Benefits of ISO14001 certification in the Republic of Macedonia

Abstract

ISO14001 is an international management system with main goal to help all types of organisations in improving their environmental performance. ISO14001 is a relatively new security system in Macedonia. This study presents the experiences of managers about ISO14001 implementation, obtained through the survey in a sample of industrial firms. Most ISO14001 certified firms are small or medium-sized organisations. ISO14001 certification is more intense in the last four, five years. The ISO14001 registered organisations have increased effectiveness in terms of: the commitment to preventing pollution and environmental management, estimated environmental risks, the overall competitive advantage, compliance with environmental regulations, access to new markets and the involvement of key stakeholders. The ANOVA method does not determined significant differences in the effectiveness of ISO14001 between different types of business activities, except for the performance: public education, involvement of key stakeholders, insurance costs, access to capital and access to new markets.