Voluntary disclosure of environmental performance after regulatory change

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 287-324 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kim Shima ◽  
Scott Fung
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Protection Agency ◽  
Environmental Performance ◽  
Voluntary Disclosure ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Regulatory Change ◽  
Environmental Disclosure ◽  
Difference In Differences ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Utility Industry ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this study is to use recent US legislative activity surrounding changes to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)/Clean Air Act in 2010, which changes the practice of environmental policy of a firm, and the unique setting of Utility industry to examine the relationship between a firm’s voluntary accounting disclosure and environmental performance. Design/methodology/approach This study features hand-collected data of environmental disclosure and examines its relation with environmental performance. To address the endogeneity problem, a difference-in-differences test with propensity score matching is performed to study the impact of policy change on environmental disclosure. Findings The findings of this study show that measures of environmental performance have a significant and positive association with a firm’s voluntary disclosure. The results from difference-in-differences test show that adjustments in environmental performance after regulatory change have a causal and positive effect on a firm’s voluntary disclosure. Research limitations/implications The findings support theories of signaling and voluntary disclosure that better-performing firms provide more information disclosure of their environmental performance. Practical implications The findings show real adjustments in firm environmental performance and consistent voluntary disclosure around the enactment of environmental legislation, which may have important implications for environmental rule making bodies and management about the effectiveness of their regulations. Originality/value This study is among the first to examine the causal relationship between environmental performance and disclosure within the context of recent changes in US environmental regulation. This study also provides the Utility industry experiment with difference-in-differences test to tackle endogeneity in the relation between performance and disclosure.

Empirical analysis on corporate environmental performance and environmental disclosure in an emerging market context

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (6) ◽  
pp. 1061-1082 ◽  
Author(s):  
Merve Acar ◽  
Hüseyin Temiz
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Performance ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Corporate Environmental Performance ◽  
Tobit Regression ◽  
Environmental Reporting ◽  
Environmental Disclosure ◽  
Significant Positive Association ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Environmental Disclosures

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate the association between environmental performance of firms and the level of voluntary environmental disclosure in emerging markets.Design/methodology/approachWe used tobit regression OLS and t-test methods to reveal the association between environmental performance and the level of voluntary environmental disclosure.FindingsWe find a significant positive association between the level of discretionary environmental disclosures and corporate environmental performance. The result is in line with the arguments of economics disclosure theory that argues environmentally good performers disclose more.Practical implicationsMany of the environmentally good firms in Turkey are also listed in the “BIST Sustainability Index,” and this situation can be the result of the relative power of external regulations. Accordingly, it can be suggested to increase the community and governmental pressures for environmental reporting but also gives importance to increase intrinsic motivations for companies to engage in disclosure practices.Originality/valueThis study shed light on relation between environmental performance and environmental disclosure in an emerging market context. Also, it is revisited that the relation between environmental performance and the level of environmental disclosure by testing two different predictions on the level of environmental disclosures.

scholarly journals Are Environmentally Innovative Companies Inclined towards Integrated Environmental Disclosure Policies?

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 29
Author(s):  
Isabel-María García-Sánchez ◽  
Nicola Raimo ◽  
Filippo Vitolla
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Performance ◽  
Voluntary Disclosure ◽  
Environmental Innovation ◽  
Environmental Disclosure ◽  
Academic Field ◽  
Environmental Actions ◽  
Correct Representation ◽  
Mediating Factor ◽  
The Impact

In recent years, the correct representation of environmental performance has become increasingly important. In light of this, in the academic field, numerous researchers have examined the level and quality of environmental disclosure. However, in the context of studies relating to the determinants of environmental disclosure, little attention has been paid to the role of environmental innovation. This study, in the context of voluntary disclosure theory, aims to fill this important gap through the analysis of the impact of environmental innovation on the level of integrated environmental information disclosed by companies and the analysis of environmental performance as a mediating factor in this relationship. The results show a positive relationship between environmental innovation and integrated environmental disclosure. In addition, they show that environmental performance represents a mediating factor in this relationship. However, complementary analyses show that responsible firms adopt silent strategies in their environmental integrated disclosure policies in order to limit the knowledge by external users of the different environmental actions implemented.

scholarly journals Inclusive environmental disclosure practices and firm performance

