This indicator shows development of environmental management systems like number of awarded environmental certificates under the ISO 14001, the EMAS scheme, the number of awarded EU Ecolabels in Slovenia and the EU. The data is expressed per million inhabitants.

For better understanding of the mechanism their definition is as follows:

ISO 14001 is an internationally agreed standard that sets out the requirements for an environmental management system. It helps organizations improve their environmental performance through pollution prevention and more efficient use of resources.

The EU Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) is an environmental management system that was introduced in 1995. Organisations that hold the EMAS certificate are obliged to continuously assess and improve their environmental performance and inform the public of the environmental impact of their activities. EMAS is an upgrade of the ISO 14001 standard. It ensures greater openness, transparency and periodical publication of verified environmental information. Compared to ISO 14001, the EMAS has higher demands with regard to improved performance, participation of employees, legal compliance and communication with the public.

The EU Ecolabel is an instrument of environmental protection. The EU introduced it in 1992 in order to encourage companies to develop products and services that maximally reduce environmental impact throughout the product/service life cycle and provide consumers with better information on environmental impact of their products/services. The overall impact of products is observed – from the extraction of raw materials to the disposal of used products, while consumers are directed through the provision of accurate, clear and scientifically supported information on products and services. The advantages of being awarded the EU Ecolabel  include confirmation of meeting environmental requirements, use of the Ecolabel and promotion.

The number of companies registered under ISO 14001 and EMAS schemes in Slovenia and the EU-28 has been gradually increasing since 1998, with some exceptions. Between 2017 and 2020, there was a significant decline in the number of certifications, but the situation improved in the last year. Slovenia ranks above the EU average in terms of the number of awarded ISO 14001 certifications. In 2021, there were 264 organizations with ISO 14001 certification per million inhabitants in Slovenia, which is 28 more organizations than in 2020. Among the selected countries, the highest number of registered companies with ISO 14001 certification per million inhabitants in 2021 was in the Czech Republic (424), Romania (322), and Italy (306).

In comparison to ISO 14001, the number of Slovenian companies included in the EMAS scheme is more modest. In 2022, Austria (30), Spain (21), and Italy (18) had the highest number of organizations registered under the EMAS scheme per million inhabitants in Europe. On average, in the EU-27, eight organizations with one or more EMAS certifications per million inhabitants were included in the EMAS scheme in 2020. Slovenia, with five EMAS certifications awarded up to and including 2020, ranks in the better half of the EU-27 countries. However, the number of recognitions per million inhabitants is below the EU-27 average.

Since the introduction of the EU Ecolabel in 1992, the number of awarded companies with the label has been increasing. The highest growth was observed until 2014, followed by stagnation or decline in some countries. In recent years, the number of EU Ecolabels has increased again, particularly in Austria, Slovenia, and Denmark. In 2022, a total of 1,840 EU Ecolabels were awarded in the EU-27, with the highest number in Austria (24.3/million inhabitants) and Slovenia (23.7/million inhabitants). The EU Ecolabel is awarded in 25 categories of products and services. In 2022, Slovenia awarded 50 EU Ecolabels, placing it at the top of the EU-27 in terms of the number of awarded companies with the label per million inhabitants.

Implementing environmental management systems is an important economic tool for communication and standardization in environmental protection. It provides companies with an internationally recognized approach to business that encompasses all essential aspects of environmental performance, from resource and energy use to technological processes and product requirements, leading to the elimination and reduction of negative environmental impacts. The advantage of implementing an environmental management system lies not only in compliance with environmental legislation and cost reduction but also in increasing competitiveness in marketing products, technologies, and knowledge in international markets and expanding business opportunities. It is considered a voluntary approach that is typically adopted in the economy based on public programs.