environmental Performance ◽  
Management Systems ◽  
Environmental Management Systems ◽  
Environmental Practices ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
The Cost ◽  
The Relationship

This study pursues to clarify the effect of environmental management systems (EMS) comprehensiveness on environmental performance and financial performance using an extensive quantitative dataset obtained in Brazil over an eight-year period. It is recognized that the implementation of environmental management differs per company varying in how many environmental practices are adopted and hence how comprehensive the EMS is. The relationship between EMS comprehensiveness, environmental performance, and financial performance proves to be complex. First of all, the overall negative effect of environmental performance on financial performance may indicate that the resources needed to realize an improved environmental performance do not outweigh the cost reductions resulting from eco-efficiency or improved reputation. The effect of EMS comprehensiveness on financial performance is in line with that, indicating that an above average EMS comprehensiveness results in lower financial performance, which may correspond to high environmental management- and overhead costs. Across sectors, the companies operating in sector industries have high quality EMS comprehensiveness, while the companies in agriculture, commerce, and services exhibit a lower EMS.

Environmental activity management: its use and impact on environmental performance

2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 651-673 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thanh Nguyet Phan ◽  
Kevin Baird ◽  
Sophia Su
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Performance ◽  
Mail Survey ◽  
Decision Quality ◽  
Activity Based Costing ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Activity Management ◽  
Activity Cost ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Environmental Activity

Purpose The study provides an insight into the application and usefulness of activity management (AM) principles in an environmental context. Specifically, the purpose of this paper is to examine the extent of use of environmental activity management (EAM) utilising Gosselin’s (1997) three levels of AM (namely, environmental activity analysis (EAA), environmental activity cost analysis (EACA), and environmental activity-based costing (EABC)). The study also examines the association between EAM and environmental performance, and the role of decision quality as a mediator in this relationship. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 208 Australian organisations across different industries using a mail survey questionnaire. Findings The results indicate a relatively high extent of EAA use but a low extent of use of EACA and EABC. In addition, organisations using each level of EAM to a greater extent were found to experience higher levels of environmental performance. Furthermore, the relationship between EAA and EABC with environmental performance was found to be mediated by decision quality. Practical implications The findings suggest that organisations should endeavour to increase their use of EAM, and modify their existing costing systems to consider the drivers and costs of environmental activities. Originality/value This is the first study to empirically examine the extent of use of EAM and its association with environmental performance.

Practices and Attitudes to Environmental Management in the Hotel Industry

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 61-79
Author(s):  
Evangelos Grigoroudis
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Management ◽  
Environmental Performance ◽  
Hotel Industry ◽  
Tourism Industry ◽  
Management Systems ◽  
Environmental Management Systems ◽  
Environmental Concerns ◽  
Environmental Pressures ◽  
Corporate Environmental Management ◽  
Tourism Enterprises

The dynamic presence and intensification of tourism has created several negative environmental impacts and have made it one of the industries with the widest range of environmental pressures, calling for a more sustainable course in the future. In this article, in order to respond to the increasing level of environmental concerns of tourists, as well as to the new economic environment, several initiatives as well as environmental management systems (EMSs) are developed for tourism enterprises. EMS applications offer several benefits to the committed organizations, however, the lack of resources and knowledge often poses difficulties in developing and sustaining international EMS. The tourism industry includes two main activities: housing and transportation. The present article concerns housing and its impact on the environment. It also addresses the factors that influence corporate environmental management by identifying the motives and benefits, as well as the difficulties in improving the environmental performance of hotels. The article focuses on Greece and more specifically on the Region of Crete. The article has been based on a questionnaire survey, while the results and conclusions have been based on statistical analysis of the collected information.

Environmental management practices, operational competitiveness and environmental performance

2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 588-607 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel Famiyeh ◽  
Ebenezer Adaku ◽  
Kwasi Amoako-Gyampah ◽  
Disraeli Asante-Darko ◽  
Charles Teye Amoatey
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Management ◽  
Developing Country ◽  
Environmental Performance ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Operational Performance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Environmental Management Practices ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Positive Effect

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between environmental management practices (EMP) and competitive operational performance with respect to reduced cost, improved quality, improved flexibility and improved delivery as well as overall environmental performance, of firms, using data from a developing country. Design/methodology/approach The study employed a survey approach with responses from 164 informants from different industries and used partial least squares structural equation modeling to examine the relationship between EMP and competitive operational performance and their overall impact on the environmental performance of firms. Findings The results indicate that EMP by firms have a significant positive effect on firms’ competitive operational performance. Again, firms’ competitive operational performance has a partial positive effect on the overall environmental performance. It was also realized that the EMP initiated by a firm have a direct positive impact on the overall environmental performance of the firm. Research limitations/implications There is the need for organizations to take steps to plan and implement EMP since it is likely to enhance their competitive operational performance as well as their overall environmental performance. Practical implications The findings demonstrate the impact of EMP on competitive operational performance as well as on the overall environmental performance of firms. This is important as firms struggle with balancing investments in those practices against the perceived benefits that might be obtained from the practices. Originality/value The work provides insights and adds to the literature in the area of EMP and firm performance by providing evidence from a developing country environment. This study is among the few that have investigated the impact of EMP on firm performance in developing country environments.

