Implementation of Environmental Management Systems in Swedish industry

This paper reports results and conclusions based on interviews concerning the implementation of Environmental Management Systems in Swedish industry. The main question areas were: How is ISO 14001 implemented? What are the effects/results of the system? Do key factors exist for successful implementation? The results show that management support is crucial to the success, and that initiation of the ISO 14001 should be made at the corporate level, furthermore, planning is considered as an important activity but is often overseen. Having a full time employee in the project is also judged to be a key for success. Effects of the system are e.g., energy savings, material savings and subsequently, cost savings.