Showing papers on "Corporate sustainability published in 2022"

Sustainability Reporting and Corporate Reputation: The Moderating Effect of CEO Opportunistic Behavior

Abstract: The present study’s main objective is to assess the impact of non-financial sustainability reporting (NFSR) on corporate reputation and the role of the CEO in the opportunistic behavior of companies listed on the Tehran Stock Exchange. In total, 178 firms were assessed for this paper during 2013–2020. In this study for calculating the NFSR, environmental sustainability reporting (ESR), social sustainability reporting (SSR), governance sustainability reporting (GSR) and ethical sustainability reporting (ETSR), Arianpoor and Salehi’s comprehensive and conceptual model has been used. In addition, the literature states that a CEO’s power can be classified as an opportunity for discretion and opportunistic behavior in CEOs that is in contrast with stakeholder demands. To this end, in this study, CEOs’ power has been used as an indicator for the CEO’s opportunistic behavior, and the CEO pay slice (CPS) index was used to calculate the CEO’s level of power. The results revealed that NFSR affects corporate reputation positively. In addition, ESR, SSR, ETSR and GSR positively affect corporate reputation. Moreover, the CEO’s power affects the relationship between NFSR/ESR/SSR/ETSR and corporate reputation. Because managers desire to engage in social and ethical activities, they try to hide the company’s errors and increase its reputation. The results revealed that the CEO’s power did not affect the relationship between GSR and corporate reputation. Since companies in the Tehran Stock Exchange are under intensive supervision, such as in governance, the impact of a CEO’s power and the interaction of a CEO’s power and GSR on company reputation in this study might, thus, not apply to these companies. It is crucial to investigate NFSR, corporate reputation and CEO power within Iran-specific conditions because of differences in emerging markets and developing countries such as Iran, which have diverse ownership structures, economic status, legal systems, government policies, and culture.

Embedding sustainability in risk management: The impact of environmental, social, and governance ratings on corporate financial risk

Abstract: This study investigates the effect of corporate social and environmental evaluation on investors' risk perception to explore the potential market risk for public companies that adopt a sustainable and responsible corporate strategy. We referred to the triple corporate assessment according to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria to check whether ESG factors—meant to direct firms toward social and environmental needs—improve corporate market performance or trigger, among investors, a perception of “window dressing.” In doing so, we tested the impact of corporate social performance—proxied by an ESG assessment—on corporate financial risk using double risk measurement. We conducted a five-year longitudinal study (fiscal years 2014–2018) of 222 companies listed on the Standard & Poor's index. The empirical findings show higher investor uncertainty regarding corporate sustainability performance, probably due to the misalignment of objectives between investors and investees. Indeed, an overall ESG assessment corresponds to higher systematic risk for firms, and a corporate environmental rating has an upward effect on the same risk dimension.

Do corporate sustainability initiatives improve corporate carbon performance? Evidence from European firms

Abstract: We contribute to the business strategy and the environment literature by investigating the influence of corporate sustainability initiatives and corporate carbon performance of European listed firms. We use three-way fixed-effects model, and our sample comprises of 2444 firm-year observations from 12 European countries, covering a 16-year period (2004–2019). First, we find that corporate sustainability initiatives, a composite measure comprising of emission reduction initiatives, environmental innovations and efficient use of resources, has a positive relationship with corporate carbon performance, in terms of reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emission intensity. Second, we find that the relationship between corporate sustainability initiatives and corporate carbon performance is stronger for firms in polluting industries. Overall, our evidence lends support for the efficiency-oriented arguments of the neo-institutional theory in that organisations respond to climate-related risks by making substantive engagements in corporate sustainability initiatives, such as emission reduction initiatives, environmental innovations and efficient use of resources, which in turn facilitates organisations' effort to reduce GHG emission and improve corporate carbon performance.

