How to Sustain an Environmental Management System

Detailed Outline

1. Introduction

2. Part 1: Literature Review

   • Chapter 1: Sustainable development as a renewal framework for business growth

     • Context: Excesses of traditional economic development

       1. Corporate contribution to climate disruption

       2. Growing climate risks affecting companies

       3. Sustainable development as a conceptual response to negative externalities

     • CSR as the legal and conceptual framework for corporate sustainability

       1. Legal concept shaped by business

       2. Normative corpus driven by sustainability

       • Role of sustainable development in CSR structuring

       • ISO 26000: main normative expression of CSR

   • Chapter 2: Environmental management as the management dimension of the UN SDGs

     1. Definitions, objectives, ISO 14001 certification, EMAS

     2. EMS as a tool for competitiveness and global performance

     3. Modern management tools: Environmental Performance Indicators (EPIs), dynamic audit and follow-up tools

   • Chapter 3: Internal communication as a driver for EMS change management

     1. Change management as key to EMS implementation

     2. Internal environmental communication to boost employee adoption

3. Part 2: Methodology

   • Conceptual framework

   • Research question and hypotheses:

     • H1: Preliminary change-management elements are essential even for employees already aligned with sustainability goals

     • H2: Change management before and during EMS rollout helps sustain the system

     • H3: Combining change management with EMS increases positive impact on overall company performance

   • Interview guide and field presentation

4. Part 3: Managerial Recommendations

   • Chapter 1: Develop internal communication to prepare EMS deployment

   • Chapter 2: EMS implementation modalities to ensure its sustainability

   • Final conclusive discussion, appendices, bibliography