IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/resene/v83y2025ics0928765525000351.html

Something for nothing? The effect of voluntary environmental program on energy intensity

Author

Listed:
  • Wang, En-Ze
  • Xu, Jiangchuan

Abstract

The environmental outcomes of voluntary environmental programs (VEPs) remain a controversial issue, especially in developing countries. We advance this subject by examining the impact of the ISO14001 Environmental Management System on firm-level energy intensity in China. The paper applies a difference-in-differences approach combined with propensity score matching to a unique panel dataset including all manufacturing firms obtaining ISO14001 certification during the period of 2008–2016. The results indicate that although VEP increases both energy consumption and output, the impact on output is significantly greater, leading to a reduction in energy intensity. This reduction is primarily achieved through capital upgrades and innovation rather than foreign trade. Furthermore, VEP exhibits spillover effects at the supply chain level, primarily benefiting upstream firms through mercantile credit rather than downstream firms. Finally, firms continue to benefit from VEP even after exiting this program, as their energy intensity does not increase.

Suggested Citation

  • Wang, En-Ze & Xu, Jiangchuan, 2025. "Something for nothing? The effect of voluntary environmental program on energy intensity," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:resene:v:83:y:2025:i:c:s0928765525000351
    DOI: 10.1016/j.reseneeco.2025.101511
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0928765525000351
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.reseneeco.2025.101511?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ersahin, Nuri & Giannetti, Mariassunta & Huang, Ruidi, 2024. "Trade credit and the stability of supply chains," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    2. Madhu Khanna & Surender Kumar, 2011. "Corporate Environmental Management and Environmental Efficiency," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 50(2), pages 227-242, October.
    3. Clément de Chaisemartin & Xavier D'Haultfœuille, 2020. "Two-Way Fixed Effects Estimators with Heterogeneous Treatment Effects," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 110(9), pages 2964-2996, September.
    4. Arimura, Toshi H. & Hibiki, Akira & Katayama, Hajime, 2008. "Is a voluntary approach an effective environmental policy instrument?: A case for environmental management systems," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 55(3), pages 281-295, May.
    5. Carrión-Flores, Carmen E. & Innes, Robert & Sam, Abdoul G., 2013. "Do voluntary pollution reduction programs (VPRs) spur or deter environmental innovation? Evidence from 33/50," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 66(3), pages 444-459.
    6. Christian Volpe Martincus & Sebastián Castresana & Tomás Castagnino, 2010. "ISO Standards: A Certificate to Expand Exports? Firm‐Level Evidence from Argentina," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(5), pages 896-912, November.
    7. Bui, Linda T.M. & Kapon, Samuel, 2012. "The impact of voluntary programs on polluting behavior: Evidence from pollution prevention programs and toxic releases," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 64(1), pages 31-44.
    8. Madhu Khanna, 2001. "Non‐Mandatory Approaches to Environmental Protection," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 15(3), pages 291-324, July.
    9. Chen, Zhao & Poncet, Sandra & Xiong, Ruixiang, 2020. "Local financial development and constraints on domestic private-firm exports: Evidence from city commercial banks in China," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 48(1), pages 56-75.
    10. Goodman-Bacon, Andrew, 2021. "Difference-in-differences with variation in treatment timing," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 225(2), pages 254-277.
    11. Brucal, Arlan & Javorcik, Beata & Love, Inessa, 2019. "Good for the environment, good for business: Foreign acquisitions and energy intensity," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).
    12. Elisabeth Albertini, 2019. "The Contribution of Management Control Systems to Environmental Capabilities," Post-Print halshs-02007194, HAL.
    13. McGuire, William, 2014. "The effect of ISO 14001 on environmental regulatory compliance in China," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 254-264.
    14. Wenlong He & Rui Shen, 2019. "ISO 14001 Certification and Corporate Technological Innovation: Evidence from Chinese Firms," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 158(1), pages 97-117, August.