2018 ◽  
Vol 38 (9) ◽  
pp. 1815-1835 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annachiara Longoni ◽  
Raffaella Cagliano
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chain Management ◽  
Financial Performance ◽  
Environmental Performance ◽  
Environmental Disclosure ◽  
Conceptual Foundation ◽  
Chain Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Little empirical work has been done on the effects of inclusive environmental disclosure and green supply chain management (GSCM) on firm outcomes. The literature on environmental disclosure suggests that it is a useful practice to improve a firm’s reputation and its financial performance and also to establish a dialogue with stakeholders improving environmental performance. Recent conceptual contributions in the supply chain management literature state that stakeholder expectations and informational needs increasingly concern firm supply chains. Thus, the authors propose that positive effects of inclusive environmental disclosure practices are enhanced in presence of GSCM practices. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach To test these relationships a combination of primary data on environmental disclosure practices, GSCM practices and environmental performance, and secondary data on financial performance was used. A series of hierarchical regression models were performed to test the disclosure-outcome relationships and the moderation of GSCM practices. Findings Results provide empirical support for the impact of inclusive environmental disclosure practices on financial performance but no support for the impact on environmental performance. Specifically, the more inclusive the environmental disclosure practices the greater and positive is the impact on financial performance in presence of GSCM practices. Originality/value This study provides empirical evidence of the joint effects of inclusive environmental disclosure and GSCM practices on environmental and financial performance. Doing so, it reinforces the recent conceptual foundation that firms should align and leverage on supply chain management for disclosure practice effectiveness.

The relation between voluntary carbon disclosure and environmental performance

2017 ◽  
Vol 59 (6) ◽  
pp. 784-803 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grigoris Giannarakis ◽  
George Konteos ◽  
Nikolaos Sariannidis ◽  
George Chaitidis
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Environmental Performance ◽  
Voluntary Disclosure ◽  
Carbon Emission ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Index Score ◽  
Managerial Behavior ◽  
Environmental Disclosure ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Pollution Levels

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of environmental performance on the environmental disclosure level. Design/methodology/approach Carbon disclosure leadership index score is considered as a proxy of carbon disclosure level, while greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as a proxy of environmental performance. In addition, six control variables are used: return on assets, financial leverage, company’s size, CEO duality, board size and percentage of independent directors on board. The sample comprises 102 companies from a population of Standard & Poor’s 500 (S&P 500) companies over a five-year period, 2009-2013. Findings Results revealed that higher pollution levels in terms of GHG emissions affect negatively the dissemination of carbon disclosure information, suggesting a positive relationship between environmental performance and environmental disclosure level. In addition, companies with good environmental performance in relation to their average environmental performance disseminate more carbon information in their disclosures. Thus, the carbon disclosure level is indicative of environmental performance consistent with the voluntary disclosure theory. Practical implications The managerial behavior regarding the relation of environmental disclosure and environmental performance is explained. In addition, the findings should be of use to those investors interested in finding carbon emission information so that they assess investments and evaluate their current portfolios in terms of environmental sustainability. Originality/value It is intended to ascertain the reliability level of carbon disclosure regarding carbon emission information by incorporating the carbon disclosure leadership index score and GHG emissions.

The impact of green bonds on corporate environmental and financial performance

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kim Ee Yeow ◽  
Sin-Huei Ng
Keyword(s):  
Financial Performance ◽  
Environmental Performance ◽  
Corporate Sustainability ◽  
Bond Market ◽  
Environmental Disclosure ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Bond Issues ◽  
Bond Issuers ◽  
Regulatory Controls ◽  
The Impact

