IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/uto/dipeco/202503.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Corporate awareness and readiness to climate change: Evidence from the GRINS project on Piedmont data

Author

Abstract

This study employs unique firm-level survey data from the GRINS research project to map climate strategies of companies operating in the Piedmont region and their associated governance factors. Drawing on a sample of 2,121 companies, mainly SMEs, we categorized firms’ responses to climate risks into different clusters based on climate-related investments made and planned (“Wait-and-see”, “Planners”, “Foresighted”, and “Proactive”), and assessed their prevalence. Our findings indicate that most Piedmont companies adopt a “wait-and-see” approach to climate investments, while approximately 20% exhibit a “proactive” climate profile. More proactive climate strategies appear to be positively associated with corporate literacy on sustainability issues, active participation in training activities, the presence of a sustainability manager, and the preparation of a sustainability report. These findings provide valuable guidance for policymakers in supporting firms’ commitment to aligning with EU climate objectives.

Suggested Citation

  • Palea, Vera & Gordano, Silvia & Miazza, Aline & Lemme, Michele & Migliavacca, Alessandro, "undated". "Corporate awareness and readiness to climate change: Evidence from the GRINS project on Piedmont data," Department of Economics and Statistics Cognetti de Martiis. Working Papers 202503, University of Turin.
  • Handle: RePEc:uto:dipeco:202503
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.est.unito.it/do/home.pl/Download?doc=/allegati/wp2025dip/wp_03_2025.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Georg Weinhofer & Volker H. Hoffmann, 2010. "Mitigating climate change – how do corporate strategies differ?," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 19(2), pages 77-89, February.
    2. Kristel Buysse & Alain Verbeke, 2003. "Proactive environmental strategies: a stakeholder management perspective," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(5), pages 453-470, May.
    3. Vera Palea & Federico Drogo, 2020. "Carbon emissions and the cost of debt in the eurozone: The role of public policies, climate‐related disclosure and corporate governance," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(8), pages 2953-2972, December.
    4. Xuemei Xie & Qiwei Zhu, 2020. "Exploring an innovative pivot: How green training can spur corporate sustainability performance," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(6), pages 2432-2449, September.
    5. Haque, Faizul, 2017. "The effects of board characteristics and sustainable compensation policy on carbon performance of UK firms," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 49(3), pages 347-364.
    6. Janine Hiller, 2013. "The Benefit Corporation and Corporate Social Responsibility," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 118(2), pages 287-301, December.
    7. Tommy Borglund & Magnus Frostenson & Sven Helin & Katarina Arbin, 2023. "The Professional Logic of Sustainability Managers: Finding Underlying Dynamics," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 182(1), pages 59-76, January.
    8. García-Sánchez, Isabel-María & Aibar-Guzmán, Beatriz & Raimo, Nicola & Vitolla, Filippo & Schiuma, Giovanni, 2024. "Climate governance, growth opportunities, and innovation in addressing climate change: Empirical evidence from emerging countries," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    9. Gary F. Peters & Andrea M. Romi & Juan Manuel Sanchez, 2019. "The Influence of Corporate Sustainability Officers on Performance," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 159(4), pages 1065-1087, November.
    10. Simon Cadez & Albert Czerny & Peter Letmathe, 2019. "Stakeholder pressures and corporate climate change mitigation strategies," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(1), pages 1-14, January.
    11. Somaiya Yunus & Evangeline Elijido-Ten & Subhash Abhayawansa, 2016. "Determinants of carbon management strategy adoption: Evidence from Australia’s top 200 publicly listed firms," Managerial Auditing Journal, Emerald Group Publishing, vol. 31(2), pages 156-179, February.
    12. Bui, Binh & de Villiers, Charl, 2017. "Business strategies and management accounting in response to climate change risk exposure and regulatory uncertainty," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 49(1), pages 4-24.
    13. Barry Smit & Ian Burton & Richard Klein & J. Wandel, 2000. "An Anatomy of Adaptation to Climate Change and Variability," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 45(1), pages 223-251, April.
    14. Nicholas Stern & Anna Valero, 2021. "Innovation, growth and the transition to net-zero emissions," CEP Discussion Papers dp1773, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    15. Stern, Nicholas & Valero, Anna, 2021. "Innovation, growth and the transition to net-zero emissions," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(9).
    16. Federica Gasbarro & Jonatan Pinkse, 2016. "Corporate Adaptation Behaviour to Deal With Climate Change: The Influence of Firm‐Specific Interpretations of Physical Climate Impacts," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 23(3), pages 179-192, May.
    17. Rupert J. Baumgartner & Thomas Winter, 2014. "The Sustainability Manager: A Tool for Education and Training on Sustainability Management," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 21(3), pages 167-174, May.
    18. Nicholas Stern & Anna Valero, 2021. "Innovation, growth and the transition to net-zero emissions," POID Working Papers 008, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    19. Valeria Naciti & Fabrizio Cesaroni & Luisa Pulejo, 2022. "Corporate governance and sustainability: a review of the existing literature," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 26(1), pages 55-74, March.
    20. Jeremy Galbreath, 2010. "Corporate governance practices that address climate change: an exploratory study," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 19(5), pages 335-350, July.
    21. Patrick Velte, 2024. "Archival research on sustainability‐related executive compensation. A literature review of the status quo and future improvements," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(4), pages 3119-3147, July.
