Characterization of dissemination of ISO 14001 in countries and economic sectors in the Americas

Abstract

The ISO 14001 standard is a reference to direct the implementation of Environmental Management Systems. The number of organizations that have adopted the certification has been growing over the years. This study aimed to evaluate the evolution of ISO 14001 in the Americas and among its economic sectors. A descriptive analysis of ISO 14001 data for the years 1996–2014, obtained from ISO and literature review, were performed. The evolution of ISO 14001 was also compared with the ISO 9001. The results showed that the number of ISO 14001 certifications has regularly increased on the continent as a whole, but unevenly among its countries. The number of ISO 9001 certifications still remains higher than the ISO 14001, but the disparity between them is decreasing, at the country level. The paper contributes insights into the main literature to be addressed for business managers, certifying bodies and specialists.

Keywords:

• ISO 14001 standard
• Americas
• economic sectors
• environmental performance

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the Foundation for the Coordination and Improvement of Higher Level or Education Personnel (Capes).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.