Exploring the link between institutional pressures and environmental management systems effectiveness: An empirical study

•The relation between institutional theory and EMS effectiveness is analysed.•Four hypotheses are tested thank to a large survey on EU EMAS registered companies.•Normative pressures are important for market competitiveness and reputation.•Mimetic pressures have positive relation with all three performance analysed.•Coercive pressures are not strongly related with EMS effectiveness.

Institutional theory has been widely debated by scholars. A part of literature examines how institutional pressures act on company choices regarding proactive environmental strategies. However, the institutional perspective has still not completely clarified the influence of these pressures on the effectiveness of environmental management systems (EMSs) in achieving goals in terms of eco-innovation, competitiveness and corporate reputation. This paper analyses the role played by coercive, mimetic and normative forces in stimulating innovative and competitive responses by firms with an environmental certification. Using the results of a survey on 242 European EMAS-registered organisations, the paper highlights the more positive influence of mimetic and normative pressures than coercive ones. The paper contributes to the literature debate on EMSs analysed through the lens of institutional theory.