Implementation of ISO 14001 in Leather Industry in Ethiopia: The case of Ethiopian Tannery Share Company
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Date
2007-07
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The study managed to investigate the ISO 14001 implementation process and its
implication on environmental performance of organization, the management and
equipments of ETSC. The study focused on examining selected issues such as:
opportunity and motivation to implement EMS based on ISO 14001; obstacles during
system designing that impeded a good judgment, systematic planning and cultural
building; the role of environmental training to create personnel that is competent to
handle the work and believe as part of the EMS; operational control mechanism in order
to prevent, control and avoid adverse effects; and interactions and relationships with
stakeholders to support and influence environmental stewardship of tanneries. To
achieve this 0 bjective, a multifaceted methods are e mployed that include content and
progressive analysis of the tannery EMS and stakeholder document, observation,
interview with key informants, community survey and FGD. Accordingly, the study
identified that the mainforces behind the adoption of ISO 14001 in the tannery were
external drives such as ECPC free consultation service and advantage of ISO 14001
certificate as green passport to developed world market. However, the tal1l7ely's EMS
lacked motivation from stringent government command and control action and social
responsibility of the tannery. The study also highlighted the benefits of environmental
considerations as a result of resources utilization of byproduct (glue making and hair
saving) and source reduction of Chromium. The result has shown the difficulties of
linking and interpreting of environmental policy to the tannery's activities environmental
aspects identification, prediction, evaluation and EMP preparation. The study also
revealed the lack of objectivity (measuring) and system approach (integration) of the
designing part of the tannery's EMS by focusing on pollution prevention, regulatolY
requirement, the concern of interested parties and feedback mechanism to maintain and
obtain a continual improvement of environmental performance spiral. Implementation of
the system has not caused the tannery to focus and build environmentally conscious
workers as well as operation control for virtually working system that should go beyond
compliant performances. The result also highlighted that the tannelY 's EMS has had little
effect to consider the concern of nearby community. The stakes of stakeholders have been
synthesized and resulted in primaly (EPA, MTI and EPa), Intermedialy(ELIA) and
secondary(QSAE, LLPTI and ECPC) scale even though stakeholder gave very little
attention to influence and support the implementation of ISO 14001 in the countly's
leather sector. In conclusion, there are strong demands for government support to build
more reliable and continually improving EMS. This includes stakeholders to be
integrated, ISO 14001 related research, more positive incentive (tax exemption,
elongated tax holiday, facilitation of knowledge and technology transfel) for firms
performing sustainable environmental behavior and disincentives (denying benefits,
negative publicity and strict follow up) for those who are not.
Keywords: designing phase; environmental policy; environmental training; ETSC; EMS
based on ISO 14001; operational control; stakeholders
Description
Keywords
designing phase, environmental policy, environmental training, ETSC, EMS, based on ISO 14001, operational control, stakeholders