Li Zheng, Varun Chotia, Nourah O. Alshaghdali, Laura Broccardo, Lu Wang
{"title":"Navigating Multilevel Environmental Pressures and Harnessing Digital Transparency as a Catalyst for Sustainable Innovation: Pathways to Enhanced Environmental Performance","authors":"Li Zheng, Varun Chotia, Nourah O. Alshaghdali, Laura Broccardo, Lu Wang","doi":"10.1002/bse.4361","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.4361","url":null,"abstract":"This study examines how firms leverage sustainable innovation propensity and digital sustainability transparency as strategic resources to navigate multilevel environmental pressures and achieve environmental and innovation performance. The central theory guiding this research is the resource‐based view, which posits that firms gain competitive advantage through the effective management of valuable, rare, and inimitable resources. We collected the primary data from 182 employees of manufacturing firms in the United States and United Kingdom. The study found a positive association between various environmental pressures—competitors, government and employees, top management environmental awareness, and digital sustainability transparency. The results further signify that sustainability innovation propensity mediates the constructive association between digital sustainability transparency and innovation performance, as well as between digital sustainability transparency and environmental performance. The findings imply how an organization navigates the social environment and the external pressures coming from the government, competitors, and the employees. Organizational environmental changes and green business strategies can be effectively implemented through anticipatory environmental scanning and stakeholders' involvement. To manage these pressures, organizations are encouraged to establish a sustainability directorate, whose role would be to codify these signals into managerial implications continually.","PeriodicalId":9518,"journal":{"name":"Business Strategy and The Environment","volume":"16 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":13.4,"publicationDate":"2025-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144193318","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Martin Popowicz, Antonia Pohlmann, Josef‐Peter Schöggl, Rupert J. Baumgartner
{"title":"Digital Product Passports as Information Providers for Consumers—The Case of Digital Battery Passports","authors":"Martin Popowicz, Antonia Pohlmann, Josef‐Peter Schöggl, Rupert J. Baumgartner","doi":"10.1002/bse.4346","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.4346","url":null,"abstract":"Sustainable consumption is crucial to transitioning toward a more sustainable society. Various tools, including information provision tools such as ecolabels, aim to promote sustainable consumption but are often criticized for failing to adequately inform consumers. This study examines digital product passports (DPPs), an emerging policy tool, as a means of enhancing consumer communication. Given the development of battery passports, the case of DPPs for electric vehicle batteries was selected. A method incorporating elements of the self‐explicated and lead‐user approaches was used, and a survey was conducted (<jats:italic>n</jats:italic> = 211) to determine which types of information provide the most value to consumers. The results identified the most relevant DPP attributes (e.g., “expected lifetime” and “CO<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> footprint”) from a consumer perspective. Groupwise comparisons based on environmental attitude and correlation analyses revealed that respondents' environmental attitudes significantly influenced their perceptions of the benefits of the investigated DPP attributes.","PeriodicalId":9518,"journal":{"name":"Business Strategy and The Environment","volume":"125 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":13.4,"publicationDate":"2025-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144153305","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Assessing Critical Success Factors for Industry 4.0‐Enabled Circular Startups: A Fuzzy AHP–DEMATEL Approach","authors":"Sagnika Datta, Krishna Chandra Balodi, Suresh Kumar Jakhar","doi":"10.1002/bse.4344","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.4344","url":null,"abstract":"The circular economy (CE), in conjunction with Industry 4.0 (I4.0), is an emerging trend discussed in academia and industry. Research suggests that I4.0 supports the CE, and circular startups (CSUs) are key players in advancing CE. However, there is a gap in empirical studies on I4.0‐enabled CSUs (CSU4.0). This research employs a multicriteria decision‐making methodology, incorporating the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (F‐AHP) and fuzzy decision‐making trial and evaluation laboratory (F‐DEMATEL), to explore the critical success factors (CSFs) of CSU4.0. Twenty‐three CSFs were identified from the literature using the PRISMA method. F‐AHP analysis identified building innovative circular business models as the most important success factor. F‐DEMATEL analysis showed that access to financial resources and access to physical infrastructure are key factors for the long‐term success of CSU4.0. This study aims to facilitate decision‐making for entrepreneurs and policymakers by enabling a better understanding of the success factors of CSU4.0.","PeriodicalId":9518,"journal":{"name":"Business Strategy and The Environment","volume":"25 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":13.4,"publicationDate":"2025-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144153317","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Exploring the Effects of Sustainable Innovation on a Textile Company's Business Network","authors":"Matteo Dominidiato, Simone Guercini, Annalisa Tunisini","doi":"10.1002/bse.4367","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.4367","url":null,"abstract":"The study examines how a textile company's business network is affected by sustainable innovation. It investigates the impact of sustainable practices on network dynamics and a company's business network with a particular focus on the textile sector in the fashion industry. Sustainable innovation has a significant impact outside of internal operations and is motivated by the desire to increase operational efficiency