Search results
1 – 10 of 77Meghna Bharali Saikia and Santi Gopal Maji
This study aims to examine the influence of corporate carbon emissions on the financial performance of select Indian companies. It further studies the moderating role of…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the influence of corporate carbon emissions on the financial performance of select Indian companies. It further studies the moderating role of science-based target initiatives (SBTi) in this relationship.
Design/methodology/approach
The study is based on 57 Indian SBTi companies and 74 Bombay Stock Exchange-listed non-SBTi companies for the period of four years from 2019–2020 to 2022–2023. The panel data regression models are used to study this association. Furthermore, two-stage least square and generalized method of moments models are used to test the robustness of the results.
Findings
There is a negative relationship between corporate carbon emissions and financial performance. The findings support the “win-win” hypothesis and confirm that reducing carbon emissions can improve the financial performance of Indian firms. Furthermore, the SBTi moderate the carbon emission and firm performance nexus.
Practical implications
The findings of the study would provide insights to the policymakers, regulators and managers to mainstream climate change in their core business activities driving sustainability and profitable outcomes.
Originality/value
This study is a noble attempt to study the moderating role of science-based targets in the carbon emissions and firm performance nexus in an emerging market setting. Earlier studies have been conducted in a cross-country context.
Details
Keywords
Sinead Earley, Thomas Daae Stridsland, Sarah Korn and Marin Lysák
Climate change poses risks to society and the demand for carbon literacy within small and medium-sized enterprises is increasing. Skills and knowledge are required for…
Abstract
Purpose
Climate change poses risks to society and the demand for carbon literacy within small and medium-sized enterprises is increasing. Skills and knowledge are required for organizational greenhouse gas accounting and science-based decisions to help businesses reduce transitional risks. At the University of Copenhagen and the University of Northern British Columbia, two carbon management courses have been developed to respond to this growing need. Using an action-based co-learning model, students and business are paired to quantify and report emissions and develop climate plans and communication strategies.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper draws on surveys of businesses that have partnered with the co-learning model, designed to provide insight on carbon reductions and the impacts of co-learning. Data collected from 12 respondents in Denmark and 19 respondents in Canada allow for cross-institutional and international comparison in a Global North context.
Findings
Results show that while co-learning for carbon literacy is welcomed, companies identify limitations: time and resources; solution feasibility; governance and reporting structures; and communication methods. Findings reveal a need for extension, both forwards and backwards in time, indicating that the collaborations need to be lengthened and/or intensified. Balancing academic requirements detracts from usability for businesses, and while municipal and national policy and emission targets help generate a general societal understanding of the issue, there is no concrete guidance on how businesses can implement operational changes based on inventory results.
Originality/value
The research brings new knowledge to the field of transitional climate risks and does so with a focus on both small businesses and universities as important co-learning actors in low-carbon transitions. The comparison across geographies and institutions contributes an international solution perspective to climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies.
Details
Keywords
Valerie McIlvaine, Steven Dahlquist and Kevin Lehnert
Climate change and carbon emissions are top of mind in all facets of society. This study aims to investigate what the world’s top brands are saying about carbon emissions and…
Abstract
Purpose
Climate change and carbon emissions are top of mind in all facets of society. This study aims to investigate what the world’s top brands are saying about carbon emissions and greenhouse gases (GHG). Through this inquiry, the authors hope to better understand what brands are saying, doing and if their actions are clear. Furthermore, the authors seek to uncover practices that may deter or enhance a brand’s effectiveness in communicating its current and future initiatives.
Design/methodology/approach
Each of the world’s top 50 brands’ (Forbes, 2020 Rankings) websites were assessed using a content analysis methodology. Key constructs and themes were identified first through a broad assessment, leading to a set of parameters (content items) that were used to assess each brand’s website. The results were then summarized.
Findings
Almost all of the world’s Top 50 brands attempt to articulate their current accomplishments and goals relative to carbon emissions and GHG. Generally, carbon falls under a broader discussion of their sustainability initiatives and objectives. While extensive, information on carbon emissions possesses a variety of terms for measures and initiatives, goal setting and actions. Stakeholders may find the information to be ambiguous and of limited use.
Originality/value
There are few, if any, assessments of how major brands communicate their current and future carbon emissions initiatives. The study uncovers tendencies and provides managers with practices that may enhance the effectiveness of their brand’s carbon emissions communications.
Details
Keywords
Ehsan Shekarian, Anupama Prashar, Jukka Majava, Iqra Sadaf Khan, Sayed Mohammad Ayati and Ilkka Sillanpää
Recently, interest in sustainability has grown globally in the heavy vehicle and equipment industry (HVEI). However, this industry's complexity poses a challenge to the…
Abstract
Purpose
Recently, interest in sustainability has grown globally in the heavy vehicle and equipment industry (HVEI). However, this industry's complexity poses a challenge to the implementation of generic sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) practices. This study aims to identify SSCM's barriers, practices and performance (BPP) indicators in the HVEI context.
