Does ISO 14001 certification influence PROPER ratings? Perspectives from a mining case study
Fajrul Falakh 1 2 * , Sudarmadji 1 , Sri Rahayu Budiani 3
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1 Doctoral Program of Environmental Science, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, INDONESIA2 Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universitas Islam Negeri Walisongo, Semarang, INDONESIA3 Faculty of Geography, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, INDONESIA* Corresponding Author

Abstract

Environmental governance in Indonesia’s high-impact industries combines internal management standards with external reputational regulation. This study examines how an ISO 14001-based environmental management systems (EMS) relates to environmental indicators and PROPER ratings in a longitudinal single-company case in coal mining. We use mixed evidence: sustainability-report indicators and reported PROPER outcomes for 2022-2024; documentary traces of EMS integrity (certification continuity, audit cycles, and non-conformity records [NCRs]); and semi-structured interviews with nine internal actors (managers, practitioners, and field workers). PROPER is stable across 2022-2024 and shifts to a higher category, while absolute operational indicators (emissions, energy, and water use) fluctuate. Audits recur and NCRs remain controlled, and interviews describe routinized EMS practices across organizational levels. Framed as information-based regulation, PROPER is treated as a disclosure-driven reputational signal rather than a monotonic performance proxy. The evidence rejects a purely symbolic certification interpretation, without supporting causal claims of impact reduction in this context.

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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

EUR J SUSTAIN DEV RES, Volume 10, Issue 3, 2026, Article No: em0404

https://doi.org/10.29333/ejosdr/18525

Publication date: 01 Jul 2026

Online publication date: 05 May 2026

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