Potential for Implementation of Environmental Management Systems & the EU Ecolabel in the Marble Sector

2013 ◽  
Vol 548 ◽  
pp. 157-170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Gazi ◽  
George Skevis ◽  
Maria Founti
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Management ◽  
Environmental Performance ◽  
Iso 14001 ◽  
Production Costs ◽  
Management Systems ◽  
Environmental Management Systems ◽  
Technical Requirements ◽  
The Eu ◽  
Eu Ecolabel ◽  
Marble Industry

Marble is a financially important and highly versatile material used extensively in construction, decoration and art. The marble industry however is generated with low production efficiency, high waste material generation, high production costs and overall lack of sustainable resources management. A step towards improving the energy efficiency and environmental performance of the marble sector would be the adoption of ecological schemes that are already into force both at national and international levels. The most commonly used schemes are Environmental Management Systems that are focused on the general environmental performance of the enterprise, such as the EU EMAS (Eco-Management and Audit Scheme) and the international EN ISO 14001:2004 standard and ecolabelling schemes, such as the EU Ecolabel, focusing on specific products or services. The present work aims to provide a concise summary of the technical requirements and procedures for obtaining such environmental certificates, assess the current state of the art in terms of environmental performance of a typical marble plant and enhance the ecological awareness of the sector. A detailed analysis of the technical requirements for achieving EMAS III registration and obtaining the EU Ecolabel for hard floor coverings is presented and the potential for a typical SME marble industry for meeting the above requirements is quantified. Possible measures that may improve the overall environmental impact are proposed. It is further shown that the process of meeting the necessary criteria for obtaining the above certificates will also lead to the adoption of best engineering practices and the production of high added value products.

The moderating effects of environmental risk of the industry on the relationship between corporate environmental and financial performance

2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 97-114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalia Semenova ◽  
Lars G. Hassel
Keyword(s):  
Financial Performance ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Environmental Risk ◽  
Environmental Performance ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Operating Performance ◽  
Market Value ◽  
Moderating Effects ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose – Industries differ in their environmental impacts, such as emissions, water and energy use, fuel consumption and hazardous wastes, which will have implications for how environmental performance translates to operating performance and market value at company level. By incorporating industry-specific differences of environmental impacts, this paper includes industry-level environmental risk as a moderating factor on the relationship between two indicators of corporate environmental performance (CEP) (management and policy) and corporate financial performance (profitability and market value). The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – Using panel data of US companies across all industries, the paper empirically tests a regression model, which includes an interaction effect representing both the form and strength of dependency of CEP on the environmental risk of the industry. The paper adopts the natural resource based theory to argue that financial returns are a decreasing function of CEP in high environmental impact industries, where environmental spending beyond compliance is costly and there is not much opportunity for consumer orientation. Findings – The results show that environmental management has different impacts on operating performance at high and low environmental risk of the industry (form of relationship) while environmental policy (reporting) has a stronger signal on market premium in industries with low rather than high environmental risk (strength of relationship). Differences in both form and strength of moderating effects are demonstrated. Research limitations/implications – Further research can introduce other industry-specific moderating factors, such as the disclosure maturity of the industry and the institutionalization of environmental disclosures across boarders in the industries, in order to explore the complexity of the relationship. Practical implications – The results of the paper are relevant to investors, company managers and a broad group of stakeholders when considering both industry- and company-level environmental risks. Originality/value – Previous studies have relied on controlling for industry membership. This paper uses an industry-specific environmental variable, environmental risk of the industry, to examine the form and strength of moderating effects.

Environmental Management Systems and Environmental Performance: The Case of Russian Energy Sector

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 1377
Author(s):  
Valery V. IOSIFOV ◽  
Svetlana V. RATNER
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Management ◽  
Environmental Performance ◽  
Management System ◽  
Integrated Management ◽  
Environmental Management System ◽  
Iso 14001 ◽  
Management Systems ◽  
Environmental Management Systems ◽  
Legal Form ◽  
Energy Companies

Nowadays one of the most common organizational eco-innovations in energy companies is introducing environmental management systems (EMS). Nevertheless, the issues of environmental and economic efficiency of EMS remain controversial. The purpose of this work is to develop a methodology for assessing the effectiveness of environmental management systems of Russian energy companies certified in accordance with ISO 14001. Since Russian companies do not have EMAS conformance certificates, the issues of the effectiveness of environmental management systems under the European Environmental Management Scheme and eco-audit were not considered in this study. The study is based on the data from annual corporate reports of the largest energy companies of the Russian Federation, which have the organizational and legal form of public joint-stock companies. The selection criteria were: i) the existence of an integrated management system, which is based on a certified environmental management system; ii) the presence in the corporate reports of data on the environmental performance of the company, at least a few years before and after the introduction of EMS, sufficient for statistical analysis using a two depended samples T-test. The study has shown that the application of ISO 14001 can be considered as a condition for the development of eco-innovation, as a well-designed environmental management strategy covers the whole range of issues related to innovative development, modernization and competitiveness. The introduction of EMS is also associated with an increase in the information transparency of the entire production system of the company, which is also a positive point in terms of the development of innovative processes.

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