    15. Blackman, Allen & Lahiri, Bidisha & Pizer, William & Rivera Planter, Marisol & Muñoz Piña, Carlos, 2010. "Voluntary environmental regulation in developing countries: Mexico's Clean Industry Program," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 60(3), pages 182-192, November.
    16. Andrew D. Foster & Emilio Gutierrez, 2013. "The Informational Role of Voluntary Certification: Evidence from the Mexican Clean Industry Program," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 103(3), pages 303-308, May.
    17. Justin Murfin & Ken Njoroge, 2015. "The Implicit Costs of Trade Credit Borrowing by Large Firms," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 28(1), pages 112-145.
    18. Blackman, Allen & Guerrero, Santiago, 2012. "What drives voluntary eco-certification in Mexico?," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 40(2), pages 256-268.
    19. Grolleau, Gilles & Mzoughi, Naoufel & Pekovic, Sanja, 2012. "Green not (only) for profit: An empirical examination of the effect of environmental-related standards on employees’ recruitment," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 34(1), pages 74-92.
    20. Huang, Kenneth G. & Jia, Nan & Ge, Yeyanran, 2024. "Forced to innovate? Consequences of United States' anti-dumping sanctions on innovations of Chinese exporters," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 53(1).
    21. Arimura, Toshi H. & Darnall, Nicole & Katayama, Hajime, 2011. "Is ISO 14001 a gateway to more advanced voluntary action? The case of green supply chain management," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 61(2), pages 170-182, March.
    22. Allen Blackman & Eduardo Uribe & Bart Hoof & Thomas Lyon, 2013. "Voluntary environmental agreements in developing countries: the Colombian experience," Policy Sciences, Springer;Society of Policy Sciences, vol. 46(4), pages 335-385, December.
    23. Nicole Darnall & Irene Henriques & Perry Sadorsky, 2010. "Adopting Proactive Environmental Strategy: The Influence of Stakeholders and Firm Size," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(6), pages 1072-1094, September.
    24. Brouhle, Keith & Griffiths, Charles & Wolverton, Ann, 2009. "Evaluating the role of EPA policy levers: An examination of a voluntary program and regulatory threat in the metal-finishing industry," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 57(2), pages 166-181, March.
    25. Anna M. Costello, 2020. "Credit Market Disruptions and Liquidity Spillover Effects in the Supply Chain," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 128(9), pages 3434-3468.
    26. Allen Blackman, 2012. "Does eco-certification boost regulatory compliance in developing countries? ISO 14001 in Mexico," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 42(3), pages 242-263, December.
    27. Rong Zhou & Xiang Bi & Kathleen Segerson, 2020. "Evaluating Voluntary Environmental Programs with Spillover Effects," Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, University of Chicago Press, vol. 7(1), pages 145-180.
    28. Forslid, Rikard & Okubo, Toshihiro & Ulltveit-Moe, Karen Helene, 2018. "Why are firms that export cleaner? International trade, abatement and environmental emissions," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 166-183.
    29. Kimitaka Nishitani, 2011. "An Empirical Analysis of the Effects on Firms’ Economic Performance of Implementing Environmental Management Systems," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 48(4), pages 569-586, April.
    30. Lange Ian, 2009. "Evaluating Voluntary Measures with Treatment Spillovers: The Case of Coal Combustion Products Partnership," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 9(1), pages 1-22, September.
    31. Michael E. Porter & Claas van der Linde, 1995. "Toward a New Conception of the Environment-Competitiveness Relationship," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 9(4), pages 97-118, Fall.
    32. Elisabeth Albertini, 2019. "The Contribution of Management Control Systems to Environmental Capabilities," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 159(4), pages 1163-1180, November.
    33. Barla, Philippe, 2007. "ISO 14001 certification and environmental performance in Quebec's pulp and paper industry," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 53(3), pages 291-306, May.
    34. Callaway, Brantly & Sant’Anna, Pedro H.C., 2021. "Difference-in-Differences with multiple time periods," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 225(2), pages 200-230.
