A case study of the adoption of the ISO 14006 in the Capital Equipment sector

This article aims to analyze the adoption of the ecodesign standard ISO 14006 in the Capital Equipment sector firms. An empirical study based on a qualitative methodology has been designed. Three exploratory case studies have therefore been carried out with the participation of three medium-large firm of the sector. The firms have integrated ecoindicators into the design process to analyze the environmental impact of its products on each stage of their life cycle. The firms have managed to improve the environmental impact of their products by means of a continuous improvement process. The adoption of the standard can be a useful tool in reducing the environmental impact of the products and in obtaining some competitive advantages, such as improving energy efficiency of the products, and a better adaptation to laws and regulations. However, they draw attention to certain instances of impact that increases in cost entail, administrative bodies should establish faster mandatory regulations, because otherwise environmentallyfriendly products and firms would lose competitiveness.