Implementing ISO14001 in the engineering and construction sectors: a systematic review

There is a need within society to manage our impacts on the environment. The ISO14001 tool, based on the original BS7750 standard, was created in 1996 and subsequently updated in 2004 and 2015, has become the most prevalent type of Environmental Management Systems (EMS) adopted worldwide. Engineering and construction organisations wanting to implement ISO14001 should be fully acquainted with the advantages and disadvantages of adopting an EMS. Using the SCOPUS academic database, this study uses the PRISMA-method to identify and select publications (since 1999) for systematic review. Examination of the chosen articles (n=46) reveals a limited number of works per annum, with a peak in 2011 (n=6). The most frequently reported benefits are ‘enriching green corporate and public image’, ‘improved environmental performance’ and ‘regulation compliance’; whilst the barriers are ‘costs’, ‘lack of experience, expertise or knowledge’ and ‘lack of training’. Further analysis, using VOSviewer, has shown the network relationships between article keywords, notably that sustainability is increasingly listed (since 2011) and links with most other keywords. This suggests the engineering and construction sectors may be seeing beyond the cost barrier and are realising the positive difference ISO14001 can contribute to their operations, their local/national communities, and to the SDGs.