Analyzing the Concept of Corporate Sustainability in the Context of Sustainable Business Development in the Mining Sector with Elements of Circular Economy

Abstract: Promoting the concept and principles of sustainable development at the micro level requires that industrial companies understand and improve approaches to managing corporate sustainability. Currently, economics does not provide a universal definition of what corporate sustainability is. With regard to the mining sector, corporate sustainability issues reflecting the viability, value, and sustainable development potential of companies have not yet been studied extensively. The article discusses the conceptual foundations of corporate sustainability; the characteristics and a classification of approaches to defining corporate sustainability; and the relationship between corporate sustainability, sustainable development at the micro level, and circular economy. By analyzing the example of Russia, the influence of the mining industry on the environmental, economic, and social development of both a country with a resource-based economy and individual mining regions is shown from the viewpoint of sustainability. The distinguishing features of mining companies, which include natural capital and mineral assets, are studied in the context of promoting corporate sustainability. It is proven that the effective corporate management of ESG factors results in environmental and social influence that goes in line with sustainable development requirements and serves as a foundation for corporate sustainability. A refined definition of corporate sustainability has been formulated, the specific features of corporate sustainability management in mining companies have been determined, and the specific features of corporate social responsibility have been studied. The issue of integrating circular economy elements into the corporate sustainability concept is discussed, and it is claimed that the inclusion of circular business models in the corporate strategies of mining companies will contribute to their corporate sustainable development and boost their contribution to the achievement of sustainable development goals.

Sustainability and Financial Accounting: a Critical Review on the ESG Dynamics

Abstract: This study gives a depiction of what are the general directions taken by international institutions so to tackle the current health emergency and the most pressing environmental issues, such as climate change and COVID-19 (Schaltegger, 2020; Adebayo et al., 2021).The role of companies is crucial under disruptive events, such as a crisis or, more in line with the present time, a pandemic, and the pursue of the shareholder value cannot be the essence and the only objective in doing business anymore, since also ESG (i.e., environmental, social, and governance) dynamics have to be taken in due consideration. Moreover, an adequate and effective corporate governance should lead to higher disclosure quality, which subsequently should help protect the entire planet and ecosystems as well. In this context, the principal role of accounting and corporate reporting activities should be oriented towards making emerge what is and what is not done by companies in their business operations, and the disclosure of financial information is currently deemed inappropriate for pursuing a sustainable growth in the medium and long run (Schaltegger, J Account Org Change 16:613-619, 2020; Kirikkaleli & Adebayo, Sustain Dev 29:583-594, 2020; Tettamanzi, Venturini & Murgolo Wider corporate reporting: La possibile evoluzione della Relazione sulla Gestione Bilancio e Revisione, IPSOA - Wolters Kluwer, Philadelphia, 2021). Thus, the objective of this study is to investigate what international and European institutions have planned to do in order to align corporate objectives with environmental and societal needs in the coming years (Biondi et al., Meditari Account Res 28:889-914, 2020; Songini L et al. Integrated reporting quality and BoD characteristics: an empirical analysis. J Manag Govern, 2021).As of today, our analysis finds that IFRS Foundation (at global level) and EFRAG (at European one) have been taking steps toward the aforementioned issues so to propose disclosure standards more in line with sustainability and environmental needed improvements. In fact, we tried to give a depiction of what are the actual and future strategies that both these institutions are going to put in place: this snapshot will give scientists, engineers, lawyers, and business people an overview of what should be like the corporate world of the near future, from a corporate reporting/accounting perspective (so to better understand what will be expected from companies of all the industries worldwide).

Corporate sustainability management accounting and multi‐level links for sustainability – A systematic review

Abstract: The societal vision of sustainable development changes both the context of businesses and expectations that management should contribute to solving sustainability problems beyond organizational boundaries. Companies are influenced by macro-level developments such as new environmental regulations and by meso-level context such as social industry standards and guidelines. At the same time, companies are expected to contribute to sustainability transformations of markets at the meso-level and to solving grand sustainability problems at the macro-level such as the greenhouse effect. These developments increase and change sustainability information needs of managers and management accounting. This paper provides a systematic literature review of how sustainability management accounting (SMA) addresses links with the organization's contexts and contributions to sustainability transformations beyond organizational boundaries. The analysis questions the conventional assumption of an internal scope for SMA. It recognises this as a problematic constricting assumption in the literature and, instead, proposes a multi-level Context, Action-formation and Transformative contributions (CAT) framework for further development of SMA.

