The Effectiveness of ISO 14001 Standard in The State of Kuwait

Many Kuwaiti firms started recently working forward to gain certification of the ISO 14001 standard, for its benefits. An Organization’s EMS is assessed in comparison with the requirements of ISO 14001 standard, and if it is adequate, may be certified to the standard. This study is conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of ISO 14001 standards in the State of Kuwait. In addition to the overview of the guidelines and requirements of ISO 14001, this study focused on the implications of the standard, a case study, and a questionnaire-based survey was conducted to assess how ISO 14001 certified companies in Kuwait perceive the effectiveness of the standard. The response data was analyzed to study the effectiveness of ISO 14001. Our results indicated that the certified firms are supportive of ISO 14001 Standard. The reported benefits of certification include increased competitive advantages, access to new markets, and improved environmental performance.