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Company Characteristics and Environmental Policy

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  • Despina Galani
  • Efthymios Gravas
  • Antonios Stavropoulos

Abstract

This paper investigates the relationship between various firm characteristics and environmental disclosures. Our findings evidence that firms with higher environmental ratings present a statistically significant larger size, belong to more environmentally sensitive industries as compared with firms with lower environmental ratings and disclose environmental information according to GRI guidelines. However, neither profitability nor listing status seems to explain differences in environmental disclosure practices between Greek companies. The most influential variable for explaining firms' variation in environmental ratings is size, followed by GRI reporting and industry membership. This study adds to the international research on environmental disclosure by providing empirical data from a country, Greece, where empirical evidence is still relatively unknown, extending the scope of the current understanding of the environmental reporting practices. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.

Suggested Citation

  • Despina Galani & Efthymios Gravas & Antonios Stavropoulos, 2012. "Company Characteristics and Environmental Policy," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(4), pages 236-247, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:bstrat:v:21:y:2012:i:4:p:236-247
    DOI: 10.1002/bse.731
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    12. Sorroche-del-Rey, Yolanda & Piedra-Muñoz, Laura & Galdeano-Gómez, Emilio, 2023. "Interrelationship between international trade and environmental performance: Theoretical approaches and indicators for sustainable development," MPRA Paper 119918, University Library of Munich, Germany.
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    14. Wing, Albert & Wilk, Shaun, 2019. "Social Responsibility of Recycling," MPRA Paper 93842, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    15. Mara Vogt & Nelson Hein & Fabricia Silva da Rosa & Larissa Degenhart, 2017. "Relationship between determinant factors of disclosure of information on environmental impacts of Brazilian companies," Estudios Gerenciales, Universidad Icesi, vol. 33(142), pages 24-38, March.
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    18. Antonio Corvino & Federica Doni & Silvio Bianchi Martini, 2020. "Corporate Governance, Integrated Reporting and Environmental Disclosure: Evidence from the South African Context," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-19, June.
    19. Dan Beare & Ruvena Buslovich & Cory Searcy, 2014. "Linkages between Corporate Sustainability Reporting and Public Policy," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 21(6), pages 336-350, November.
    20. Iordanis M. Eleftheriadis & Evgenia G. Anagnostopoulou, 2015. "Relationship between Corporate Climate Change Disclosures and Firm Factors," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(8), pages 780-789, December.
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    22. Cornelia Beck & Geoffrey Frost & Stewart Jones, 2018. "CSR disclosure and financial performance revisited: A cross-country analysis," Australian Journal of Management, Australian School of Business, vol. 43(4), pages 517-537, November.

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