Environmental Management Systems and Sustainability in SMEs

MATEC Web of Conferences, Jan 2016

Environmental sustainability in manufacturing sector has been allocated a major consideration in the international literature. Due to growing concerns over the high effect of SMEs on world manufacturing industries and their contribution to pollution; this research attempts to focus on the key parameters that interact in the application of environmental management system, taking into account the main features of SMEs and also the integral role of industrial entrepreneurs in inspiring their firms’ approaches. The paper explores the potential opportunities which enable these enterprises to move towards organizations with high level of responsibility regarding environmental protection in order to provide a healthier life for future generations. Case investigation is carried out on an adhesive manufacturing company, which covers a notable market share within the sector. The research identifies that the company requires developing both internal and external entities within an explicit plan to revolutionize the recruitment patterns. Given the lack of adequate studies in adhesive technology, more researches are recommended in the future to consider the sustainable innovations on a broader sample of adhesive manufacturing companies to perform the life-cycle analysis due to the harmful organic compounds and toxic vapours of the adhesive products.

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Environmental Management Systems and Sustainability in SMEs

MATEC Web of Conferences Environmental sustainability in manufacturing sector has been allocated a major consideration in the international literature. Due to growing concerns over the high effect of SMEs on world manufacturing industries and their contribution to pollution; this research attempts to focus on the key parameters that interact in the application of environmental management system, taking into account the main features of SMEs and also the integral role of industrial entrepreneurs in inspiring their firms' approaches. The paper explores the potential opportunities which enable these enterprises to move towards organizations with high level of responsibility regarding environmental protection in order to provide a healthier life for future generations. Case investigation is carried out on an adhesive manufacturing company, which covers a notable market share within the sector. The research identifies that the company requires developing both internal and external entities within an explicit plan to revolutionize the recruitment patterns. Given the lack of adequate studies in adhesive technology, more researches are recommended in the future to consider the sustainable innovations on a broader sample of adhesive manufacturing companies to perform the life-cycle analysis due to the harmful organic compounds and toxic vapours of the adhesive products. - In the last two decades, the concept of sustainability and accountability has become an emerging characteristic of the enterprises worldwide. Improving significant aspects of a company success such as economic, social and environmental performance; sustainability defines a strategy to transform businesses towards long-term prosperity. The Brundtland Commission (WCED) defined sustainable development in 1987, as “seeking to meet the needs and aspirations of the present, without compromising the ability to meet those of the future” which became a classic and common definition [ 1 ]. Nowadays widespread idea of the triple P of business (Profit, People and Planet) which is delivered by [ 2 ], describes the term sustainability appropriately. Therefore, environmental sustainability would be a significant factor of every decision-making, from purchasing raw materials to products and services that firms provide. Going green is at the heart of the sustainability and involves some guiding principles to provide the deepest view of how the business can have impacts on our planet and build a better life for future generations [ 3 ]. In other words, green strategies focus on propelling just one of the sustainability goals which is environmental stewardship [ 4 ]. ISO is originally a Greek word meaning “Equal” and it was initially an organization for product development and safety standards which altered its traditional way by evolving a series of quality management standards [ 5 ]. a Corresponding author: Implementation of the EMS and adopting a certification such as ISO 14001 or EMAS act as sustainable evaluation tools to provide visual assessment, monitor the production waste and environmental performance. A comprehensive definition for EMS is given by ISO.org, as ‘‘organizational structure, responsibilities, practices, procedures, processes and resources for determining and implementing environmental policy”. Thus, EMS would be the effective and positive bedrock for companies’ continual improvements that also assist them on their path towards sustainability [ 6 ]. The review of literature seeks to outline the conceptual framework of the research by presenting a review of advantages, disadvantages, motivations, drivers and hurdles towards Environmental Management Systems (EMS) in order to prove the necessity of the environmental sustainability practices within the SMEs. In particular, adhesive technology characteristics considering major problems correlated with optimizing sustainability and its environmental impacts will be examined. ! Since the priority of any firm is its survivability and better performance, SMEs are not only an exception, but also have a significant impact in most of the market economies. Research studies indicated that SMEs make up about 90% of all global enterprises and many of them are suppliers over the supply chain [ 7 ]. SMEs share of global environmental pollution is 70%, with the majority of manufacturing sector [ 8 ]. Moreover, 0.4% of all the SMEs belong to the enterprises with more than 100 employees. Climate change is seen as the greatest environmental challenge facing the world today and is considered as the key focus of international, European and UK policy. With climate change considered as an important factor within any environmental and governmental policies, the study aims towards focusing on the importance of Environmental and Climate change aspects through sustainable development and Environmental Management systems within SMEs. The existing literature on the business response to climate change se (...truncated)


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Satya Shah, Elmira Ganji, Syed Hasan. Environmental Management Systems and Sustainability in SMEs, MATEC Web of Conferences, 2016, 76, DOI: 10.1051/matecconf/20167602006