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Environmental management in ethanol and

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DOI: 10.1080/13504509.2011.590542

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Environmental management in ethanol and

sugarcane plants in Brazil
a b
Silvio Ribeiro & Charbel Jose Chiappetta Jabbour
a
Production Engineering Department, Engineering School at Bauru (UNESPDEB/FEB),
Sao Paulo State University, Sao Paulo, Brazil
b
Business Administration Department, Business School at Ribeirao Preto (USPFEA-RP),
University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
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 International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology
Vol. 19, No. 1, February 2012, 5466

Environmental management in ethanol and sugarcane plants in Brazil

Silvio Ribeiroa and Charbel Jose Chiappetta Jabbourb *
a
Production Engineering Department, Engineering School at Bauru (UNESPDEB/FEB), Sao Paulo State University, Sao Paulo, Brazil;
b
Business Administration Department, Business School at Ribeirao Preto (USPFEA-RP), University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil

There has been much discussion on the importance of Brazilian ethanol in promoting a more sustainable society. However,
there is a lack of analysis of whether sugarcane plants/factories that produce this ethanol are environmentally suitable.
Thus, the objective of this study was to analyse stages of environmental management at four Brazilian ethanol-producing
plants, examining the management practices adopted and the factors behind this adoption. The results indicate that (1) only
one of the four plants is in the environmentally proactive stage; (2) all plants are adopting operational and organisational
environmental management practices; (3) all plants have problems in communicating environmental management practices;
and (4) the plant with the most advanced environmental management makes intense use of communication practices and
is strongly oriented towards a more environmentally aware international market. This paper is an attempt to explain the
complex relationship between the evolution of environmental management, environmental practices and motivation using a
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framework. The implications for society, plant directors and scholars are described, as well as the studys limitations.
Keywords: sustainable development; environmental management practices; sugarcane and ethanol-processing plants; Brazil

Introduction For this, the literature was reviewed on environmental

The search for a more sustainable society has shed light
on alternative and renewable energy sources. Among these
alternatives, Brazilian ethanol, obtained from sugarcane
processing, has been gaining more attention. These sug-
arcane plants are considered by many to be essential for
a greener world, because ethanol is considered less pollut-
ing than fossil fuels (Macedo 1992; Coelho et al. 2006).
However, whether they are complying with this promise
and whether they are truly green remain unknown. This
study examined whether these sugarcane plants are adopt-
ing environmental management practices internally that
contribute towards a more sustainable society.
The major international databases (ISI Web of Science,
Scopus, etc.) reveal that there is a lack of research on
environmental management practices of sugarcane and
ethanol-processing plants in Brazil. Hence, the main objec-
tives of this study are to:
understand the main environmental management
practices adopted in some plants;
classify these plants in evolutionary stages of envi-
ronmental management;
verify factors that influence and motivate the adop-
tion of environmental management practices;
understand the relationship between evolutionary
stages of environmental management at plants,
adopted management practices and motivating ele-
ments; and
verify variables that influence superior environmen-
tal performance.
management, environmental management practices, moti-
vations for environmental management and characteristics
of the Brazilian sector for ethanol production. Then four
case studies were conducted with four of the most repre-
sentative sugarcane plants in Brazil.
Environmental management background
Environmental management practices
Environmental management concerns the incorporation of
environmental objectives and strategies into the organi-
sations existing and proposed objectives and strategies
(Haden et al. 2009). Companies may be in diverse evo-
lutionary stages (or levels of maturity) of environmental
management (Jabbour and Santos 2006). In this study, two
stages of environmental management are considered: reac-
tive and proactive (Boiral 2006). The main characteristics
for a companys environmental management when it is in
the reactive stage are (Jabbour and Santos 2006) restricted
and limited focus on environmental management actions;
concern about adjusting to environmental legislation; mon-
itoring of the production process so it does not generate
environmental problems; adoption of technologies to con-
trol; prevent and reduce pollution; and a focus on reducing
problems through environmental legislation. The com-
panies classified in the proactive stage meet the above
characteristics, while also considering environmental man-
agement as a business opportunity; factors affecting com-
petitiveness, continuous improvement and product devel-
opment through the incorporation of environmental aspects

