Drivers, Challenges and Outcomes of Environmental Management System Implementation in Public Sector Organizations: A Systematic Review of Empirical Evidence

Abstract

Our research objectives were to conduct a systematic literature review of the empirical articles on the drivers, challenges and outcomes of environmental management system (EMS) implementation in public sector organizations (PSOs) in the Scopus database, published in English. Following the PRISMA guidelines, we identified, reviewed and analyzed 11 selected articles. We used content analysis to identify important themes and concepts. First, we mapped the selected literature. We then identified four main categories of drivers (environmentally strategic, social/stakeholders, regulatory and organizational efficiency), five categories of challenges (budgetary, human resource, technical, managerial and regulatory) and five categories of outcomes (improvement in environmental management practices, environmental performance, awareness of environmental issues, image and organizational efficiency). Finally, we identified important avenues for future research that should be explored further. This article synthesizes the knowledge on EMS implementation in PSOs and offers new insights. It will help EMS scholars and practitioners develop a broader and more critical understanding of the issues specific to EMS implementation in PSOs.