Corporate Governance, Corporate Social Responsibility, and Corporate Sustainability: The Moderating Role of Top Management Commitment

Abstract: Purpose: The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of corporate social responsibility on corporate sustainability with the moderating role of top management. Theoretical Framework: Even though studies have been done within an emerging market context, there has been calls to explore CSR constraints in other geographical areas. This study explores how lack of top management commitment moderates the relationship between CSR and Corporate Sustainability. Design/Methodology/Approach: We used non-probability sampling technique by employing convenience sampling for data collection. By employing a survey questionnaire, data were collected from 397 employees of SMEs in Ghana. The IBM Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 25.0 and IBM's Analysis of Moments of Structures (AMOS) version 24 softwares packages were employed as analytical tools in this investigation. Findings: Board composition, the board size, institutional ownership, and CEO- Chair duality had varying influences on economic, environmental, and social dimensions of corporate social responsibility. The moderating role of top management commitment was confirmed for the relationship between the environmental dimension of corporate social responsibility and corporate sustainability. Research, Practical & Social implications: Future studies can consider other indicators of corporate governance and assess their influence on the various dimensions of CSR as well as their linkage with Corporate Sustainability. Implications/Originality/Value: It’s concluded that corporate governance systems exhibit varying interactions with corporate social responsibility dimensions which may be due to changes in the national and institutional framework as well as economic conditions and the type of industry.

Green human resource management, a gateway to employer branding: Mediating role of corporate environmental sustainability and corporate social sustainability

Abstract: This study proposes a model based on competitive advantage and signaling theories that show how green human resource management (GHRM) leads to corporate environmental sustainability and corporate social sustainability and is thus source of employer branding. Structural equational modeling was used for data analysis through Smart PLS. The results confirm that GHRM positively influences on corporate environmental sustainability, which in turn positively influences corporate social sustainability. Furthermore, the results confirm that corporate social sustainability has a positive influence on employer branding. The results also support the mediating effects of corporate environmental sustainability between GHRM and corporate social sustainability. Additionally, we show the mediating effect of corporate social sustainability between corporate environmental sustainability and employer branding. In the human resource literature, previous studies emphasize on corporate environmental sustainability. By contrast, this study confirms that a corporate social sustainability is a source of employer branding. By implementing GHRM, organizations can gain a competitive edge, which helps them attract potential employee.

Executive compensation, environmental performance, and sustainable banking: The moderating effect of governance mechanisms

Abstract: This paper contributes to the extant business strategy and sustainable development literature by investigating the effect of a broad corporate governance disclosure index on executive compensation and, subsequently, determines the extent to which the pay-for-sustainability sensitivity is moderated by corporate governance mechanisms. Employing data collected from 16 Sub-Saharan Africa countries over the period from 2007 to 2018, the findings are as follows: First, we report that better-governed banks pay lower compensation packages to their executives. Second, we find that executive compensation increases sustainable banking disclosures in the countries. Third, the findings show that executive compensation is negatively associated with environmental performance. Finally, we detect that the association between executive pay and sustainable banking performance is significantly moderated by corporate governance mechanisms, revealing that the pay-for-sustainability sensitivity is mainly positive and improves in banks with high corporate governance quality. This implies that the pay-for-sustainability sensitivity is contingent on the quality of the bank's internal governance mechanisms. Our findings have key implications for banking practitioners, regulators, environmental activists, and policy-makers.