PurposeAs investors' expectations shift toward corporate sustainability, many corporations have jumped on the bandwagon of being “green” by issuing green bonds. However, as a recent green financing tool, little attention has been paid on the value that green bonds actually deliver. This causes the problem of greenwashing, in which firms pretend to be environmentally responsible when in reality they are not. This study therefore aims to explore green bonds' impact on issuers' corporate environmental and financial performance.Design/methodology/approachThe sample is collected from among the green bond and conventional bond issues between 2015 and 2019 issued by corporations from various countries. Using the propensity score matching (PSM) and then difference-in-difference (DiD) approaches, two sub-groups (green bond and conventional bond issuers) were generated for comparison. Changes in environmental and financial performance over time between the sub-groups are then examined.FindingsThe overall results show that green bonds are effective in improving environmental performance, but only when they are certified by third parties. Additionally, green bonds do not have an impact on financial performance. The findings imply that green bonds' dependency on external certification may be a consequence of an underdeveloped green bond market, where weak governance still dominates the green bond market. Because of this, corporations tend to take advantage of green finance's growing popularity, causing the greenwashing problem.Originality/valueGreen bonds are an extremely new area of research. Few research studies focus on the effectiveness of green bonds in impacting corporate financial and environmental performance. Therefore, this study strives to fill this research gap. It sheds light on the effectiveness of green bonds in supporting the development of green projects and provides a reference point for decision-making in strengthening transparency and accountability in environmental disclosure and helps regulating authorities develop tighter regulatory controls.

Social and environmental disclosure of the largest companies in Brazil’s agribusiness sector

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
José Alexandres Dos Santos ◽  
Rosamaria Moura-Leite ◽  
Matheus Wemerson Gomes Pereira ◽  
Marta Pagán
Keyword(s):  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Voluntary Disclosure ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
International Markets ◽  
Environmental Disclosure ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Confirmatory Factor ◽  
Social And Environmental Disclosure ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Brazil’s agribusiness sector is an acknowledged and relevant player in international markets. Companies operating in this industry have been closely observed by society with increasingly critical judgment relating to production systems and the impact of these companies. In this context, this study aims to assess the voluntary disclosure of social and environmental information of Brazilian agribusiness companies and test the determinant factors. Design/methodology/approach The research hypotheses are based on stakeholder theory, legitimacy theory and results from social and environmental disclosure studies. Confirmatory factor analysis was adopted to build the dependent variables, and the Tobit model was used for hypotheses testing. The sample includes the 150 largest agribusiness companies in Brazil. Findings The results show that the disclosure measures of agribusiness companies differ by segment and that internationalization, negative media exposure and pollution are critical factors in increased voluntary social and environmental disclosure. Practical implications Knowledge about the determinants and quality of voluntary disclosure is key in driving social responsibility policies. In addition, they are useful to executives for the preparation of social responsibility and environmental reports. Originality/value The results of this study contribute to the literature on voluntary social and environmental disclosure by providing information on an important but poorly studied sector, namely, agribusiness in Brazil.

Corporate environmental performance–financial performance relationship in India using eco-efficiency metrics

2020 ◽  
Vol 31 (6) ◽  
pp. 1497-1514
Author(s):  
S. Sudha
Keyword(s):  
Financial Performance ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Environmental Performance ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
Time Lag ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Empirical Literature ◽  
Corporate Environmental Performance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to attempt to empirically examine the impact of disaggregate, eco-efficiency-based measures of corporate environmental performance (CEP) on corporate financial performance (CFP) of Indian companies. Further, recent theories contending a bidirectional causality between them is also explored.Design/methodology/approachSecondary data of 224 Indian S&P 500 companies from 2002 to 2011 are used to run panel data regression models for examining the impact of CEP measures on accounting-based CFP measures.FindingsThe empirical results are statistically significant and provide evidence for a positive association of eco-efficiency-based CEP metrics on CFP metrics, thereby supporting Porter's win–win hypothesis. Further, the results evidence a positive bi-directional causality between CEP and CFP for one period time lag signalling possibility of mutual reinforcement in CEP–CFP relationship.Research limitations/implicationsThe study has used data for the period 2002–2011 and eco-efficiency metrics – energy, water and material efficiencies due to availability.Practical implicationsThe results have implications to both corporate managers as well as policymakers across all industries for emphasizing on eco-efficiency-based (proactive) environmental sustainability initiatives to enhance both financial and environmental bottom lines.Originality/valueThe study contributes to scarce empirical literature analysing the impact of CEP on financial performance. To the best of authors's knowledge, event studies, portfolio studies and perceptual data-based empirical studies exist in India. This study is unique in that it examines long run effect of eco-efficiency-based CEP metrics which is pertinent in a rapidly growing emerging market – India, where, eco-efficiency is considered quintessential for sustainable development.