*Corresponding author. Email: cjabbour@terra.com.br

ISSN 1350-4509 print/ISSN 1745-2627 online

2012 Taylor & Francis
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13504509.2011.590542
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 International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology
and environmentally appropriate suppliers (Jabbour and
Santos 2006).
The incorporation of environmental management into
companies implies the adoption of practices that can be
classified into three types (Gonzlez-Benito and Gonzlez-
Benito 2006):
operational involving environmental improvement
of products and productive process (e.g. life cycle
assessment (LCA), environmental technologies and
cleaner production of industrial processes);
organisational and planning involving planning,
organisation, direction and control of behavioural
and corporate aspects of environmental management
(e.g. disclosure of environmental policy, environ-
mental training and certified environmental manage-
ment systems (EMSs)); and
communication, which deals with practices for inter-
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nally and externally communicating initiatives and
results for environmental improvement of the com-
pany (e.g. environmental reports, environmental
labels and environmental marketing).
According to Gonzlez-Benito and Gonzlez-Benito
(2006), operational practices imply changes in produc-
tion and operations system in the search for improvements
in a companys environmental performance. LCA permits
estimation of cumulative environmental impacts resulting
from every phase of the products life cycle (e.g. extrac-
tion of raw materials, material transport and final disposal
of the product). By including impacts during the products
life cycle, LCA offers an encompassing vision of product
or process environmental aspects (Kulay 2000; Baumann
and Tillman 2004; Curran et al. 2005). Environmental tech-
nologies deal with the products and services developed,
with a focus on monitoring or improving the quality of
the environment and reducing the environmental impacts
generated by companies (Kuehr 2007). Cleaner produc-
tion aims at reducing environmental impacts throughout
the entire product life cycle, from extraction of raw mate-
rials to manufacturing, packing, use and disposal. Cleaner
production can be achieved by modifying operational pro-
cesses, replacing raw materials, modifying technologies,
recycling waste and emissions and redesigning products
and services.
Organisational and planning practices indicate the extent
to which the company defines an environmental policy,
trains its employees and certifies its environmental man-
agement process. An environmental policy defined by
top management is the starting point for the organisa-
tion to clearly define the parties affected by the envi-
ronmental performance (Associao Brasileira de Normas
Tcnicas 2004). The objectives of environmental training
programmes are to motivate employees towards this aspect;
integrate best practices in environmental management;
and guarantee collaboration from all parties in the com-
pany (Govindarajulu and Daily 2004; Unnikrishnan and
55
Hegde 2007). With regard to environmental certification,
the main goal is ISO 14001, which is the standard
for EMSs.
Communication practices aim at disclosing corporate
environmental management actions to stakeholders. This
tries to establish relations with many interested parties
in the company. Socialenvironmental reports, environ-
mental labels and seals and environmental marketing are
considered as environmental communication practices.
Socialenvironmental reports are voluntary disclosures of
companys performance in a specific period, with the objec-
tive of informing corporate actions and impacts on the
environment and society, using formats such as the Global
Reporting Initiative. Environmental labelling aims at dif-
ferentiating environmentally fit products, and thus influ-
encing the consumers purchase decision. Environmental
marketing is defined as the holistic management of pro-
cesses responsible for identifying, anticipating and satisfy-
ing client and society needs in a profitable and sustainable
manner (Peattie and Charter 2002).
Motivational factors for environmental management
Much of the literature on environmental management is
dedicated to understanding factors that influence the volun-
tary adoption of environmental management initiatives by
a company (Berry and Rondinelli 1998; Bansal and Roth
2000; Gonzlez-Benito and Gonzlez-Benito 2006; Zhang
et al. 2009). By systematising the main factors in this area
(Table 1), three factors/motivations are strongly indicated
as motivators for environmental management:
pressure from interested parties, that is, pressure
exercised by clients, by government and by society
for companies to become more environmentally fit.
The foreign market, which is more environmentally
aware, is frequently indicated as a strong influencing
factor;
legal requirements relating to compliance and fit-
tingness towards the main aspects of environmental
legislation geared to the business sector;
competitive advantage, which deals with voluntary
initiatives of companies that seek new market oppor-
tunities through attention to the environment, for
example, development of greener products.
The situation of sugarcane plants in Brazil
Brazil is the worlds largest producer of sugarcane. The
2007/2008 harvest reached a record volume of 490 million
tons, processed in more than 370 plants, all self-sufficient
in energy production. At the end of the 2007/2008 har-
vest, sugarcane occupied 7.8 million hectares, equivalent
to 2.3% of farmable land in Brazil (Unica 2008).
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fishing
and Food Supply (Ministrio da Agricultura, Pecuria
e Abastecimento (MAPA) 2010), ethanol exports could
reach 8.4 billion litres in 2015. With the increase in
 Downloaded by [177.34.226.32] at 10:13 12 November 2012

56

Table 1. Factors/motivations for adopting environmental management practices.

