Cumulative virtues and vices for marketing from environmental management systems

A cross-section of nine case studies were undertaken on both private and public sector organisations to probe how they were managing ISO 14001 and other Environmental Management Systems (EMS) issues. A part of that study was devoted to exploring whether and if so how, they used ISO 14001 and other environmental compliance in their corporate marketing strategies. Within these phases of the research it was noticed that the benefits and short comings of EMS accumulated and one could distinguish noticeable 'virtuous circles' and' vicious cycles' for marketing from EMS tensions, regulations and opportunities. Organisations should look out for and nurture these instrumental and personal virtues, as much EMS expenditure and effort is thankless hard-work, bureaucratic and lacking in immediate or obvious commercial benefits to those directly involved.