Edited by: Tecnológico Superior Corporativo
Edwards Deming
January - March Vol. 8 - 1 - 2024
https://revista-edwardsdeming.com/index.php/es
e-ISSN: 2576-0971
Received: March 01, 2023
Approved: May 19, 2023
Page 60-70
Evolution of the implementation of ISO 14001:2015
in Ecuador
Evolución de la implementación de la norma ISO 14001:2015
en Ecuador
Nicole Alejandra Menéndez Tarira*
Víctor Egbert Chero Alvarado*
ABSTRACT
Environmental impact is affected due to human-generated
activities, products and services. Companies are expected
to comply with environmental standards and show their
commitment to reducing the environmental impact of their
daily activities. This can be a bit complicated, however, it is
an opportunity for companies to demonstrate their
environmental responsibility, stand out from their
competition and demonstrate commitment to their
current and potential customers. The ISO 14001:2015
standard details the requirements that an organization can
implement for an environmental management system and
thus increase its environmental performance, this has
allowed public and private companies worldwide to join
the certification considering environmental management as
a priority, according to data obtained in the year 2022 the
largest number of certifications were obtained in the
construction and automotive sectors. Although Ecuador is
currently in seventh place in relation to other South
American countries, it has shown a remarkable growth in
the number of companies certified in ISO 14001:2015 over
the last 16 years.
Keywords: ISO 14001:2015, environment, environmental,
environmental management.
* Ingeniera Agroindustrial, Universidad Católica de Santiago de Guayaquil,
nicole.menendez.tarira@gmail.com, https://orcid.org/0009-0009-4424-4908
* Ingeniero Químico, Universidad Católica de Santiago de Guayaquil,
victor.chero@cu.ucsg.edu.ec, https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0671-7726,
57343530400
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RESUMEN
El impacto medioambiental se ve afectado debido a las
actividades, productos y servicios que genera el ser
humano. Se espera que las compañías obedezcan las
normas medioambientales y muestren su compromiso para
la reducción del impacto ambiental en sus actividades
diarias. Esto puede ser un poco complicado, sin embargo,
es una oportunidad en el que las compañías pueden
demostrar su responsabilidad medioambiental, sobresalir
entre su competencia y demostrar compromiso a sus
clientes actuales y potenciales. La norma ISO 14001:2015
detalla los requerimientos que una organización puede
implementar para un sistema de gestión ambiental y así
lograr aumentar su rendimiento ambiental, esto ha
permitido que a nivel mundial se vayan sumando empresas
públicas y privadas a la certificación considerando como
prioridad la gestión ambiental, según los datos obtenidos
en el año 2022 la mayor cantidad de certificaciones se
obtuvieron en los sectores de construcción y automotriz.
Aunque actualmente Ecuador se encuentra en el séptimo
lugar en relación con los demás países de América del Sur,
ha demostrado un notable crecimiento de empresas
certificadas en ISO 14001:2015 en los últimos 16 años.
Palabras clave: ISO 14001:2015, medioambiente, gestión
ambiental
INTRODUCTION
In order to meet the needs of the present without compromising the capacity of future
generations, it is considered essential to achieve a balance between the environment,
society and the economy, through the balance of these three fundamental pillars of
sustainability it is possible to achieve sustainable development (Valdés Fernández et al.,
2016)..
Due to increasing environmental pollution, inefficient use of resources, inadequate waste
management, climate change, ecosystem degradation and loss of biodiversity, society has
a perspective regarding sustainable development, transparency, responsibility and
accountability in the face of growing pressure from increasingly stringent legislation
(International Organization for Standardization, 2015).
Through ISO 14001:2015 organizations can achieve expected results in terms of their
environmental management system, as they provide value to the environment, to the
organization itself and to stakeholders. Regardless of the activity in which they are
engaged companies should consider as a priority the management of the environmental
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impact they generate, this can be achieved through an environmental management
system as it provides a framework for making decisions and making changes in processes
which would help to improve environmental performance.
The EMS initiative based on ISO 14001 has been related to the level of development of
the countries, the size of the company and its organizational level. This is due to the
need to integrate the environmental dimension into the business strategy (Alzate-Ibáñez
et al., 2018).. Hikichi et al., (2016) mention that large companies are the ones that obtain
the most certifications because they are more vulnerable to pressures from their
stakeholders, especially by regulatory bodies, they also have more financial resources to
get certified and improve their environmental performance.
In recent times, the Ecuadorian government has taken several actions to promote the
protection and use of the environment, including laws such as the 2008 Constitution of
the Republic of Ecuador, which establishes standards of care towards the environment,
the Environmental Management Law and the Organic Environmental Code also take into
account environmental aspects.
These legal frameworks at the national level have led public and private organizations to
focus on rapidly improving their environmental management systems, which has allowed
them to implement ISO 14001:2015 certification.
According to ISO 14001:2015, an environmental aspect is anything that can cause an
environmental impact whether it is a service, a product or any activity carried out in an
organization (Araque Arevalo et al., 2018)..