Avoid Pressure Social Foreign Pressure

Government environmental Legal from interested Supply Cost responsibility Competitive Company External Ethical Strategic market Technological from
Authors support risks requirement parties needs reduction requirements advantage characteristics factors issues planning demands aspects competitors
S. Ribeiro and C.J.C. Jabbour

Maimon (1994)     
Donaire (1999)   
Sanches (2000)  
Ferraz and Seroa da Mota  
(2002)
Barbieri (2004)  
Rohrich and Cunha 
(2004)
Jabbour (2010)  
Berry and Rondinelli      
(1998)
Bansal and Roth (2000)      
Zhang et al. (2009)       
Khanna et al. (2007)   
Cropper and Oates (1992)   
Reinhardt (2000)  
Rivera (2002) 
Arora and Cason (1995) 
Henriques and Sadorsky 
(1999)
Florida (1996) 
Gonzlez-Benito and  
Gonzlez-Benito
(2006)
 International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology
domestic and foreign demand, the projection indicates that
this could reach 41.6 billion litres in 2018. This increase
is related to growth in the automobile sector, especially
among flex-fuel cars. However, the sugarcane sector faces
diverse environmental challenges, mainly during the sugar-
cane harvesting phase, which is not the focus of this study.
The main challenges are as follows:
Burning straw during harvesting and the consequent
greenhouse gas emissions (NOX, NO, CO, CO2 , HC
and CXHY) into the atmosphere (Alvarenga and
Queiroz 2009).
Burning sugarcane also releases ozone (O3 ), which
at low altitudes affects health and biodiversity.
Sometimes the volume of O3 released into the
atmosphere during this burning doubles, exceeding
international standards (Szmrecsnyi 1994).
There are also gases emitted from fossil fuel use.
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These stem from machines like tractors, trucks and
harvesters used in the sector (Cunha 2005).
However, the sugarcane sector does not passively
observe these challenges. The companies have signed the
Green Ethanol Protocol, together with the government of
the state of So Paulo. One protocol proposal is to recog-
nise and stimulate sector company environmental prac-
tices through granting of an Environmental Compliance
Certificate by the State Secretary of the Environment
of So Paulo. The Green Ethanol Protocol proposes the
adoption of a set of technical procedures to make sugar-
cane production more sustainable. The protocol projects
the elimination of sugarcane straw burning, conserva-
tion of soil and water resources, protection of riverbank
vegetation, recovery of springs, reduction of atmospheric
emissions and care in using pesticides and for biodiversity.
Research methods
Four cases were analysed at sugarcane processing and
ethanol production plants in the state of So Paulo, Brazil.
The methodological decisions are described in Table 2. Case
studies were conducted (Yin 2004) because this is the ideal
method for investigating recent organisational practices
in little-studied contexts. Environmental management at
sugarcane plants in Brazil can be considered as an emerging
and new theme, as well as relevant and less studied.
The main instrument for collecting primary data was
a script with guidelines for interviews. The script had
12 questions, developed from the literature review, con-
cerning environmental management themes, environmen-
tal management practices and motivating factors (Table 2).
The data were complemented with documents (mainly on
plant history and environmental reports) and with direct
observations.
The criteria for plant selection were ISO 14001 certi-
fication and membership of the Green Ethanol Protocol,
as well as willingness to participate in this research.
57
Four case studies were conducted, which is an appropriate
number for research in the area of environmental manage-
ment (Jabbour and Jabbour 2009). The chosen plants were
named A, B, C and D to maintain anonymity. Data were
collected in 2010. The interviews were conducted at the
plants production and environmental management areas.
Interviews were conducted with at least the environmental
manager, an employee in the environmental area and the
operations manager at each plant. Visits were also made to
the production process (Table 3).
Results
Evolution of environmental management
At the four selected companies, environmental manage-
ment activities are handled formally as part of the organ-
isational structure. Companies A, B and C have adopted an
integrated management system, which ties quality manage-
ment to environmental and occupational health and safety
aspects.
The first environmental management initiatives at com-
pany A were motivated by the search for a reduction in
environmental impacts caused by straw burning during har-
vesting, and replacement of low productivity and highly
polluting machinery. The company has been adopting more
advanced environmental management practices such as
demanding good environmental performance from suppli-
ers. A decision was made in 2000 to try and reach ISO
14001 at the unit, and in 2002, it was awarded certification.
At company B, environmental efforts were motivated
by the search for better operating conditions, more effi-
ciency in natural input use (water and energy) and equip-
ment with a higher technology and environmental fitness.
The company received ISO 14001 certification in 2005.
Company C recently began activity (2004/2005
harvest). According to those interviewed and direct obser-
vations, the plant was created using modern ethanol pro-
duction practices and is completely automated. Since the
plant was installed, environmental aspects have been mon-
itored, with special attention to the efficient use of water
and energy. The plant received ISO 14001 certification in
November 2007.
At company D, environmental management evolved
from mapping the operational (industrial and agricultural)
and administrative processes, and identifying and charac-
terising environmental aspects and impacts. ISO 14001
certification was granted in 2004.
As can be seen in Table 4, all of the plants have
characteristics of the reactive stage of environmental man-
agement, but plant A has a better set of proactive environ-
mental management practices. As a consequence, plants
B, C and D were predominantly classified in the reactive
stage, and plant A in the proactive stage.
Factors influencing adoption of environmental practices
Plant A indicated that the following main factors influ-
enced adoption of environmental practices: avoidance of
 58 S. Ribeiro and C.J.C. Jabbour

Table 2. Case study protocol.

