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6Analysis

contrast, barriers related to lack of environmental concern or low per-
ceived importance of sustainability are consistently reported as having
low relevance across all countries. Only a small share of respondents
identifies motivational factors as highly relevant barriers. This pattern
is critical from a Stern based perspective, as it indicates that iso 21401
adoption is not primarily constrained by values, attitudes, or awareness,
but by external and organisational conditions that shape the feasibility of
action.
Cross-country differences further highlight distinct national profiles of
constraint. Greece consistently reports lower shares of respondents iden-
tifying barriers as highly relevant, reflecting a context in which both con-
textual and capacity-related constraints exert weaker limiting effects on
environmentally significant behaviour. Italy and Slovenia show higher
shares of respondents reporting financial and administrative barriers,
indicating stronger constraints related to cost and organisational bur-
den. Spain occupies an intermediate position, with administrative and
capacity-related barriers more prominent than financial ones.
Overall, the table indicates that barriers to iso 21401 adoption across
the Mediterranean are best understood as behavioural constraints rather
than motivational deficits. The sustainability status quo is characterised
by widespread recognition of sustainability and willingness to act, but
uneven capacity to absorb the organisational, procedural, and economic
costs associated with formal certification. From a cross Mediterranean
perspective, enabling iso 21401 adoption therefore requires interven-
tions that reduce administrative complexity, lower financial barriers, and
strengthen organisational capacity, rather than measures aimed at in-
creasing awareness or changing attitudes.
Table 6.34 provides a structured diagnosis of why iso 21401 adop-
tion remains uneven even in a context where sustainability is widely
recognised as important. By combining prevalence estimates with Stern’s
(2000) environmentally significant behaviour framework, The table of-
fers more than just a simple list of obstacles and clarifies which be-
havioural mechanisms most strongly constrain organisational action.
A first and decisive insight is the dominance of contextual constraints.
Ten of the fifteen barriers fall into Stern’s contextual category and these
also account for most of the highest prevalence values. The most fre-
quently reported barriers are insufficient staff (68), implementation
costs (64), insufficient time (62), and excessive paperwork (61). Each
of these represents a constraint that operates largely independently of or-

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