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Environmental Responsibility and FDI: Do Firms Relocate Their Irresponsibilities Abroad?

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Listed:
  • Rémi Bazillier

    (LEO - Laboratoire d'économie d'Orleans [2008-2011] - UO - Université d'Orléans - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

  • Sophie Hatte

    (PSE - Paris School of Economics - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - ENS-PSL - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris sciences et lettres - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - ENPC - École des Ponts ParisTech - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement, UNIROUEN - Université de Rouen Normandie - NU - Normandie Université, CES - Centre d'économie de la Sorbonne - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

  • Julien Vauday

    (CEPN - Centre d'Economie de l'Université Paris Nord - UP13 - Université Paris 13 - USPC - Université Sorbonne Paris Cité - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

Abstract

The goal of this paper is to study the influence of corporate environmental responsibility (CER) and national environmental standards on the location choices of the 600 biggest European firms. By using the environmental score provided by Vigeo , we are able to test the influence of the environmental performances of firms. We find a negative interaction effect between these environmental performances and national environmental regulations. Thus, we argue that national standards can be a substitute for CER. All things being equal, firms with better environmental performances tend to be located in dirtier countries. CER can therefore be seen as an answer to the location choices of firms which invest in countries with poor environmental policies. This result is only valid when considering de facto environmental standards, not de jure environmental standards. It suggests a possible strategic behavior of firms which exploit these differences between formal environmental regulations and their effective enforcement.

Suggested Citation

  • Rémi Bazillier & Sophie Hatte & Julien Vauday, 2013. "Environmental Responsibility and FDI: Do Firms Relocate Their Irresponsibilities Abroad?," Working Papers halshs-00960651, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:wpaper:halshs-00960651
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://shs.hal.science/halshs-00960651
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    References listed on IDEAS

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