and environmental performance. Studies emphasise the significance of concentration and vertical integration within corporate networks as businesses attempt to satisfy long‐term demands. Businesses can preserve critical skills and capabilities and manage resource utilisation and traceability through vertical integration. In contrast, concentration leads to a decrease in the number of actors in the network as smaller businesses that lack the funding to adhere to strict sustainability criteria leave the market. These dynamics highlight how sustainable innovation plays a dual function in strengthening and consolidating capabilities within business networks. Based on a single case study, the study's findings offer insightful information on more general tendencies that might be applicable to a variety of industries.","PeriodicalId":9518,"journal":{"name":"Business Strategy and The Environment","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":13.4,"publicationDate":"2025-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144153318","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Emmanuel A. Morrison, Xihui Haviour Chen, Danson Kimani, Douglas A. Adu
{"title":"International Cooperation and Corporate Strategies: Accelerating Corporate Energy Transitions in Emerging Economies","authors":"Emmanuel A. Morrison, Xihui Haviour Chen, Danson Kimani, Douglas A. Adu","doi":"10.1002/bse.4349","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.4349","url":null,"abstract":"Driven by the growing focus on decarbonisation and energy economic dynamics in emerging economies, this study examines the interplay between executive compensation (EC), sustainability‐based compensation (SBC), board sustainability committee initiative (BSCI), corporate energy transition initiatives (CETIs), corporate carbon emissions (CCEs) and firm performance (FP) using a multi‐theoretical framework. Analysing a panel dataset from 13 emerging economies spanning 2002–2022, we find that SBC positively influences CETIs, while EC has no significant effect. Our results also show that EC and SBC do not impact CCE. BSCI positively affects CETIs but has no significant influence on CCE. Additionally, BSCI moderates the relationship between EC and CCE, highlighting the critical role of governance structures. While CETIs are associated with low FP, CCE appears to have no direct impact on FP. These findings vary across business operating periods and remain robust under alternative measures, addressing potential endogeneities and sample selection bias. The results provide insights for policy makers and practitioners aiming to enhance sustainability practices in emerging economies.","PeriodicalId":9518,"journal":{"name":"Business Strategy and The Environment","volume":"14 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":13.4,"publicationDate":"2025-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144153321","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"How Companies With Industrial Symbiosis Business Models Can Contribute to the Mainstreaming of Industrial Symbiosis","authors":"Kristina Nyström, Murat Mirata","doi":"10.1002/bse.4363","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.4363","url":null,"abstract":"Companies incorporating industrial symbiosis in their business models (ISBMs) play important roles in the realization of IS solutions. This paper explores how this group can also influence contextual conditions for the wider adoption of these solutions, thus contributing to their mainstreaming. Through a multiple case study of development processes connected to a diverse set of ISBM companies, three types of mechanisms were abductively synthesized: business model innovation, contribution to emergent societal change, and institutional entrepreneuring. These suggest that ISBM companies as a group, under the right conditions, play an important role in mainstreaming IS within companies, across industrial systems, and at the societal level. Our study found evidence of early steps in these directions. The paper contributes to the limited empirical foundation on companies with an ISBM and proposes new mainstreaming mechanisms for IS linked to the emergence of actors with IS as a core concern rather than a side activity.","PeriodicalId":9518,"journal":{"name":"Business Strategy and The Environment","volume":"16 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":13.4,"publicationDate":"2025-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144153354","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Cécile Cezanne, Gaye Del Lo, Yves Kassi, Sandra Rigot
{"title":"Do Corporate Governance Mechanisms Help to Reduce Carbon Emissions? Some Empirical Evidence on Listed Companies in France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Japan","authors":"Cécile Cezanne, Gaye Del Lo, Yves Kassi, Sandra Rigot","doi":"10.1002/bse.4332","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.4332","url":null,"abstract":"Climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing humanity today. In this paper, we analyze the role of firms in mitigating climate change through their model of corporate governance. We examine the impact of key organizational control and incentive mechanisms on firms' carbon emission intensity. Using a panel of 305 listed firms in France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Japan over the period 2015–2021, we show that board gender diversity plays a crucial role in reducing both firms' direct and indirect carbon emissions. Moreover, the presence of a sustainability committee can be an effective arrangement to limit direct GHG emissions. However, our study finds no significant evidence for the variables of board size, board independence, and top sustainability‐based executive compensation. Our findings vary depending on the high‐ or low‐emission sector. Based on these results, we propose several managerial and policy implications that can help improve corporate climate performance.","PeriodicalId":9518,"journal":{"name":"Business Strategy and The Environment","volume":"4 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":13.4,"publicationDate":"2025-05-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144145424","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Isabel‐María García‐Sánchez, Rizwan Ali, Saudi‐Yulieth Enciso‐Alfaro, Ramiz ur Rehman
