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Motivations, adoption and impact of voluntary environmental certification in the Italian Forest based industry: The case of the FSC standard

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  • Galati, Antonino
  • Gianguzzi, Giuseppe
  • Tinervia, Salvatore
  • Crescimanno, Maria
  • La Mela Veca, Donato Salvatore

Abstract

Over the past few years several private voluntary schemes have been developed worldwide to address the environmental issues in the forest based industry. Using survey data, this study analyse the main factors motivating companies operating in the Italian forest based industry to implement FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) standard, as a tool to promote responsible forest management and traceability of derived products, and the impact of this standard on the economic and organisational results. The findings provide evidences that signalling mechanisms drive the entrepreneurs towards the adoption of FSC certification, followed by moral and ethical reasons. In terms of impact, emerges that companies are compared to higher operation costs necessary to obtain the certification of compliance with the scheme requirements, that are only partially compensated, not by an increase in the selling price of certified products, but by the company's ability to establish new business relationships with a consequent increase in the sales.

Suggested Citation

  • Galati, Antonino & Gianguzzi, Giuseppe & Tinervia, Salvatore & Crescimanno, Maria & La Mela Veca, Donato Salvatore, 2017. "Motivations, adoption and impact of voluntary environmental certification in the Italian Forest based industry: The case of the FSC standard," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 169-176.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:forpol:v:83:y:2017:i:c:p:169-176
    DOI: 10.1016/j.forpol.2017.08.002
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    Cited by:

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    2. Henry, Laura A. & Tysiachniouk, Maria, 2018. "The uneven response to global environmental governance: Russia's contentious politics of forest certification," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 97-105.
    3. Piketty, Marie-Gabrielle & Garcia Drigo, Isabel, 2018. "Shaping the implementation of the FSC standard: the case of auditors in Brazil," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 160-166.
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    5. Hubert Paluš & Ján Parobek & Rastislav Šulek & Ján Lichý & Jaroslav Šálka, 2018. "Understanding Sustainable Forest Management Certification in Slovakia: Forest Owners’ Perception of Expectations, Benefits and Problems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-17, July.
    6. Maria Lanfredi & Rosa Coluzzi & Vito Imbrenda & Bogdana Nosova & Massimiliano Giacalone & Rosario Turco & Marcela Prokopovà & Luca Salvati, 2023. "In-between Environmental Sustainability and Economic Viability: An Analysis of the State, Regulations, and Future of Italian Forestry Sector," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-21, May.
    7. Halalisan, Florin & Romero, Claudia & Popa, Bogdan & Arana Landin, German & Talpa, Nicolae & ABRUDAN, Ioan Vasile, 2023. "Global assessment of FSC forest management certification auditing through analysis of accreditation reports," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    8. Zubizarreta, Mikel & Arana-Landín, Germán & Wolff, Sarah & Egiluz, Ziortza, 2023. "Assessing the economic impacts of forest certification in Spain: A longitudinal study," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 204(PA).
    9. Lemes, Pedro G. & Zanuncio, José C. & Jacovine, Laércio A.G. & Wilcken, Carlos F. & Lawson, Simon A., 2021. "Forest Stewardship Council and Responsible Wood certification in the integrated pest management in Australian forest plantations," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
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