Design/methodology/approach
The results are derived from case studies of four multinational manufacturers. Within-case and cross-case analyses were conducted to categorise the SSCM BPP indicators that are unique to HVEI supply chains.
Findings
This study's analysis revealed that supply chain cost implications and a deficient information flow between focal firms and supply chain partners are the key barriers to SSCM in the HVEI. This analysis also revealed a set of policies, programmes and procedures that manufacturers have adopted to address SSCM barriers. The most common SSCM performance indicators included eco-portfolio sales to assess economic performance, health and safety indicators for social sustainability and carbon- and energy-related measures for environmental sustainability.
Practical implications
The insights can help HVEI firms understand and overcome the typical SSCM barriers in their industry and develop, deploy and optimise their SSCM strategies and practices. Managers can use this knowledge to identify appropriate mechanisms with which to accelerate their transition into a sustainable business and effectively measure performance outcomes.
Originality/value
The extant SSCM literature has focused on the light vehicle industry, and it has lacked a concrete examination of HVEI supply chains' sustainability BPP. This study develops a framework that simultaneously analyses SSCM BPP in the HVEI.
Details
Keywords
Andrew S. Gallan, Diogo Hildebrand, Yuliya Komarova, Dan Rubin and Ronen Shay
Designing and developing responsible business practices can create various tensions for service organizations. The purpose of this research is to develop a deeper understanding of…
Abstract
Purpose
Designing and developing responsible business practices can create various tensions for service organizations. The purpose of this research is to develop a deeper understanding of the relationship between customer engagement (CE) and responsible business practices (e.g. environmental, social and/or governance [ESG], corporate social responsibility [CSR] and diversity, equity, and inclusion [DEI]) and explore customer engagement tensions that service organizations may face.
Design/methodology/approach
This research develops a list of CE-related responsible business practice tensions and empirically explores their relevance through in-depth interviews with nine ESG professionals.
Findings
This paper makes three important contributions. First, we find support for nine distinct but related tensions with implications for CE that organizations must navigate when pursuing responsible business practices. Second, interview participants provide some suggestions for tackling these tensions, which we support with relevant theories. Finally, we develop a conceptual framework that may stimulate future service research and inform the implementation of ESG strategies.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this research is the first to conceptualize and empirically explore the tensions that emerge between responsible business practices and CE. The authors develop a novel analysis of the CE-related tensions that emerge when pursuing an ESG strategy.
Research limitations/implications
The findings are based on a small sample of ESG professionals. Future research may take a quantitative approach to further evaluate the role that these tensions play in engaging customers.
Practical implications
This research provides a conceptual framework that may guide ESG professionals in understanding, framing and navigating CE-related tensions when pursuing responsible business practices.
Social implications
A social benefit may be found when service organizations are better able to successfully navigate CE-related tensions when pursuing responsible business practices.
Details
Keywords
Mehtap Dursun and Rana Duygu Alkurt
Today’s one of the most important difficulties is tackling climate change and its effects on the environment. The Paris Agreement states that nations must balance the amount of…
Abstract
Purpose
Today’s one of the most important difficulties is tackling climate change and its effects on the environment. The Paris Agreement states that nations must balance the amount of greenhouse gases they emit and absorb until 2050 to contribute to the mitigation of greenhouse gases and to support sustainable development. According to the agreement, each country must determine, plan and regularly report on its contributions. Thus, it is important for the countries to predict and analyze their net zero performances in 2050. Therefore, the aim of this study is to evaluate European Continent Countries' net zero performances at the targeted year.
Design/methodology/approach
The European Continent Countries that ratified the Paris Agreement are specified as decision making units (DMUs). Input and output indicators are specified as primary energy consumption, freshwater withdrawals, gross domestic product (GDP), carbon-dioxide (CO2) and nitrous-oxide (N2O) emissions. Data from 1980 to 2019 are obtained and forecasted using autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) until 2050. Then, the countries are clustered based on the forecasts of primary energy consumption and freshwater withdrawals using k-means algorithm. As desirable and undesirable outputs arise simultaneously, the performances are computed using Pure Environmental Index (PEI) and Mixed Environmental Index (MEI) data envelopment analysis (DEA) models.
Findings
It is expected that by 2050, CO2 emissions of seven countries remain constant, N2O emissions of seven countries remain stable and five countries’ both CO2 and N2O emissions remain constant. While it can be seen as success that many countries are expected to at least stabilize one emission, the likelihood of achieving net zero targets diminishes unless countries undertake significant reductions in emissions. According to the results, in Cluster 1, Turkey ranks last, while France, Germany, Italy and Spain are efficient countries. In Cluster 2, the United Kingdom ranks at last, while Greece, Luxembourg, Malta and Sweden are efficient countries.