Research decision Description

Study question What environmental management practices are Brazils sugar and ethanol sector plants adopting
and which factors of influence explain adopting such practices?
Unit of analysis Environmental management practices and their corresponding factors of influence within the
scope of sugar and ethanol plants
Main conceptual variables Environmental management, stages of environmental management, environmental management
practices, types of environmental management practices, factors of influence and motivation
for adopting environmental management practices, Brazilian context
Time 2010
Place Sugar and ethanol plants A, B, C and D
Construct validity Use of multiples sources of evidence (direct observation, documents, graphs and interviews with
environmental manager, person in charge of environmental management, among others) with
the chain of evidence
Internal validity Verification of consistency of results obtained by comparing cases
External validity Use of replication logic and repetition of observations in case studies
Elementary case study questions 1. How did environmental management evolve at the plant?
2. Does the company environmentally accompany every phase of the product life cycle? How?
3. Does the company use environmental technologies, for example, emission and effluent
control equipment (purifying filters, incinerators and water and sewer treatment stations)?
Which?
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4. Does the company promote pollutant reduction and waste recycling? How?
5. Does the company have a published environmental policy?
6. Does the company have environmental training for its employees? What? How often?
7. Does the company have ISO 14001 certification? What motivated implementation of this
certificate?
8. Does the company prepare socialenvironmental reports? Which? Are they disclosed? How?
9. Does the company have an environmental label or seal? Has the company joined the Green
Ethanol Project Environmental Protocol? How does the company see this initiative?
10. Do you think the company is adjusted to the Green Ethanol Protocol?
11. Does the company carry out environmental marketing actions? Which?
12. What are the three most important reasons for the company to participate in environmental
management initiatives? Why?
( ) Government support ( ) Competitive advantage
( ) Avoid environmental risks ( ) Company characteristics
( ) Legal requirement ( ) External factors
( ) Pressure from interested parties ( ) Ethical issues
( ) Supply needs ( ) Strategic planning
( ) Cost reductions ( ) Foreign market requirements
( ) Social responsibility requirements ( ) Technological aspects
( ) Pressure from competitors

environmental risks, influence of interested parties and
gaining competitive advantage. The company stated that
avoiding environmental risks is one of the most impor-
tant factors, because acting preventively avoids such risks,
especially fines and sanctions, while preserving the com-
panys image. This pattern of behaviour avoids repairing
any environmental damage within the penal and civil
ambit. The influence of interested parties, especially fund-
ing sources, was also noted as fundamental for the com-
panys strategic planning and for capturing resources in
the best conditions possible. Funding sources, especially
international ones, make several demands of borrowers,
including proof of having adopted environmentally correct
practices. One interviewee said
having an internationally recognised environmental certifi-
cate is essential in this process [. . .] competitive advan-
tage stems from environmental initiatives, especially those
resulting from ISO 14001 certification, which enable com-
panies that achieve such certification to have access to
international communities, increasing the export volume.
Plant B indicated the following main factors influence
adoption of environmental practices: avoiding environmen-
tal risks, legal requirement and influence of interested
parties, especially shareholders or owners. Those inter-
viewed said that avoiding environmental risks is one of
the most important factors, because it fits the owners
ideology and the companys environmental policy, provid-
ing mechanisms to detect possible points of environmental
impact and enabling the minimisation of such impacts.
The legal requirement and shareholder or owner influ-
encing factors were also noted because a well-established
EMS makes it easier to obey legal environmental norms
and demands. According to those interviewed, meeting the
statutory demands is no longer optional, but rather a mat-
ter of survival. The cost of control mechanisms for those
who do not meet legislation makes it unfeasible to stay in
business.
Plant C indicated the following main factors influ-
ence adoption of environmental practices: avoiding envi-
ronmental risks, legal demands and social responsibility
 International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology 59

Table 3. Description of data collection.

Data collection dynamics

Case Interviews Documents Observation

A IMS coordinator ISO 14100 certification Visit for interview

Senior IMS analyst 2006/2007 social responsibility Technical visit
report
Sustainability policy
2008 green energy report
Green Ethanol Certificate
2004 IQNet Certificate
Sustainability manual
B IMS coordinator ISO 14001 certification Visit for interview
Forest engineer Code of ethics Technical visit
Quality control assistant Quality, environment and
occupational safety guide
Management policy
2008 social balance sheet
History of community and regional
environmental participation
2008 institutional
Green Ethanol Certificate
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C Corporate environmental coordinator Integrated management policy Visit for interview

Head of sustainability ISO 14001 certification Technical visit
Green Ethanol Certificate
History of community and regional
environmental participation
D Environmental manager ISO 14001 certification Visit for interview
IMS assistant Green Ethanol Certificate Technical visit
Integrated management policy
History of community and regional
environmental participation

Note: IMS, integrated management system.