Some of the environmental aspects that can be found in an organization are detailed
below:
• Waste generated by the organization's operations
• Generation of electrical waste from the organization's operation
• Water consumption
• Consumption of materials in the company's operations
• Generation of sewage, rainwater and industrial wastewater discharges
• Noise generation
• Atmospheric emissions from stationary sources and mobile sources
• Heat generation from use of machinery
• Fuel consumption for machinery use
According to Valdés Fernández et al, (2016) environmental management through an
organized approach can help organizations achieve long-term success and offer
alternatives to contribute to sustainable development, this can be achieved through:
• Protection of the environment through prevention or mitigation of adverse
environmental impacts
• Decrease the potentially adverse effects of environmental conditions on the
organization.
• Support to the organization in complying with legal and other requirements
• Improved environmental performance
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• Control over the way in which the organization produces, distributes, consumes its
products or services, using a life cycle perspective that can prevent environmental
impacts from being unintentionally shifted to another stage of the life cycle.
• Environmental information to relevant stakeholders
• Financial and operational recognition that may be the result of implementing
environmentally friendly alternatives that strengthen the organization's position in
the market.
According to Briggs (2017), in the guidance on establishing a management system in
accordance with the requirements specified in ISO 14001:2015 mentions the following
benefits on the implementation of the environmental management system:
• Helps to improve the control and management of emissions, effluents and waste
• Reduction of waste generated
• Increased energy efficiency and cost savings
• Conservation of natural resources, including water, land and minerals
• Operational efficiency leading to cost savings
• Provides a global perspective to meet regulatory requirements
• Achieving environmental initiatives that are in line with the company's priorities
• Handle hazardous contaminants safely
In addition, superior profitability, desirable access to markets, and better relationships
with stakeholders such as customers, suppliers, investors, shareholders, regulators and
the companies in the environment can be achieved.
The effects of industrial processes nowadays generate environmental concern as all
activities, projects or undertakings can affect the environment (Rubio, 2018).
Taking into account the Ministerial Agreement 061 (2015)establishes that an
environmental impact comprises a diversity of variations that can be positive, negative,
neutral, direct and indirect. Environmental impacts can be caused by economic activities,
works, public or private projects and that as a result of accumulation or delay produce
measurable and verifiable alterations with respect to the environment, its components,
interactions and relationships.
Over the years, Ecuador's environmental legislation has undergone significant and
beneficial changes. Beginning with the 2008 Constitution, there was a change in the
understanding of the environment as an object of law and it has been earmarked as a
subject of law. Subsequent to these transformations, several laws, ministerial rulings and
other guidelines have been issued that facilitate the creation of government policies to
protect and preserve nature (Velasco et al., 2022)..
In the world environmental ranking of the most environmentally friendly countries,
Ecuador ranks 87th out of 180 countries and 12th out of 20 Latin American countries.
In addition, its carbon dioxide emissions are below 50,000 kilotons. According to the
Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, Ecuador generates 1.9
metric tons of carbon dioxide per capita, representing 0.1% of global emissions (Aizaga
et al., 2006). (Aizaga et al., 2021)..
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MATERIALS AND METHODS
To carry out this study, computer tools with Internet access were needed, which were
used to search for bibliographic information that was used as the basis for the study. A
bibliographic documentary model and a review methodology were used for the
distribution of the research.
The selection of academic documents and scientific articles was examined and the review
was carried out systematically using criteria such as the English and Spanish language,
importance, thematic relationship, and with a publication time of no more than 15 years,
using several databases, such as Scielo, ResearchGate, Elsevier, among others, also
Internet sources of valid statistical results were used, such as Global Standards and the
official ISO page, likewise the variety of bibliographic documents included books,
graduate and postgraduate theses, among other documents of scientific and academic
level.
The aforementioned databases were subject to a random and consecutive search, using
descriptions that were in line with the topic of study, such as: ISO 14001:2015, ISO
14001 + Ecuador, Implementation of ISO 14001 + Ecuador, Environmental laws +
Ecuador, resulting in a considerable amount of bibliographic records.
RESULTS
Companies today are forced to consider changing and incorporating an environmental
management system into their business model as an integral part of their business
strategy to generate value for stakeholders. Consequently, the sustainability of the
organization depends on its commitment to its stakeholders.
In the mid-2000s, North America and Western Europe were the first continents to
implement ISO 14001. Once business connections developed, the number of
certifications increased in East Asia, which subsequently spread to South America and
Euro-Asia (Alzate-Ibáñez et al., 2018).
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Figure 1. Number of ISO 14001 certified sites worldwide from 2016 to 2022.
Source: ISO Survey Report (International Organization for Standardization, 2023).
Figure 1 shows the number of sites that have ISO 14001 certification worldwide from
2016 to 2022, a remarkable growth is contemplated with respect to the number of
certifications, surpassing the 346 147 certifications obtained in 2016 to have 511 332
certifications in 2022 worldwide, presenting an increase of 32.30 % in the 6 years. This
shows a worldwide trend in which public and private sector companies are seeking
certification taking into account environmental management as a priority.
