Drivers for adopting environmental management systems in the post-Soviet mining industry |
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Authors: | Olli Salmi |
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Institution: | (1) Laboratory of Environmental Protection, Helsinki University of Technology, PO Box 2300, TKK 02015 Espoo, Finland |
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Abstract: | The past decade has witnessed an active dismantling of public environmental policy in Russia. At the same time, Russian companies
involved in natural resources extraction have adopted standardized environmental management systems. In this way, much of
the responsibility of environmental policy in Russia has been transferred to private industries and their environmental management
systems. These systems do not, as such, guarantee increased environmental responsibility. This article addresses the privatization
of the Russian environmental policy in light of the legitimacy and uncertainty involved in standardized environmental management
systems. A case study of the mining industry in the Kola Peninsula, Russia, is used in two ways. First, environmental policy
conflicts between public bodies and mining companies in Russia are illustrated with two examples. Second, key drivers for
adopting environmental management systems in the Kola Peninsula mining companies are extracted from thematic interviews. These
drivers are analyzed for their impact on unit and corporate level decision-making. In addition, the drivers are categorized
according to the type of legitimacy and stakeholder salience. It is shown that unit and corporate level applications of environmental
management have different societal and environmental implications. On the basis of the case study it is suggested that due
to their support of cognitive and moral legitimacy, and a broader view on salient stakeholders, environmental management systems
defined on the unit level allow a better alignment of corporate goals with societal goals of sustainability.
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Keywords: | Environmental management systems Environmental policy Kola Peninsula Legitimacy Mining industry |
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