Table 4. Characteristics of the evolution of environmental management in analysed cases.

Stage of environmental
management Stage characteristics Plant A Plant B Plant C Plant D

Reactive stage Institutionalisation of environmental activities    

Emphasis on market demand    
Existence of ISO 14001    
Environmental monitoring of the production process    
Existence of environmental technologies for control    
Existence of environmental technologies for prevention    
Existence of environmental technologies for reducing pollutants    
Existence of environmental technologies for products    
Existence of environmental technologies for processes    
Existence of self-regulation    
Existence of environmental reduction goals    
Existence of environmental monitoring goals    
Proactive stage View environmental aspects as a competitiveness factor 
Presence of specialised technical group  
Existence of environmental projects
Presence of environmental measurement technology  
Development of products with an environmental concern    
Environmental requirements for suppliers 
Participation of top management in environmental aspects    

requirements. Those interviewed said that avoiding envi-
ronmental risks is one of the most important factors
because the company is in the process of meeting
and implementing an environmental risk prevention pro-
gramme. The legal demands and shareholder or owner
influencing factors were noted because the company is
striving to meet the legal requirements demanded by
Cetesb (Environmental Company of the State of So
Paulo), comply with operational license demands and other
demands related to the law. Social responsibility require-
ments were indicated as one of the most important factors
because a diagnosis is being conducted to implement
 60 S. Ribeiro and C.J.C. Jabbour
Social Accountability 8000 at the plant. Some internal jobs
are already being done towards this certification.
Plant D indicated the following main factors influence
adoption of environmental practices: avoiding environmen-
tal risks, legal requirements and influence of interested
parties, especially shareholders and owners. Those inter-
viewed stated that avoiding environmental risks and the
legal factors are the most important because they ensure the
absence of fines and sanctions from inspection bodies, pro-
vide good relations with society and the local community
and strengthen the companys image with shareholders.
The shareholder and owner influencing factor was high-
lighted because, in the opinion of those interviewed, the
existence of an organisational culture geared towards envi-
ronmental aspects depends directly on the importance
given to this factor by top management and shareholders
(Table 5).
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Adopted environmental management practices
The environmental management practices adopted by the
plants are systematised in Tables 68.
Plant A is in the process of implementing environmen-
tal LCA. Some initiatives to accompany LCA, especially
for ethanol, have been discontinued because it is difficult
to obtain environmental information about the final con-
sumer since the product is exported and consumed abroad.
Thus, plant A can be considered in advanced stages of
LCA implementation, since it is a pioneer in adopting this
practice.
Plant A uses environmental filter technologies for
boiler gas emissions and promotes domestic effluent treat-
ment, even at automotive garages, in the industrial process
and in administration. The automotive workshop has its
own effluent treatment plant for chemical products used
Table 5. Factors of influence for adopting environmental man-
agement practices.
Case
Factors of influence Plant A Plant B Plant C Plant D
Government support
Avoid environmental risks    
Legal requirement    the boiler, and the company treats domestic and indus-
Pressure from interested    trial effluents. Plant B trains collaborators in the companys
parties
Supply need
Cost reductions
Social responsibility  training is also given every year. Plant B elaborates an
requirements
Competitive advantage  in printed form and also released on the companys home-
Company characteristics
External factors
Ethical issues
Strategic planning
Foreign market
requirements
Technological aspects
Pressure from competitors
to wash parts and vehicles, due to the use of solvents and
grease in these processes. The company treats domestic
effluents at the groups three farms. Industrial effluents and
vinasse are monitored twice a year, as per environmen-
tal norms projected in legislation, and are then used as
fertilisers in company farm fields. It has floaters for oils
used in juice extraction mills that separate and recover the
water that mixes with the oil. Class 1 residue produced by
the company is co-processed. There is also a closed water
recirculation plant in the industrial process. The company
requires suppliers to obey environmental control demands
for environmentally correct disposal of waste.
Plant A promotes environmental training focused on
specific environmental aspects of each activity carried out
by company collaborators. Training is also given to meet
the constant needs stemming from maintenance of an EMS
and the needs stemming from client demands. Training
is given in-house, and most of the training takes place
at the workplace for operational ease. Specific training is
given in internal and external auditing processes. Plant A
elaborated and released a socialenvironmental report in
2006 geared towards social responsibility. It is elaborating
a sustainability report as per Global Reporting Initiative
standards for 2010. Plant A carries out environmental mar-
keting actions on commemorative dates, for example, tree
day and environment week, with actions such as planting
tree saplings, and so on. It supports regionally sponsored
community and government environmental actions. The
company discloses environmental actions on its site and
has an environmental seal for returning sugar packaging.
Plant B sells almost all of its products in the domes-
tic market and thus has a product life cycle from planting
to final consumer. Products like ethanol, sugar and elec-
tric energy are developed in a way that does not harm
the environment. In the case of ethanol, CO2 levels are
mitigated throughout the production process. In ethanol
and sugar production, residue and bagasse are mitigated,
and in the specific case of sugar, plastic residues with
100% recyclable packages are used. The plant instructs
consumers to dispose of packaging correctly, with recy-
cling instructions included on the package itself. Plant B
has a washing system for gases emitted from the burning
of biomass. The company filters gases emitted by boil-
ers and chimneys. Non-recyclable residues are burned in
environmental policy, and in controls to minimise and
mitigate environmental impacts. Environmental recycling
annual socialenvironmental balance, which is distributed
page. It discloses its environmental actions in its internal
newspaper, and has a bulletin that discloses its environ-
mental actions and is distributed to society and company
collaborators.
Plant C follows the product cycle from field to inter-
nal production, training and instructing collaborators in the
event of non-conformity in the production process in terms
 International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology 61

