Understanding SHERQ managerial perspectives of the risks and oppotunities in ISO 14001:2015 implementation in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal

Abstract

The International Organization for Standardization - ISO 14001 environmental standard addresses facets of environmental performance. The implementation of ISO 14001:2015 is aligned with various risks and opportunities, the identification and addressing of which is key in the successful implementation of the ISO 14001:2015 certification. The Durban region is a pollution ‘hotspot’ within KwaZulu-Natal. Assessment of the opportunities and risks of ISO 14001:2015 implementation within the region is key as it can potentially assist with proactive mitigation of risks and the effective utilization of opportunities. The aim of the study is to understand SHERQ (Safety, Health, Environmental, Risk and Quality) managerial perspectives of opportunities and risks of ISO 14001:2015 implementation in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. The following objectives were outlined: To identify ISO 14001 implementation opportunities and risks internationally and nationally by means of an extensive review of international as well as national literature sources, to generate an evaluation framework to assess SHERQ managerial perspectives of risks and opportunities of ISO 14001:2015 implementation within Durban and to analyse SHERQ managerial responses to the ISO 14001:2015 implementation risks and opportunities within the Durban region. The methods included identifying primary opportunities and risks in ISO 14001:2015 from the literature review through an evaluation framework, thereafter, presenting these in questionnaires distributed among SHERQ managers in Durban via email and LinkedIn. Of 62 questionnaires distributed, 42 participants responded. The respondent’s perspectives were assessed through SPSS identifying key risks and opportunities. Objective 1 was achieved through the literature review in which ISO 14001 implementation risks and opportunities were identified. Objective 2 was achieved by generating the evaluation framework which assimilated implementation risks and opportunities. Objective 3 was achieved through the analysis of the responses of respondents to ISO 14001:2015 implementation risks and opportunities. Study results showed that, in line with international reports, 57.2% of all respondents agreed that the maintenance costs of compliance to the standard are high and 76.2% of respondents shared the perspective that company resources are better managed. Respondents were more agreeable to positive statements, indicating opportunities outweighing the risks. Furthermore, despite the risks, there are opportunities from an industry perspective such as increased investor inputs and increased top management involvement. A follow up study is recommended in the Durban region addressing ISO 14001 implementation risks, opportunities, and their investment impacts in order to further hone in on the organizational implications of certification. From an academic standpoint, multiple studies have posited that ISO 14001:2015 implementation resulted in improved financial outcomes but are associated with high implementation costs and it is recommended that a critical cost versus profits analysis into ISO 14001:2015 implementation be undertaken in the Durban region.

Die Internasionale Organisasie vir Standaardisering se ISO 14001-omgewingstandaard spreek fasette van omgewingsprestasie aan. Die implementering van ISO 14001:2015 is gerig op verskeie risiko’s en geleenthede, en die identifisering en aanspreek hiervan staan sentraal tot die suksesvolle implementering van die ISO 14001:2015 - sertifisering. Die Durban-streek is ʼn besoedlingsbrandpunt in KwaZulu-Natal. Evaluering van die geleenthede en risiko’s van die implementering van ISO 14001:2015 binne die streek is van kardinale belang, aangesien dit moontlik kan help met die proaktiewe vermindering van risiko’s en die effektiewe benutting van geleenthede. Die doel van die studie is om SHERQ-bestuursperspektiewe van geleenthede en risiko’s van ISO 14001:2015-implementering in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, te begryp. Die volgende doelwitte is uiteengesit: Om ISO 14001-implementeringsgeleenthede en risiko’s internasionaal en nasionaal te identifiseer deur middel van ʼn uitgebreide oorsig van internasionale sowel as identifiseer deur middel van ʼn uitgebreide oorsig van internasionale sowel as nasionale literatuurbronne; om ʼn evalueringsraamwerk te genereer om SHERQ-bestuursperspektiewe van geleenthede en risiko’s van die implementering van ISO 14001:2015 te evalueer, en om SHERQ-bestuursreaksies op die ISO 14001:2015-implementeringsrisiko’s en -geleenthede te ontleed. Die metodes het ingesluit die identifisering van primêre geleenthede en risiko’s in ISO 14001:2015 vanuit die literatuurbeoordeling deur middel van ʼn evalueringsraamwerk, waarna dit in vraelyste wat via e-pos en LinkedIn onder SHERQ-bestuurders in Durban versprei is, uiteengesit is. Van die 62 vraelyste wat versprei is, het 42 deelnemers geantwoord. Die perspektiewe van die respondente is beoordeel deur middel van SPSS se identifisering van die belangrikste risiko’s en geleenthede. Doelwit 1 is bereik deur middel van die literatuuroorsig waarin ISO 14001-implementeringsrisiko’s en -geleenthede geïdentifiseer is. Doelwit 2 is bereik deur die evalueringsraamwerk te genereer wat implementeringsrisiko’s en -geleenthede geassimileer het. Doelwit 3 is bereik deur die antwoorde van respondente op ISO 14001:2015 implementeringsrisiko’s en -geleenthede te ontleed. Studieresultate het getoon dat, in ooreenstemming met internasionale verslae, 57,2% van alle respondente dit eens was dat die onderhoudskoste van die nakoming van die standaard hoog is en dat 76,2% van die respondente die perspektief gedeel het dat bronne van die maatskappy beter bestuur word. Respondente het meer met positiewe stellings saamgestem, wat daarop dui dat geleenthede swaarder weeg as die risiko’s. Ten spyte van die risiko’s, is daar ook vanuit ʼn bedryfsperspektief geleenthede, soos verhoogde beleggersinsette en verbeterde hulpbronbestuur. ʼn Opvolgstudie word aanbeveel om ISO 14001-implementeringsrisiko’s en geleenthede en die beleggingsimpak daarvan aan te spreek. Vanuit ʼn akademiese oogpunt het veelvuldige studies aangevoer dat die implementering van ISO 14001:2015 verbeterde finansiële uitkomste tot gevolg het, maar dat dit met hoë implementeringskoste gepaard gaan, en dit word aanbeveel dat ʼn kritieke koste-versus-wins-analise in die implementering van ISO 14001:2015 in die Durban-streek onderneem word.