ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS (EMS) IN THE CONTEXT OF SMALL BUSINESSES: A STUDY CONDUCTED IN THE SOUTH OF BRAZIL

Abstract

The aim of this article is to present the results of a study on environmental management systems (EMS), which was conducted among small companies in the State of Santa Catarina. The purpose of the study was to verify which of the 17 requirements of the ISO 14001 Standard are the most essential and applicable to the reality of small businesses and, using this information, to propose a model for the implementation of an EMS which is better suited to their needs. It is an exploratory study, which combines qualitative and quantitative research. In terms of the nature of the work, it can be classified as an applied study, in that it makes use of bibliographic and field research, the latter being carried out in two different stages. The initial stage involved interviews with professionals working on EMS implementation, and the second used questionnaires that were sent to small businesses in the State. Both results were analyzed, and provided support for the formulation of an EMS model that is better suited to the needs of small companies. The article also assesses whether small businesses tend to replicate EMS implementation models that are more appropriate to the context of large organizations.