Originality/value
In the literature, generally, CO2 emission is considered as greenhouse gas. Moreover, none of the studies measured the net-zero performance of the countries in 2050 employing analytical techniques. This study objects to investigate how well European Continent Countries can comply with the necessities of the Agreement. Besides CO2 emission, N2O emission is also considered and the data of European Continent Countries in 2050 are estimated using ARIMA. Then, countries are clustered using k-means algorithm. DEA models are employed to measure the performances of the countries. Finally, forecasts and models validations are performed and comprehensive analysis of the results is conducted.
Details
Keywords
Anil Kumar Sharma, Anupama Prashar and Ritu Sharma
Globally, the landscape of corporate carbon disclosures (CCD) is continually evolving as societal, environmental and regulatory expectations change over time. The goal of this…
Abstract
Purpose
Globally, the landscape of corporate carbon disclosures (CCD) is continually evolving as societal, environmental and regulatory expectations change over time. The goal of this study is to examine the challenges faced by Indian firms’ corporate carbon reporting (CCR). The literature recognized the hurdles to reaching net zero emissions and decarbonization, which are equally applicable to carbon disclosure (CD).
Design/methodology/approach
The scope 3 emission disclosure barriers (S3EDBs) identified from the literature were ranked, and their relationships were discovered using the “Grey-based decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory” (Grey- DEMATEL) technique.
Findings
The key findings are the S3EDBs, the most prominent barriers, their interrelationships and important insights for managers of organizations in prioritizing the action area for scope 3 CD. Eight S3EDBs were categorized in terms of cause and effect, threshold value is calculated as 0.78. “Quality, and reliability of data,” “Government policies and statutory requirement on emission disclosure” and “Traceability and managing supply chain partners” are the most prominent S3EDBs.
Practical implications
The results will help industry people in countries with emerging economies that have significant scope 3 carbon footprints. The managers can plan to deal with top S3EDBs as a step towards decarbonization and ultimately fighting climate change (CC).
Originality/value
This study is one of the first to rank these barriers to CD so that industry practitioners can prioritize their actions. The core contribution of this research is to detect the most significant S3EDBs and their interdependencies.
Details
Keywords
Jonathan R. Barton, Paula Hernández Díaz, Andrés Robalino-López, Timothy Gutowski, Ignacio Oliva, Gabriela Fernanda Araujo Vizuete and María Rojas Cely
This paper aims to analyze the influences of context and methodological differences in how universities confront, report and manage carbon neutrality in selected Andean…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to analyze the influences of context and methodological differences in how universities confront, report and manage carbon neutrality in selected Andean universities, contrasted with a university in the USA.
Design/methodology/approach
A sequential, mixed-methods design, using quantitative and qualitative approaches was applied. The data analysis is based on a systematic literature review with bibliometric analysis to identify how carbon neutrality in universities is understood and applied. Informed by the quantitative analysis, the qualitative phase compared the assessment methodologies, opportunities and obstacles in three Andean universities – EAFIT in Colombia, EPN in Ecuador and the UC in Chile – contrasted with MIT (USA) for comparative purposes beyond the region.
Findings
The bibliometric analysis points to the evolution of carbon management and carbon neutrality in universities and indicates how universities have applied methodologies and defined opportunities and obstacles. In this comparative experience, the contextual issues are brought to the fore. The conclusions highlight the importance of context in carbon neutrality assessment and argue against crude comparative metrics. While carbon assessment protocols provide data on which actions may be taken, the phase of carbon management development and the specifics of context – based on local institutional, geographical, climatic, cultural, socioeconomic and national policy conditions – are far more relevant for identifying actions.
Research limitations/implications
This study only considered four universities, and the findings are not generalizable. The argument highlights the point that contextual factors generate important differences that may complicate simple comparisons based on the university's type or size. It also highlights the differences in the carbon calculation methodologies used by the institutions.
Practical implications
Results build on the recent publications that document the Latin American context. The article contributes to knowledge about Andean university commitments and actions relating to climate change and carbon neutrality. This knowledge can contribute to how universities in the region seek to apply different methodologies, set targets and the timing of actions and consider their contextual opportunities and obstacles.
Originality/value
Comparing university carbon footprints and carbon neutrality plans is an emerging topic, presenting methodological and institutional difficulties. This paper reveals some of these difficulties by comparing parameters, actions and implementation processes against contextual factors. While there is a drive for international and national comparisons and systematization of data on university carbon performance, significant methodological gaps still need to be resolved to account for these contextual factors.
Details