Table 6. Operational practices of environmental management adopted.

Operational practices of environmental management

Case Life cycle assessment Environmental technology Cleaner production

A Implementation phase Filtering of boiler gases Selective collection of waste

B In sugar production, it is
involved from planting to
package recycling
C Only internally
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Domestic effluent treatment
Automotive effluent treatment
Monitoring of industrial effluent
Co-processing of class 1 residue
Oil flotation
Recirculation of process water
Containing chemical products
Environmental demand for qualifying
suppliers
Monitoring and reuse of vinasse in fields
Filtering and washing of boiler gases
Burning of residue
Domestic and industrial effluent treatment
Analysis of boiler gases, effluents, vinasse,
filter cake, sludge, water from water and oil
separator box
Domestic effluent is kept in septic tank
Environmental monitoring of vinasse,
residual water and ash
Underground and surface water and
atmospheric emissions of NOx
Replacement of boilers
Measuring degree of blackening of smoke
from company and supplier vehicles
Selective collection of waste
Selective collection of waste
Batteries packed and sent for recycling
Tyres sold for recycling
Chemical packages packed and sent for

D From planting to internal Monitoring of filter cake, sludge, Reuse of residues
production underground and surface water capturing,
vinasse, soil, boiler gases and vehicle
combustion
Filtering and removal of particles
Monitoring of boiler emissions
Treatment of effluents from vinasse, residual
water, from water and oil separators,
pesticides and sewers
recycling
Vinasse and sugarcane washing water reused
in fields
Vinasse, sludge and filter cake used as
fertilisers
Organic residue packed and sent to landfill
Fluorescent bulbs packed and sent for
recycling
Recycling of residues
Goals for reducing residues, such as
monitoring every 4 months

Table 7. Organisational practices of environmental management adopted.

Organisational practices of environmental management

Case Environmental policy Environmental training Environmental certification

A Publishes and discloses
B Publishes and discloses
C Publishes and discloses
D Publishes and discloses
Holds training focused on specific environmental aspects of each Certified ISO 14001 in 2002
activity carried out by collaborators
In-house training
In-house training in companys environmental policy, Certified ISO 14001 in 2005
environmental aspects and impacts and their mitigation
Environmental training in integration process
Annual training in recycling Certified ISO 14001 in 2007
Environmental training in the integration process
Environmental training in policy, ISO 14001, continuous
improvement, audits and environmental goals
Training in identifying and characterising environmental aspects Certified ISO 14001 in 2004
Training in control measures for environmental aspects
ISO 14001
Formation of internal auditor
Training in environmental awareness
Training in corrective and preventive action for environmental
aspects
Training in emergency plans for situations of environmental risk
 62 S. Ribeiro and C.J.C. Jabbour

Table 8. Communication practices of environmental management adopted.

Communication practices of environmental management

Case Socialenvironmental report Environmental labels and seals Environmental marketing

A Socialenvironmental report in 2006
geared towards social responsibility
Elaborating a sustainability report as per
GRI standards for 2010
B Socialenvironmental balance elaborated
annually
C Does not elaborate socialenvironmental
reports
D Elaborated a sustainability report in 2008
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Environmental seal for
returning pesticide packaging
Adhered to the Green Ethanol
Project Protocol
Adhered to the Green Ethanol
Project Protocol
Adhered to the Green Ethanol
Project Protocol
Adhered to the Green Ethanol
Promotes environmental marketing actions
on commemorative dates
Supports regional sponsorship for
community and government environmental
actions
Discloses environmental actions on
homepage
Publishes own newspaper and handouts
Bulletin on environmental actions
distributed internally and externally
Discloses environmental actions on
homepage
Lectures on environmental actions for
regional community
Disclosure of environmental actions and
policy to service providers and product
suppliers
Participates in the sustainability report

(not disclosed externally) Project Protocol Holds environmental awareness lectures and
actions with sugarcane suppliers