{"title":"Remodelling Fashion: Climate Governance and the Sustainable Energy Transition","authors":"Isabel‐María García‐Sánchez, Rizwan Ali, Saudi‐Yulieth Enciso‐Alfaro, Ramiz ur Rehman","doi":"10.1002/bse.4364","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.4364","url":null,"abstract":"The ecological footprint of multinational corporations (MNCs) is a global issue that demands immediate attention. In particular, the impact of the fashion industry has garnered significant concern, as it alone is responsible for approximately 10% of global carbon emissions. Consequently, the adoption of responsible environmental initiatives such as the transition to sustainable energy could play a critical role in mitigating its harmful effects on the ecosystem. In this context, climate governance serves as a key indicator of companies' commitment and performance regarding their climate impact, and it is an essential factor in reducing associated risks, enhancing sustainability and seizing climate opportunities. So, the fashion industry is one of the top contributors to global environmental degradation, yet climate governance within this sector remains insufficiently examined. In this context, the aim of this study is to examine the role that the climate governance of fashion multinationals plays in the adoption of more sustainable and efficient energy models. To address our research question, we analysed the corporate practices of the top 150 MNCs over the period 2016–2022, using dependency models. Our findings show that climate governance structures in the fashion industry favour the use of renewable energy and the investment in various energy efficiency projects to facilitate the transition towards a more responsible energy model. Thus, we identify the significant role of governance in promoting climate action in this sector. Furthermore, our evidence indicates that organisational structures, such as the dedicated environmental management team and the CSR committee at board level, have a significant impact on sustainable energy practices.","PeriodicalId":9518,"journal":{"name":"Business Strategy and The Environment","volume":"143 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":13.4,"publicationDate":"2025-05-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144133689","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Climate on the Agenda: How Board Composition Drives Climate Change Disclosure in European Banks","authors":"Nicola Raimo, Ilenia Fraccalvieri, Filippo Vitolla, Candida Bussoli","doi":"10.1002/bse.4366","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.4366","url":null,"abstract":"Climate change demands immediate and coordinated action from individuals, governments, and companies. Companies, in particular, play a pivotal role in mitigating climate risks and reducing environmental impacts by adopting sustainable practices that extend beyond regulatory compliance. This responsibility is not confined to high‐emission industries; service sectors, including financial institutions, also play a crucial role. Banks are uniquely positioned to address climate change by managing the carbon footprint of their operations and evaluating the environmental impacts of their loan portfolios and financial activities. The urgency of climate change has underscored the importance of transparent communication by banks regarding climate‐related information. While climate change disclosure (CCD) has garnered significant academic interest, research on its determinants in the banking sector remains limited. This study aims to fill this gap by examining the level of CCD among European banks and identifying the factors influencing the dissemination of such information through their official websites. In particular, drawing on agency theory, it investigates the role of board characteristics in shaping CCD practices. The findings, based on an econometric analysis conducted on a sample of 107 publicly listed European banks, reveal that board expertise, gender diversity, and size positively influence the level of CCD, whereas board independence has no significant effect. These results underscore the critical role of governance structures in fostering transparency and accountability in climate‐related matters.","PeriodicalId":9518,"journal":{"name":"Business Strategy and The Environment","volume":"83 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":13.4,"publicationDate":"2025-05-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144133699","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Tomas Santa‐Maria, Nicole Dougnac, Leandro J. Llorente‐González, Martin Geissdoerfer
{"title":"From Challenges to Impact: Drivers, Barriers, and Shared Resources in Sustainability‐Oriented Corporate‐Startup Alliances","authors":"Tomas Santa‐Maria, Nicole Dougnac, Leandro J. Llorente‐González, Martin Geissdoerfer","doi":"10.1002/bse.4341","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.4341","url":null,"abstract":"Despite the growing importance of corporate sustainability, research on strategic alliances between corporations and sustainable startups remains limited. While corporations struggle with implementing radical sustainability‐oriented innovation, sustainable startups face challenges in scaling and validation. Given their complementary resources, partnerships between these entities offer significant potential to accelerate sustainable transitions. However, existing literature has largely overlooked the distinct drivers, barriers, and shared resources that characterize sustainability‐oriented corporate‐startup alliances, focusing instead on conventional or digital‐oriented collaborations. This study addresses this gap through a multiple case study of eight sustainability‐driven corporate‐startup partnerships in Chile. Using a grounded theory approach, we identify 21 drivers, 14 barriers, and 10 shared resource types, revealing the dual role of resource acquisition and legitimacy‐building in fostering sustainable collaborations. Our findings offer new theoretical insights and practical recommendations for enhancing the success of sustainability‐oriented alliances.","PeriodicalId":9518,"journal":{"name":"Business Strategy and The Environment","volume":"56 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":13.4,"publicationDate":"2025-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144133722","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}