Table 1. Ranking of countries with the highest number of 2022 certificates.
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Number of certifications worldwide
Statistics on valid ISO 14001 certificates
Country
Number of certifications
China
293 996
Japan
26 246
United Kingdom
21 217
Spain
17 498
Germany
13 681
India
10 357
France
6 425
Romania
5 937
Republic of Korea
5 801
Czech Republic
5 185
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Source: Certificate statistics in 2022 (International Organization for Standardization,
2023).
Table 1 shows the results issued by the International Organization for Standardization
(2023). (2023) indicating the ranking of the 10 countries that presented the highest
number of ISSO 14001:2015 certifications in 2021.
These data demonstrate the importance given by developed countries to the
implementation of ISO 14001:2015, leaving aside countries with emerging economies.
The Latin American ranking is headed by Brazil with 3,723, Colombia with 3,649
certificates by 2022, followed by Mexico with 2,788, and finally Argentina with 1803
certifications issued by 2022.
Figure 2 shows all South American countries and the number of ISO 14001 certifications
issued in 2022, with Brazil leading the region with 3,723 certifications, followed by
Colombia with 3,649 certifications, then Argentina and Peru with 1,803 and 1,096
certifications, respectively.
Figure 2. Certifications in South America in the year 2022.
Source: Certifications in South America (International Organization for Standardization,
2023).
With regard to Ecuador in 2022, a total of 231 certifications were generated among the
different economic sectors, among those that presented the highest number of
3723
3649
1803
1096
997
297
231
54
32
28
14
4
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
Brasil
Colombia
Argentina
Perú
Chile
Uruguay
Ecuador
Bolivia
Paraguay
Surinam
Venezuela
Guyana
Certificate Chambers
Number of certifications in South America by 2022
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certifications as detailed in Figure 3 were repairs of vehicles, motorcycles and personal
and household goods with 26 certifications, followed by the transportation, storage and
communication sector with 24 certifications, followed by chemical products and fibers,
in addition to the construction sector with 16 certifications each.
Figure 3. ISO 14001:2015 certifications in Ecuador of some of the economic sectors
during the 2022 period.
Source: Certifications by economic sector in Ecuador (International Organization for
Standardization, 2023).
Although Ecuador is a country with legislation that supports environmental care, it is in
seventh place in South America with 231 certifications in 2022; however, there has been
a notable growth in the number of certifications for this standard over the last 16 years,
as shown in Figure 4; at the beginning there were only 50 certificates and by 2022 there
were 231 certifications, which indicates considerable growth. This data confirms the
commitment of companies in Ecuador to environmental management.
26
24
16
16
15
14
13
12
11
10
7
6
5
5
3
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
Reparaciones de vehículos, motocicletas y artículos personales…
Transporte, almacenamiento y comunicación
Productos quimicos y fibras
Construcción
Metal y fabricación de productos de metal
Servicios de ingeniería
Mineria y canteras
Otros servicios
Productos alimenticios, bebidas y tabaco
Maquinaria y equipo
Reciclaje
Caucho y productos de plástico
Productos refinados del petróleo
Equipos eléctricos y ópticos
Agricultura, pesca y silvicultura
Certifications issued by economic sector in Ecuador by 2022
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Figure 4. ISO 14001 certifications in Ecuador from 2006 to 2022.
Source: ISO 14001 certificates issued in Ecuador during the last 16 years. (International
Organization for Standardization, 2023).
In the country there is an increasing trend of ISO 14001 certifications with a growth of
around 200% in the last 16 years. However, there have been slopes such as in 2017
when only 192 certifications were issued, while in 2016 244 were obtained, following
this trend in 2018 with an amount of 143.
DISCUSSION
ISO 14001:2015 certification is broad enough to provide benefits to organizations in any
sector, while providing a specific framework for implementing good sustainable
practices. Therefore, any organization will benefit from this certification.
The achievement of a company is related to the way it manages its operations for capital
utilization, making the most of resources, technology and invention, as well as the
aptitude of companies and individuals in a region. As a result, to maintain and improve
its performance over time, the success-oriented organization must be structured as a
dynamic system that is in constant interaction with its environment, constantly reviewing
planning and its components to ensure that they are relevant and current in relation to
changes in the environment.
The countries with the highest number of ISO 14001 certifications in South America are
Brazil and Colombia.
50
78
98
110
140
113
151
201
189
214
244
192
143
161
169
225
231
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
ISO 14001 Certificates in Ecuador
ISO 14001 Certificates in Ecuador
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As for Ecuador its trend of certifications for ISO 14001:2015 is increasing, it currently
ranks seventh in comparison to the other South American countries, however, the
country is considered a relatively low emitter of carbon dioxide in the region.
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Aizaga, M. Á., Ramírez, M., & Vinueza, F. D. (2021). Global environmental management
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q=norma+iso+14001:2015&ots=STv_5vLdes&sig=32VNF1FjzMWO8WdRycxT4T
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