Miljöledningssystem i små-och medelstora företag : En flerfallstudie med hjälp av SWOT-analys

Sammanfattning: An increasing number of SMEs are interested in working with issues related to the environment and sustainability as awareness of environmental issues has increased since the 1960s. This applies both nationally and internationally. Small and mediumsized companies account for 60-70% of industrial emissions in Europe and thus have a great responsibility when it comes to working with environmental issues which means that emissions are reduced. According to the literature, an obstacle is that management in most smaller companies lacks the knowledge required. In addition, they usually lack the time and financial resources needed to carry out effective environmental work. In order to get a picture of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats experienced by small and medium-sized companies when they have an implemented environmental management system in their operations, interviews with the environmental manager have been conducted at three small companies in southern Norrland. These interviews have since formed the basis for a SWOT analysis on each case company to elucidate these four parameters clearly. In order to gain another dimension to the study, a SWOT analysis with the literature as a basis has also been carried out in order to be able to compare what the literature says in regard to the results of what the interviews have shown. Two of the case companies in this study have been certified according to the environmental standard ISO 14001 and one case company has been certified according to the simplified management system FR2000, which is based to some extent on the ISO 14001 standard. The results of the SWOT analysis show that there are several similarities, but also differences, between the case companies' experiences of what it is like to work with an environmental management system and what the literature says. The similarities that exist between the case companies and which are also consistent with what the literature says are, among other things, that case companies that have a great commitment with their employees also see greater positive effects of working with the environmental management system. This also applies to the commitment of the management, the greater the commitment, the greater impact the environmental management system will have. In addition, a common parameter is that time and knowledge are resource-consuming. Something that, on the other hand, does not match the literature is the case companies' experience of demand from stakeholders. According to the literature, the demand from the stakeholders is increased, however, this is not something that any of the interviewees in the case companies agree with as they have not experienced these effects. Overall, it has been easier to discern the internal strengths and weaknesses of the companies than external opportunities and threats.