scholarly journals Encouraging Investors to Enable Corporate Sustainability Transitions: The Case of Responsible Investment in France

2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 125-144 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia Crifo ◽  
Rodolphe Durand ◽  
Jean-Pascal Gond

This article studies the case of the socially responsible investment industry in France. This case accounts for how the socially responsible investment category and practices have successfully moved from the margins of the industry in the late 1990s to become mainstream over two decades. We bring to the forefront the importance of three complementary factors in the process of causing corporations to transition toward more sustainable businesses: the role of investors and, in particular, institutional investors; the importance of the presence of a clear category definition and of intermediary organizations, providing ratings, scores, and other calculative devices; and the role of governments and regulators. With other studies, this case stresses the fundamental influence of investors in how corporations manage sustainability transitions.

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 288-334 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stéphanie Giamporcaro ◽  
Jean-Pascal Gond ◽  
Niamh O’Sullivan

ABSTRACTAlthough a growing stream of research investigates the role of government in corporate social responsibility (CSR), little is known about how governmental CSR interventions interact in financial markets. This article addresses this gap through a longitudinal study of the socially responsible investment (SRI) market in France. Building on the “CSR and government” and “regulative capitalism” literatures, we identify three modes of governmental CSR intervention—regulatory steering, delegated rowing, and microsteering—and show how they interact through the two mechanisms of layering (the accumulation of interventions) and catalyzing (the alignment of interventions). Our findings: 1) challenge the notion that, in the neoliberal order, governments are confined to steering market actors—leading and guiding their behavior—while private actors are in charge of rowing—providing products and services; 2) show how governmental CSR interventions interact and are orchestrated; and 3) provide evidence that governments can mobilize financial markets to promote CSR.


2011 ◽  
Vol 361-363 ◽  
pp. 1740-1744
Author(s):  
Zhao Hui Li ◽  
Jun Feng Li

This paper focuses on the compiling and the role of the socially responsible index. Socially responsible investment originated from ethically investing teachings and developed on growing social awareness. Social responsibility indexes are products of the development of social responsibility investment. The Domini 400 Social Index, the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes and the Calvert Social Index are typical cases of international social responsibility indexes. They are compiled on the base of consistency, flexibility and transparency and their component stocks are selected according to triple bottom line. Compared with international experiences, China’s social responsibility indexes have a shorter history and some problems.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Joel Diener ◽  
Andre Habisch

Purpose This paper aims to emphasize the importance and current deficits of non-financial impact (NFI) assessment of socially responsible investment (SRI) with reference to the action plan of the European Commission (EC) for a greener and cleaner economy. Design/methodology/approach The importance and current deficits of NFI assessment are evaluated theoretically and condensed to an equilibrated socially responsible investment (ESRI) perspective, based on a narrative literature review of highly ranked academic journals. Findings Due to a deficient exploration of NFI in theory and practice, the role of SRI funds for sustainability transition has not yet been adequately discussed. This has enabled a situation where a constantly rising market share of SRI has not led to similar sustainability achievements. This strongly contrasts with investors’ expectations, the self-portrayal of the sector and the goals of the EC’s action plan. As a solution, the developed ESRI perspective elevates NFI as a second cornerstone for theory and practice. ESRI, contrary to the EC, sets a primer on the role of SRI fund management for achieving sustainability goals. Originality/value This study reveals how SRI theory and practice neglect the importance of NFI. The presented ESRI perspective enables scholars to examine SRI practices more holistically through a new theoretical lens. One special focus is on the role of SRI fund management as a transmission mechanism to push portfolio companies’ business practices toward more sustainable behavior.


2021 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 232-240
Author(s):  
Anna Vorontsova ◽  
Alex Plastun ◽  
Hanna Filatova ◽  
Elena Kostenko ◽  
Eldar Dzhobava

Purpose: To substantiate the place and role of the responsible investment in the structure of the stock exchange market. Methods: Structure-functional in order to form an idea of the structure of the stock exchange market, determining the place and role of responsible investment elements in the stock market organization; systematic analysis to identify current trends and patterns in the functioning of the socially responsible investment segment by geographical regions of the world; statistical and graphical methods for quantitative and visual presentation of the results of the stock market sectors analysis, represented by responsible investment elements. Findings: The definition of «responsible investment» and «stock market» has been clarified; a number of subjects, objects and forms of responsible investment, which are elements of the stock market, are singled out and substantiated; the generalization of activities of stock exchanges in the field of responsible investing is carried out; the dynamics of stock market sector indicators, which are represented by elements of responsible investment, are analyzed; key reporting standards used by stock exchanges in disclosing ESG issues are analyzed. Theoretical Implications: A comprehensive assessment of the functioning of socially responsible investment segment as part of the stock market is carried out, the place and role of responsible investing in the stock market structure are substantiated, which creates a basis for the development of effective measures to increase the stock market efficiency of Ukraine and its transformation into an effective and stable source of investment resources. Future Research: The results can be used in the context of further study of the stock market transformation in Ukraine on the basis of a socially responsible trajectory and fractal analysis. Paper Type: Theoretical.   The study was performed within the state budget research «Fractal model of the stock market transformation in Ukraine: socially responsible investment to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals» № 0121U100473.


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