Literature Review and Theoretical Framework of the Evolution and Interconnectedness of Corporate Sustainability Constructs

Abstract: The concept of sustainable development (SD) was introduced in the “Our Common Future” report, launched in 1987, which influenced the emergence of many studies related to the role played by organizations as actors supporting SD. SD is a consolidated concept; however, since 1987, many political, social, and natural events have occurred on our planet, which have impacted companies’ behaviors. However, the diversity of research from different fields has provoked, among the academic community, a lack of clarity surrounding “sustainability” (S), “corporate sustainability” (CS) and “corporate social responsibility” (CSR) concepts. This lack of clarity can also be identified in companies, which have referred to “sustainability” only in the environmental field. Recently, increased discussions related to corporate sustainability metrics have shed light on the ESG criteria (environmental, social, and governance), increasing misperceptions associated with the concept. Ambiguous definitions and constructs may prevent managers from identifying sustainability goals for their companies. Therefore, literature reviews as a research method are more relevant than ever. Thus, in this work, we aim to answer the following question: How should we integrate different perspectives on corporate sustainability, in order to broaden the understanding of the concept? In this study, we conducted a focused bibliographic review and revisited the papers that most influenced the construction of the concepts. The information in this paper is helpful to improve the understanding of CS; to provide specific insights into the studies that have investigated this field; to help managers and entrepreneurs who are improving CS actions in their companies; and to support academia by putting together a large amount of information about this theme in one paper.

Reviewing Paradox Theory in Corporate Sustainability Toward a Systems Perspective

Abstract: Abstract The complexity of current social and environmental grand challenges generates many conflicts and tensions at the individual, organization and/or systems levels. Paradox theory has emerged as a promising way to approach such a complexity of corporate sustainability going beyond the instrumental business-case perspective and achieving superior sustainability performance. However, the fuzziness in the empirical use of the concept of “paradox” and the absence of a systems perspective limits its potential. In this paper, we perform a systematic review and content analysis of the empirical literature related to paradox and sustainability, offering a useful guide for researchers who intend to adopt the concept of “paradox” empirically. Our analysis provides a comprehensive account of the uses of the construct - which allows the categorization of the literature into three distinct research streams: 1) paradoxical tensions, 2) paradoxical frame/thinking, and 3) paradoxical actions/strategies - and a comprehensive overview of the findings that emerge in each of the three. Further, by adopting a system perspective, we propose a theoretical framework that considers possible interconnections across the identified paradoxical meanings and different levels of analysis (individual, organizational, systems) and discuss key research gaps emerging. Finally, we reflect on the role a clear notion of paradox can have in supporting business ethics scholars in developing a more “immanent” evaluation of corporate sustainability, overcoming the current instrumental view.

Dynamic Capabilities to Achieve Corporate Sustainability: A Roadmap to Sustained Competitive Advantage

Abstract: Dynamic capabilities and sustainability practices have become the center of attention for companies globally, but there is still a debate on how organizations can successfully develop dynamic capabilities and achieve sustainability for competitive advantage. This paper discusses the outcomes of a comprehensive systematic literature review (SLR) following the PRISMA guidelines and employs dynamic capabilities theory to suggest that strategic routines and competencies, integrated value chains, sustainability-oriented transformations, and strategic organizational developments are the drivers to effectively develop dynamic capabilities. Similarly, environmental-oriented sustainability, sustainable strategic management, sustainable dynamic capabilities, stakeholder-centric approach, sustainable supply chain management, operational excellence, sustainable research and development (R&D), and sustainability-oriented global business strategy are found to be the drivers to achieve overall corporate sustainability. Based on the findings, a conceptual model is proposed to obtain sustained competitive advantage by developing sustainable dynamic capabilities and achieving corporate sustainability.

The mediating effect of sustainability strategy between sustainability committees and business performance: can persistent assessment condition this effect?

