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Corporate Environmental Performance: Consistency of Metrics and Identification of Drivers

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  • Semenova, Natalia

    () (Åbo Akademi University)

Abstract

This study is among the first to provide insight into the assessment of the convergent validity of widely used environmental performance ratings. Using a set of environmental dimensions in KLD, GES, and ASSET4 ratings, this study demonstrates that the different environmental performance aggregated metrics sufficiently correlate and provide consistent information when comparing companies. The KLD environmental concerns measure provides a summary of the environmental impact of industrial activities in contrast to the KLD measure of strengths that is a proxy for environmental performance. The observed different patterns in KLD environmental dimensions suggest that they are distinct constructs and should not be combined in future research. This study demonstrates that GES environmental industry risk and KLD concerns are impact factors that drive corporate environmental performance. Companies in high impact sectors are on average rated with high environmental performance. The contribution of this paper is, therefore, a validation of environmental ratings and a sharper focus upon impact factors that are associated with high levels of environmental performance. In addition, this study discusses the implications of findings for advocates and sceptics of environmental ratings, as well as for academics and practitioners in the realm of SRI and CSR.

Suggested Citation

  • Semenova, Natalia, 2010. "Corporate Environmental Performance: Consistency of Metrics and Identification of Drivers," Sustainable Investment and Corporate Governance Working Papers 2010/9, Sustainable Investment Research Platform.
    • Handle: RePEc:hhb:sicgwp:2010_009
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Hartmann, Julia & Uhlenbruck, Klaus, 2015. "National institutional antecedents to corporate environmental performance," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 50(4), pages 729-741.
    2. C. Trumpp & J. Endrikat & C. Zopf & E. Guenther, 2015. "Definition, Conceptualization, and Measurement of Corporate Environmental Performance: A Critical Examination of a Multidimensional Construct," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 126(2), pages 185-204, January.
    3. Markus Hang & Jerome Geyer‐Klingeberg & Andreas W. Rathgeber, 2019. "It is merely a matter of time: A meta‐analysis of the causality between environmental performance and financial performance," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(2), pages 257-273, February.

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    Keywords

    Environmental performance; Ratings; Convergent validity; Industry risk;
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