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Examining the drivers and outcomes of corporate commitment to climate change action in European high emitting industry

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  • David Littlewood
  • Rachel Decelis
  • Carola Hillenbrand
  • Diane Holt

Abstract

Climate change is a major strategic issue for firms that also has global environmental, social and economic implications. This paper draws upon quantitative survey research to examine the drivers and outcomes of corporate commitment to climate change action in European high emitting industry. More specifically, this research examines the significance of business drivers, sustainability drivers, and stakeholder pressure, in motivating corporate commitment to climate change action in such industry. It furthermore assesses relationships between commitment and actual corporate greenhouse gas (GHG) performance. It is found that in European high emitting industry, business drivers and stakeholder pressure, but not sustainability drivers, enhance corporate commitment to climate change action, and that higher commitment leads to improved GHG performance. This paper contributes to hitherto limited empirical work on the drivers and outcomes of corporate commitment to climate change action, particularly in European industry contexts. It also contributes to advancing methodology in the field.

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  • David Littlewood & Rachel Decelis & Carola Hillenbrand & Diane Holt, 2018. "Examining the drivers and outcomes of corporate commitment to climate change action in European high emitting industry," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(8), pages 1437-1449, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:bstrat:v:27:y:2018:i:8:p:1437-1449
    DOI: 10.1002/bse.2194
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    2. Larissa Shnayder & Frank J. Van Rijnsoever, 2018. "How expected outcomes, stakeholders, and institutions influence corporate social responsibility at different levels of large basic needs firms," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(8), pages 1689-1707, December.
    3. Ashish Dwivedi & Claudio Sassanelli & Dindayal Agrawal & Md. Abdul Moktadir & Idiano D'Adamo, 2023. "Drivers to mitigate climate change in context of manufacturing industry: An emerging economy study," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(7), pages 4467-4484, November.
    4. Liang Li & Hajar Msaad & Huaping Sun & Mei Xuen Tan & Yeqing Lu & Antonio K.W. Lau, 2020. "Green Innovation and Business Sustainability: New Evidence from Energy Intensive Industry in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-18, October.
    5. Matthew P. Johnson & Theresa S. Rötzel & Brigitte Frank, 2023. "Beyond conventional corporate responses to climate change towards deep decarbonization: a systematic literature review," Management Review Quarterly, Springer, vol. 73(2), pages 921-954, June.
    6. Sam Hampton & Richard Blundel & Aqueel Wahga & Tina Fawcett & Christopher Shaw, 2022. "Transforming small and medium‐sized enterprises to address the climate emergency: The case for values‐based engagement," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(5), pages 1424-1439, September.
    7. Engler, Daniel & Gutsche, Gunnar & Simixhiu, Amantia & Ziegler, Andreas, 2023. "On the relationship between corporate CO2 offsetting and pro-environmental activities in small- and medium-sized firms in Germany," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
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    9. Daniel Engler & Gunnar Gutsche & Amantia Simixhiu & Andreas Ziegler, 2021. "Corporate CO2 offsetting in small- and medium-sized firms in Germany," MAGKS Papers on Economics 202136, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Faculty of Business Administration and Economics, Department of Economics (Volkswirtschaftliche Abteilung).
    10. Fernández-Vázquez, José-Santiago & Sancho-Rodríguez, Ángel, 2020. "Critical discourse analysis of climate change in IBEX 35 companies," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
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