Information challenges on research concerning certified companies in ISO 14001 in Colombia

Although the environmental management model ISO 14001 is one of the most adopted in the world, the search for information on certified companies in this standard in Colombia faces great limitations. We analyze the main challenges encountered when undertaking research related to companies that are currently certified in ISO 14001 in the country and how the limited information reduces the possibilities of expanding knowledge. Lack of information makes it difficult to establish the precise number of certified companies, leading to statistical errors and underestimations of the sample size required for some studies, which also produces inaccurate conclusions about the companies’ performance. We found a lack of consolidated statistics of companies certified in ISO 14001 both in Colombia, with an specific focus on the metropolitan area of Valle de Aburra, with high level of outdatedness of the little information obtained. We propose some guidelines that could improve the process of managing this type of information in the country.