    22. S. Schaltegger & V. Girschik & H. Trittin‐Ulbrich & I. Weissbrod & T. Daudigeos, 2024. "Corporate change agents for sustainability: Transforming organizations from the inside out," Business Ethics, the Environment & Responsibility, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(2), pages 145-156, April.
    23. Stern, Nicholas & Sivropoulos-Valero, Anna Valero, 2021. "Innovation, growth and the transition to net-zero emissions," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 114385, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    24. Beatriz Aibar‐Guzmán & Nicola Raimo & Filippo Vitolla & Isabel‐María García‐Sánchez, 2024. "Corporate governance and financial performance: Reframing their relationship in the context of climate change," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(3), pages 1493-1509, May.
    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. Hu, Lei & Song, Min & Wen, Fenghua & Zhang, Yun & Zhao, Yunning, 2025. "The impact of climate attention on risk spillover effect in energy futures markets," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
    2. Tantawy Moussa & Amir Allam & Said Elbanna & Ahmed Bani‐Mustafa, 2020. "Can board environmental orientation improve U.S. firms' carbon performance? The mediating role of carbon strategy," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(1), pages 72-86, January.
    3. Agnieszka Karman, 2022. "The Homogenization of Carbon Management Practices: How Organizations Response to Isomorphic Pressures to Reduce GHG Emissions," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(1), pages 148-173.
    4. Julián Andres Díaz Tautiva & Joana Huaman & Roberto D. Ponce Oliva, 2024. "Trends in research on climate change and organizations: a bibliometric analysis (1999–2021)," Management Review Quarterly, Springer, vol. 74(1), pages 227-261, February.
    5. Li, Lanbing & Zhao, Jiawei & Yang, Yuhan & Ma, Dan, 2025. "Artificial intelligence and green development well-being: Effects and mechanisms in China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
    6. Thayla Zomer & Paulo Savaget, 2023. "Disentangling Decarbonisation Ambidexterity: An Analysis of European Companies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-17, July.
    7. Rajan Kumar Gangadhari & Saliha Karadayi‐Usta & Weng Marc Lim, 2025. "Breaking barriers toward a net‐zero economy," Natural Resources Forum, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 49(1), pages 138-159, February.
    8. Emma Serwaa Obobisa, 2024. "An econometric study of eco‐innovation, clean energy, and trade openness toward carbon neutrality and sustainable development in OECD countries," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(4), pages 3075-3099, August.
    9. Hisky Ryan Kawulur & Erwin Saraswati & Abdul Ghofar & Arum Prastiwi, 2024. "Carbon Strategy, Political Connection and Carbon Performance: Evidence from Polluting Industries," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 14(4), pages 251-264, July.
    10. Jibriel Elsayih & Rina Datt & Qingliang Tang & Ali Hamid & Maria Estela Varua, 2023. "Exploring the determinants of carbon management system quality: The role of corporate governance and climate risks and opportunities," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 63(4), pages 4065-4091, December.
    11. Agarwala, Matthew & Burke, Matt & Klusak, Patrycja & Mohaddes, Kamiar & Volz, Ulrich & Zenghelis, Dimitri, 2021. "Climate Change And Fiscal Sustainability: Risks And Opportunities," National Institute Economic Review, National Institute of Economic and Social Research, vol. 258, pages 28-46, November.
    12. Mohamed Toukabri & Lamia Kalai, 2024. "How does sustainability leadership improve climate change reporting? The choices associated with a sustainable board- A management perspective," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 29(7), pages 1-48, October.
    13. Matthias Damert & Rupert J. Baumgartner, 2018. "External Pressures or Internal Governance – What Determines the Extent of Corporate Responses to Climate Change?," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 25(4), pages 473-488, July.
    14. Walid Ben‐Amar & Mathieu Gomes & Hania Khursheed & Sylvain Marsat, 2022. "Climate change exposure and internal carbon pricing adoption," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(7), pages 2854-2870, November.
    15. Ana Beatriz Lopes de Sousa Jabbour & Diego Vazquez‐Brust & Charbel José Chiappetta Jabbour & Daniela Andriani Ribeiro, 2020. "The interplay between stakeholders, resources and capabilities in climate change strategy: converting barriers into cooperation," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(3), pages 1362-1386, March.
    16. Yan, Zheming & Sun, Zao & Shi, Rui & Zhao, Minjuan, 2023. "Smart city and green development: Empirical evidence from the perspective of green technological innovation," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    17. Delbridge, Victoria & Harman, Oliver & Oliveira Cunha, Juliana & Venables, Anthony J., 2022. "Sustainable urbanisation in developing countries: cities as places to live," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 118025, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    18. Frank W. Geels & Jonatan Pinkse & Dimitri Zenghelis, 2021. "Productivity opportunities and risks in a transformative,low-carbon and digital age," Working Papers 009, The Productivity Institute.
    19. Obobisa, Emma Serwaa, 2022. "Achieving 1.5 °C and net-zero emissions target: The role of renewable energy and financial development," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 188(C), pages 967-985.
    20. Sanjay Patnaik, 2020. "Emissions permit allocation and strategic firm behavior: Evidence from the oil sector in the European Union emissions trading scheme," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(3), pages 976-995, March.

    More about this item

    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:uto:dipeco:202503. 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: Laura Ballestra or Cinzia Carlevaris (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/detorit.html .

    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.