Note: GRI, Global Reporting Initiative.

of environmental aspects and impacts. Plant C analyses
boiler chimney gases annually, and effluents twice a year
for vinasse, filter cake, sludge and water from water and oil
separator boxes. Today, there is a septic tank for treatment
of domestic sewage, and a treatment plant with aerobic and
anaerobic systems is being developed. Plant C holds envi-
ronmental training on the companys environmental policy
and impacts to integrate new employees, and on issues that
refer to ISO 14001, such as continuous improvement, inter-
nal auditing and environmental objectives and goals. Plant
C does not develop socialenvironmental reports. When
requested, plant C holds lectures on the environment and
explains the work carried out in the organisation with the
intention of minimising environmental impacts. It instructs
service providers and suppliers on the organisations inte-
grated policy.
Plant D accompanies the development phases of its
products from raw material to internal transformation into
a final product (through adopting legal controls) that may
alter or interact with the environment. It also monitors
cake filter and vinasse sludge; capturing of surface water;
analyses soil; monitors boiler and gas vehicle emissions;
and controls emissions of particles from steam generation.
It monitors the water and oil separator; the capturing of
underground water and controls pure vinasse and washing
water every 6 months. The company controls and monitors
effluent from vinasse, residual water, water and oil sepa-
rators and effluent stemming from pesticide and sewage
treatment. Plant D conducts environmental training based
on responsibilities of those involved in environmental con-
trols. It holds environmental awareness sessions for all
employees. Plant D issued its first Sustainability Report
in 2008, based on the 2007 harvest, and opted for non-
disclosure, participates in the sustainability report of the
sugarcane plant association, holds lectures and conducts
environmental awareness actions with suppliers.
Discussion
This section proposes a framework (Figure 1) to under-
stand the relationship between evolutionary stages of envi-
ronmental management, the environmental management
practices adopted and the factors influencing adoption of
environmental management practices.
In relation to plant A, for operational environmen-
tal management practices there is average focus on
LCA and high focus on environmental technologies and
cleaner production. For adopted organisational environ-
mental practices, it placed high value on the existence
of an environmental policy, environmental training and
the environmental certification process. For the adoption
of communication practices, it placed high value on the
socialenvironmental reports and environmental seals and
labels, with the average value given to environmental
marketing.
For operational environmental practices, plant B gave
high value to LCA, average to environmental technologies
and low value to cleaner production techniques. For organ-
isational environmental practices, it placed high value on
environmental policy, environmental training and envi-
ronmental certification. The adoption of communication
practices was given a low value in terms of social
environmental reports, environmental seals and labels,
with the average value given to environmental marketing.
For operational environmental practices, plant C gave
low priority to LCA, average to the existence of environ-
mental technologies and low priority to cleaner production
techniques. In terms of adopted organisational environ-
mental practices, the existence of environmental policy,
 International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology 63

Stage of
Case environmental Adopted practices | intensity Main determining factors
management

Operational Avoid environmental risks

A B C
Pressure from interested parties
A Proactive Organisational
A B C
Competitive advantage
Communication
A B C
Operational Avoid environmental risks
A B C
Legal requirements
B Reactive Organisational
A B C
Pressure from interested parties
Communication
A B C
Operational Avoid environmental risks
A B C
Legal requirements
C Reactive Organisational
A B C
Social responsibility
Communication
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A B C
Operational Avoid environmental risks
A B C
Legal requirements
D Reactive Organisational
A B C
Pressure from interested parties
Communication
A B C
Operational practices Organisational practices Communication practices
A - Life cycle assessment A - Environmental policy A - Social environmental reports
B - Environmental technologies B - Environmental training B - Environmental labels and seals
C - Cleaner production C - Environmental certification C - Environmental marketing

Legend: High Average Low Non-existent

Figure 1. Explanatory framework of relationships between empirical evidence and research constructs.

environmental training and the environmental certification
process was high priority. For adoption of communica-
tion practices, there were no socialenvironmental reports;
low value was given to environmental seals and labels and
average to environmental marketing.
For operational environmental practices, plant D had a
low value for LCA, average for the existence of environ-
mental technologies and high for cleaner production tech-
niques. For organisational environmental practices, high
priority was given to environmental policy, environmental
training and environmental certification. In terms of adop-
tion of communication practices, this received low priority
for socialenvironmental reports, environmental seals and
labels and average to environmental marketing.
Plants A, B, C and D have some similarities, although
at different intensities. In terms of organisational envi-
ronmental practices, the four plants all have and promote
environmental management policies, offer environmen-
tal training and are being certified ISO 14001. In terms
of operational practices, they all treat industrial efflu-
ents and monitor boiler water. In terms of communica-
tion practices, they adhere to the Green Ethanol Project
Environmental Protocol and promote and disseminate envi-
ronmental actions.
When considering the differences between plants,
although all have some environmental proactive charac-
teristics, only plant A views the environmental aspects as
a factor for competitiveness, has a specialised technical
group, environmental measurement technology, develops
products with environmental concerns and top manage-
ment participates in environmental issues.
For operational environmental practices involving anal-
ysis of the product life cycle, there were differences
between plants. Plant A is just now implementing moni-
toring of the ethanol life cycle, whereas the other plants
already do this, although at different levels of intensity.
Plant As lack of compliance is because most production is
geared to export of unfinished product, that is, product that
is not directed towards the final user. This affects control of
the entire life cycle chain for the final product.
There was some divergence in environmental
communication practices regarding elaborating social
environmental reports. Only plant C does not produce
such reports, while only plant A places great value in
 64 S. Ribeiro and C.J.C. Jabbour