    35. John Gardner, 2022. "Two-stage differences in differences," Papers 2207.05943, arXiv.org.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Kube, Roland & von Graevenitz, Kathrine & Löschel, Andreas & Massier, Philipp, 2019. "Do voluntary environmental programs reduce emissions? EMAS in the German manufacturing sector," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(S1).
    2. Tan, Ruipeng & Hou, Ke & Wu, Huaqing, 2025. "The cost of biodiversity protection: National Key Ecological Functional Zone and labor demand in China," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    3. Goicoechea, Ana & Lang, Megan Elizabeth, 2023. "Firms and Climate Change in Low- and Middle-Income Countries," Policy Research Working Paper Series 10644, The World Bank.
    4. Abdoul G. Sam & Danbee Song, 2022. "Corporate environmentalism and international trade: Evidence from industry‐level data," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(5), pages 1440-1455, September.
    5. Zhang, Renjie & Zhu, Guiyi, 2024. "Green public procurement and firms' pollution emissions: Does demand-side environmental policy matter?," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 1958-1978.
    6. He, Wenjian & Chen, Xiaoyang & Liu, Zhiyong John, 2022. "Can anti-corruption help realize the “strong” Porter Hypothesis in China? Evidence from Chinese manufacturing enterprises," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    7. Li, Rui & Fang, Debin & Xu, Jiajun, 2024. "Does China's carbon inclusion policy promote household carbon emissions reduction? Theoretical mechanisms and empirical evidence," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
    8. Chen, Shiyi & Jiang, Lingduo & Liu, Wanlin & Song, Hong, 2022. "Fireworks regulation, air pollution, and public health: Evidence from China," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    9. Cocco, Valentin & Chakir, Raja & Mouysset, Lauriane, 2025. "Guilty or scapegoat? Land consolidation and hedgerow decline," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    10. Wang, Lisha & Pan, Minjie & Qian, Xinlei & Lv, Kangjuan, 2025. "Do specialized courts matter? Environmental judiciary and corporate emissions in China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 199(C).
    11. Görg, Holger & Lehr, Jakob, 2024. "Short and medium-term effects of foreign acquisitions on manufacturing firms: Evidence from Germany," Open Access Publications from Kiel Institute for the World Economy 302104, Kiel Institute for the World Economy.
    12. Jaraitė, Jūratė & Kurtyka, Oliwia & Ollivier, Hélène, 2022. "Take a ride on the (not so) green side: How do CDM projects affect Indian manufacturing firms’ environmental performance?," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 114(C).
    13. Wang, En-Ze & Pan, Tong, 2025. "Does ISO 50001 adoption reduce manufacturing energy intensity? Micro-evidence from China," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 653-672.
    14. García-Vega, María & Gupta, Apoorva & Kneller, Richard, 2023. "Is acquisition-FDI during an economic crisis detrimental for domestic innovation?," DICE Discussion Papers 403, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf Institute for Competition Economics (DICE).
    15. Li, Jianjun & Wu, Zhouyi & Feng, Lingbing, 2024. "How does environmental regulation affect corporate tax burdens? Evidence from China's environmental courts," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 130(C).
    16. Balia, S.; & Brau, R.; & Pau, S.;, 2025. "One plus one makes less than two? Consolidation policies and mortality in the Italian NHS," Health, Econometrics and Data Group (HEDG) Working Papers 25/02, HEDG, c/o Department of Economics, University of York.
    17. Zou, Tao & Li, Shasha & Dai, Yixin, 2025. "Does the pilot free trade zone promote “quality improvement and quantity increase” of the city’s export trade?," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 1323-1341.
    18. Cheng, Zhonghua & Yan, Xueqin, 2025. "Environmental management system certification and corporate ESG greenwashing," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).
    19. Bo, Shiyu & Wang, Yi, 2025. "The labor market outcomes of jurisdictional consolidation: Evidence from city–county mergers in China," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).
    20. Zhang, Jingxue & Yu, Shiwei & Zhang, Yue-Jun & Su, Bin & Sun, Ya-Fang, 2025. "How do renewable energy policies affect energy green development? Evidence from Chinese listed energy firms," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 142(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    JEL classification:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:resene:v:83:y:2025:i:c:s0928765525000351. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/inca/505569 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.