The impact of transformational leadership on employees’ acceptance to change

2018 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 559-578 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ritu Tayal ◽  
Rajesh Kumar Upadhya ◽  
Mohit Yadav ◽  
Santosh Rangnekar ◽  
Reena Singh
Keyword(s):  
Transformational Leadership ◽  
Leadership Style ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Mediating Effects ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Bank Managers ◽  
Innovative Behaviour ◽  
Service Oriented ◽  
Employee Acceptance ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this study is to empirically examine the association between transformational leadership and employee acceptance to change while establishing the mediating effects of innovative behaviour and the moderating effect of the use of information technology (IT) on this association. Design/methodology/approach In total, 378 employees of ten banks from Uttarakhand, India, participated in a questionnaire-based survey. The proposed hypotheses and the proposed conceptual model were tested using macro process (Hayes, 2013). Findings The results indicated that there exists a positive association between transformational leadership and employee acceptance to change. Furthermore, it was found that this association was mediated by employee innovative behaviour and moderated by the use of IT. Practical implications The findings of this study will help managers to comprehend the significance of the innovative behaviour of employees in moulding their acceptance towards change. This paper should encourage bank managers to perceive the significance of the working practice and the infusion of IT. Furthermore, this study accentuates the significance of an effective leadership style, i.e. transformational leadership, as an essential phenomenon to positively impinge on employee acceptance to change in a service-oriented industry, namely banking. Originality/value The present study enriches the extant research on transformational leadership and employee acceptance to change by demonstrating the use of IT and innovative behaviour as vital and the important factors that influence the level of persuasion that transformational leadership has on employee acceptance to change.

Foreign subsidiaries’ competitive strategy: the impact of corporate support and local competition

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (6) ◽  
pp. 606-627 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anders Pehrsson
Keyword(s):  
Product Differentiation ◽  
Competitive Strategy ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
International Strategy ◽  
Competitive Intensity ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cost Leadership ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Corporate Support ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The study draws on the resource-based view and the contingency view of strategy. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to international strategy literature by extending the current understanding of foreign subsidiary’s competitive strategy in terms of cost leadership and product differentiation. Design/methodology/approach Hypotheses concern associations between corporate support building on product and skills relatedness and subsidiary strategies. Also, it is hypothesized that strategies are due to the type of local competitive intensity. The hypotheses were tested on wholly owned subsidiaries of Swedish industrial firms in Germany, the UK and the USA. Findings Product and skills relatedness between the subsidiary and the corporate core unit are positively associated with the subsidiary’s emphasis on cost leadership. Also, a positive association was found between skills relatedness and product differentiation, and extensive competitive intensity strengthens the relationship. Research limitations/implications The study specifies what business relatedness is needed for a subsidiary’s competitive strategy; skills relatedness is more important than product relatedness; the type of local competitive intensity is important; corporate support and local strategy operate simultaneously. Practical implications Management is advised to implement a foreign subsidiary’s competitive strategy by recognizing the mechanisms identified in this study. Originality/value In a unique way, the study captures the role of corporate support of a foreign subsidiary’s competitive strategy relying on business relatedness and the importance of aligning the strategy with competitive intensity.

scholarly journals Ownership structure and voluntary disclosure in corporate annual reports of Malaysian listed firms

2011 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 296-312 ◽  
Author(s):  
Poh-Ling Ho ◽  
Gregory Tower
Keyword(s):  
Ownership Structure ◽  
Voluntary Disclosure ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Institutional Ownership ◽  
Ownership Concentration ◽  
Annual Reports ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Listed Firms ◽  
Ownership Structures ◽  
The Impact

This paper examines the impact of ownership structure on the voluntary disclosure in the annual reports of Malaysian listed firms. The result shows that there is an increase in the extent of voluntary disclosure in Malaysian listed firms over the eleven-year period from 1996 to 2006. Ownership concentration consistently shows positive association with voluntary disclosure. Firms with higher foreign and institutional ownership have a significantly positive association with voluntary disclosure levels while firms with family ownership exhibit lower voluntary disclosure. Consistent with agency theory, different ownership structures have varied monitoring effects on agency costs and clearly influence firm’s disclosure practices. The findings provide insights to policy makers and regulators in their desire to increase transparency and accountability amidst the continual enhancement of corporate governance. The findings provide evidence that optimized ownership structure in any jurisdiction should be considered in any regulatory process that seeks to improve transparency.

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