elaborating them precisely because of its external clients,
who give greater importance to these.
Since plants B, C and D operate almost exclusively
in the domestic market, with products developed for that
market, they had very similar influencing factors, such
as avoiding environmental risks and legal demands (in
all three companies) and pressure from interested parties
(two of the three companies). In the case of company
A, which operates almost exclusively in the international
market, the main influence was competitive advantage,
confirming literature arguments (Maimon 1994; Berry and
Rondinelli 1998). There is evidence that influencing fac-
tors and the intensity at which they are perceived by
plant directors determine which environmental manage-
ment practices will be adopted and the level at which they
will be adopted. Thus, our findings confirm the relevance of
environmental awareness of company managers for adopt-
ing environmental management (Govindarajulu and Daily
2004; Zhang et al. 2009).
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this is possibly due to the non-linear pathways of envi-
ronmental management evolution, because adoption of
environmental practices, especially operational and organ-
isational ones, has become a sine qua non condition for
plant survival. The difference in company As evolution-
ary stage is how it deals with environmental manage-
ment communication practices, as defined by Gonzlez-
Benito and Gonzlez-Benito (2006) (Figure 2), giving
more importance to the adoption of environmental man-
agement communication practices that are voluntary in
nature.
Conclusions
Based on the results, environmental management practices
were seen to be influenced by determining factors of the
evolutionary stage of environmental management of plants
A, B, C and D. The plants market of operation (domestic
or foreign) has a direct influence on the type of envi-

The study indicates that the four companies adopted
almost all operational and organisational environmental
practices with equal intensity; however, there was a signifi-
cant difference in the adoption of communication practices.
Company A was more concerned with adopting communi-
cation practices than companies B, C and D. Thus, analysis
of communication practices is important for classifying
evolutionary stages in companies. Such green practices
could be relevant to update schemes to classify company
evolutionary stages towards environmental management
(Maimon 1994; Donaire 1999; Jabbour and Jabbour 2009;
Jabbour 2010).
All of the companies had reactive stage characteristics
pointing to legal requirements and pressure from interested
parties as determining factors for adopting environmen-
tal management practices. According to Jabbour (2010),
ronmental management adopted. Company A, which has
products geared towards operations in foreign markets, was
proactive to environmental management, resulting from
the perception and motivation that environmental manage-
ment gives a competitive advantage for continued access
to foreign markets. This influences not only the set of envi-
ronmental management practices, but also the intensity at
which they are adopted. Plant A focuses on environmental
management communication practices, which are key to its
superior environmental performance.
On the other hand, companies B, C and D are at a
predominantly reactive evolutionary stage, adopting more
operational and organisational environmental management
practices. Communication practices, which demonstrate a
more proactive approach, were not as developed as in
company A.

Tendency towards
proactivity in
environmental
management (Plant A)
Factors of influence and
motivations

Communication
Product and market
practices
scope (domestic or
foreign)
Operational Organisational
practices practices
Perception of important
environmental
management practices

Tendency towards
reactivity in
environmental
management (Plants B,
C and D)

Figure 2. Relevance of communication practices for the evolution of environmental management.

 International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology
These results have implications for plant managers.
They reveal that if plants intend to improve environmental
management, they need to adopt communication practices
that can bring the plant closer to stakeholders and inter-
national consumers. These can provide information about
how plants contribute to a more sustainable society not
only by supplying ethanol, but also by adopting internal
environmental management practices. For scholars, this
paper presents practical evidence of a little-studied sector:
Brazils sugarcane plants. This sectors production process
has a high environmental impact, constituting an impor-
tant case for environmental research. For society, this study
shows the importance of environmental management com-
munication practices. Without these, society will have little
information about the relationship between plants and the
environment. It also shows that the public sector, universi-
ties and consultants in environmental management can still
contribute significantly towards the sustainable develop-
ment of these plants, many of which are still in the reactive
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stage of environmental management.
The main limitation of this study is its sample size
restricted to only four plants in Brazil. Future studies
should compare the results of this paper with other case
studies on sugarcane in emerging countries.
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