PROACTIVE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT: A CHALLENGE FOR THE CERAMIC INDUSTRY

GESTIÓN AMBIENTAL PROACTIVA: UN RETO PARA LA INDUSTRIA CERÁMICA

Abstract

Environmental management is a challenge for organizations. Some consider it a cost to comply with all environmental legislation and act only in a reactive way. Others see environmental management as an opportunity to create value and have a competitive advantage in it, adopting proactive environmental strategies. The objective of this work is to analyze the use of proactive environmental management in generating competitive advantage for companies in the ceramic tile sector. This is a multihull study, carried out through interviews with managers of 4 companies in the Criciúma/SC Cluster, of a qualitative and descriptive nature, using as a content analysis tool. It was identified that most companies carry out proactive environmental management, even partially, with practices aimed at improving the production process, reducing the use of raw materials, energy and water. And reusing production waste. In this way, conquering new markets, mainly through environmental certifications, thus generating competitive advantage.