Abstract: Purpose This study aims to analyse the role of persistence in the assessments carried out by sustainability agencies in the interaction between sustainability committee characteristics, sustainability strategies and performance. Design/methodology/approach The authors accessed a sample of European sustainable multinational and transnational companies (EMNs) for the period 2008–2017 from RobecoSAM universe. Using a set of simultaneous equation models, the authors test the effect of the sustainability committee on sustainability performance considering the sustainability strategy as a mediating element. Moreover, the authors analysed if the persistent assessment of sustainability agencies conditions the previous interaction. Findings Persistence of the sustainability assessment performed by an external agency is necessary to support the sustainability strategy and the sustainability committee, legitimating an organization in its institutional context. Practical implications This study provides practitioners with relevant insights into the identification of the sustainability strategy followed by an EMN and the effects associated with it can be useful for social and economic agents in decision-making processes. Social implications A persistent assessment could be a signal over time of the evolution of organizations, reinforcing the monitoring mechanisms. It is a stimulus to EMNs as they obtain both an indicator of their levels of performance and public recognition. Originality/value The lack of similarity in the levels of sustainable performance observed among companies can be explained by the persistence, which is an omitted variable in previous studies.

Corporate Purpose and Employee Sustainability Behaviors

Abstract: Abstract This paper examines the effects of employees’ sense that they work for a purpose-driven company on their workplace sustainability behaviors. Conceptualizing corporate purpose as an overarching, relevant, shared ethical vision of why a company exists and where it needs to go, we argue that it is particularly suited for driving employee sustainability behaviors, which are more ethically complex than the types of employee ethical behaviors typically examined by prior research. Through four studies, two involving the actual employees of construction companies, we demonstrate that purpose drives the sustainability behaviors of employees by causing them to take psychological ownership of sustainability. In addition, we show that the sustainability-enhancing effect of purpose is stronger when employees perceive that they have higher autonomy in enacting their sustainability actions and for those employees for whom being moral is more central to their sense of self.

Clarifying the Concept of Corporate Sustainability and Providing Convergence for Its Definition

Abstract: Organizations are under mounting pressure to adapt to and to adopt corporate sustainability (CS) practices. Notwithstanding the increasing research attention given to the subject and the meaningful theoretical contributions, it is claimed that a definition, and a commonly accepted understanding of the concept of corporate sustainability, is still missing. Alignment on the meaning of CS is of critical importance for enabling coherent and effective practices. The lack of a sound theoretical foundation and of conceptual clarity of corporate sustainability has been identified as an important cause of unsatisfactory and fruitless actions by organizations. To address the questions “What is Corporate Sustainability?” and “Is it true there is a lack of convergence and clarity of the concept?”, we perform an ontological analysis of the different and interrelated concepts, and a necessary condition analysis on the key constitutive features of corporate sustainability within the academic literature. We demonstrate that the concept of corporate sustainability is clearer than most authors claim and can be well defined around its environmental, social and economic constitutive pillars with the purpose to provide equal opportunities to future generations.

Do ownership structures and governance attributes matter for corporate sustainability reporting? An examination in the Indian context

Abstract: Purpose Based on the essence of the legitimacy and agency theories, this study empirically investigates the influence of corporate governance attributes and ownership structures on sustainability reporting of companies listed on the National Stock Exchange (NSE), India. Design/methodology/approach The study is based on panel data regression analysis of sustainability reporting practices of 53 environmentally sensitive companies drawn from NIFTY100 Index at NSE. All data pertaining to sustainability information disclosure, ownership structure and corporate governance characteristics were sourced from sustainability report, business responsibility report, annual report and Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) database for the years 2015–2019. Findings The empirical result reveals that sustainability reporting scenario has been consistently improving in India. This study documents that government ownership and frequency of board meetings are the two most important factors significantly influencing the extent of sustainability information disclosure of companies. However, the present study failed to find any significant impact of board size and big4 auditing on sustainability reporting practices. Unexpectedly, a higher number of independent directors does not improve sustainability disclosure of companies in India. Originality/value This study is one of the first studies to investigate how the nature of ownership and corporate governance characteristics contribute to or impede sustainability reporting practices of companies in India. This study offers important insights to regulators, practitioners and investors to analyze whether sustainability disclosure of companies is influenced by corporate governance attributes. It also provides a perspective for regulators and corporate strategists to assess the impact of recent corporate governance reforms in India and consider how corporate governance mechanism can be used to improve sustainability reporting practices.