Linking environmental strategy to environmental performance: Mediation role of environmental management accounting

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to test a conceptual framework that describes the relationship between environmental strategy, environmental management accounting and environmental performance. In this paper, the authors argue that environmental strategy can directly influence environmental performance through environmental management accounting.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper examines the survey responses of general managers, operations managers, financial managers and environmental managers in an ISO 14001 certified company listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange. The hypotheses were tested using a consistent partial least squares approach and bias-corrected and accelerated bootstrap confidence intervals to test the significance between variables.

Findings

In general, the proposed framework obtains adequate goodness-of-fit statistics. Furthermore, the results support the argument that there is a positive and significant effect of environmental strategies on the environmental performance of companies and that the role of environmental management accounting can mediate their relationship.

Research limitations/implications

The limitations of this study relate to the small sample size, as environmental results are still regarded as confidential by many companies. A causal relationship cannot be confirmed for the results. The instrument used is fully adopted from previous research, without unidimensional re-testing. This study contributes to the natural resource-based view literature by responding to recent calls to test the combined effect of resources on environmental performance.

Practical implications

This result could serve as a specific reference for policymaking at firms to continuously improve their environmental performance. This study also has important implications for management practices by illustrating the potential of environmental strategies and environmental management accounting to improve environmental performance.

Social implications

This result indicates that the improving green accounting in Indonesia would appear to require more mandated pressure from, particularly, governmental powers.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the corporate environmental accounting literature by providing empirical evidence linking environmental strategy with environmental performance through the implementation of environmental management accounting.

Citation

Solovida, G.T. and Latan, H. (2017), "Linking environmental strategy to environmental performance: Mediation role of environmental management accounting", Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal, Vol. 8 No. 5, pp. 595-619. https://doi.org/10.1108/SAMPJ-08-2016-0046