Successful implementation strategies for environmental management systems in public organizations

Environmental Management Systems (EMSs) have been used as one tool for achieving sustainable development by the private and public sectors. The aim of this dissertation is to examine successful EMS implementation strategies for public organizations. This dissertation reviews the relevant literature, conducts telephone interviews, and addresses three in-depth case studies. Chapter I outlines the entire dissertation. Chapter II reviews the private and public sector EMS implementation. It also contends that in order to achieve successful EMS implementation in public organizations, it is important to consider how to implement an EMS and what kinds of elements their EMS should include. Furthermore, it illustrates twelve essential conditions for public organizations' cultural change. Chapter III examines the results of telephone interviews with the first and second United State Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) EMS pilot programs' participants. Based on the telephone interview results, a framework of successful EMS implementation strategies for public organizations is developed. The framework contains decision-making process, organizational culture, worker participation, pollution prevention, occupational health and safety, and community involvement. Chapter IV illustrates three in-depth case studies including the Lowell Regional Wastewater Utility, the New Hampshire Department of Transportation's Bureau of Traffic, and the University of Massachusetts Lowell's Olney Science Building. These three case studies are examined based on the framework of successful EMS implementation strategies for public organizations and the twelve essential conditions for public organizations' cultural change. The results of the telephone interviews and the three case studies illustrate that bottom-up approaches help promote EMS implementation and EMS implementation helps engage workers in the decision-making process. They also show that worker participation is the most important element for successful EMS implementation. Chapter V summarizes the findings from the telephone interviews and the three case studies. In order to implement an EMS successfully at public organizations, it is important to consider decision-making process, organizational culture, worker participation, pollution prevention, occupational health and safety, and community involvement in a holistic manner.