The link between corporate environmental performance and corporate financial performance

The question of whether companies can do good by doing good has aroused a lot of interest among academics and company managers. The link between corporate social or environmental performance (CSP/CEP) and corporate financial performance (CFP) has been studied a lot – and with several different me...

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Main Author: Eilola, Maria
Other Authors: Kauppakorkeakoulu, School of Business and Economics, Taloustieteet, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylän yliopisto
Format: Master's thesis
Language:eng
Published: 2017
Subjects:
Online Access: https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/56547
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author Eilola, Maria
author2 Kauppakorkeakoulu School of Business and Economics Taloustieteet University of Jyväskylä Jyväskylän yliopisto
author_facet Eilola, Maria Kauppakorkeakoulu School of Business and Economics Taloustieteet University of Jyväskylä Jyväskylän yliopisto Eilola, Maria Kauppakorkeakoulu School of Business and Economics Taloustieteet University of Jyväskylä Jyväskylän yliopisto
author_sort Eilola, Maria
datasource_str_mv jyx
description The question of whether companies can do good by doing good has aroused a lot of interest among academics and company managers. The link between corporate social or environmental performance (CSP/CEP) and corporate financial performance (CFP) has been studied a lot – and with several different methods, in both directions and in different industries. Majority of earlier studies have found a positive link between CSP/CEP and CFP but due to challenges in measuring social and environmental performance, there is a lot of inconsistency in the study results. However, earlier studies clearly indicate that companies are not punished for their social and environmental efforts. The aim of this study was to examine the link between corporate environmental performance (CEP) and corporate financial performance (CFP) in the forest, paper and packaging industry and in the manufacturing of machinery and equipment industry. The study was conducted as a qualitative study although it includes also some quantitative elements. Data consisted of CEP disclosures, mainly corporate social responsibility reports and annual reports. There were five target companies. Environmental data evaluation criteria were developed specifically for this study by utilizing several sources, such as KLD rating framework and GRI reporting framework. Corporate environmental performance of the five target companies was analysed by using content analysis method. Return on equity figures were used as indicators of corporate financial performance. The link was evaluated by utilizing statistical computing. Pearson’s correlation coefficiencies were computed for CEP and CFP figure pairs. Differing from majority of earlier studies, this study indicates that there is no link between CEP and CFP – not from CEP to CFP nor CFP to CEP. Correlation coefficiency figure is significant in some cases but as the figures varies greatly, strong correlation figures are likely caused by coincidence. From CEP to CFP, the correlation varied anywhere between -0.15 and 0.63. From CFP to to CEP, the correlation varied anywhere between -0.16 and 0.90. Although positive link was not found, the results indicate that companies are not punished for high environmental performance. Kysymys siitä, voivatko yritykset menestyä toimimalla sosiaalisesti vastuullisesti, on herättänyt paljon kiinnostusta sekä tutkijoiden että yritysjohdon keskuudessa. Yrityksen sosiaalisen tai ympäristövastuutuloksen (CSP/CEP) ja yrityksen taloudellisen tuloksen (CFP) välistä linkkiä on tutkittu paljon käyttäen useita eri menetelmiä, tutkimalla useita eri toimialoja sekä tutkimalla linkkiä molempiin suuntiin. Suurin osa aikaisemmista tutkimuksista on osoittanut, että CSP/CEP ja CFP ovat positiivisesti linkittyneitä, mutta merkittävistä sosiaaliseen ja ympäristövastuutulokseen liittyvistä mittaushaasteista johtuen, tulokset ovat epäjohdonmukaisia. Aikaisemmat tutkimukset osoittavat kuitenkin selvästi, että yrityksiä ei ainakaan rangaista korkeasta sosiaalisesta ja ympäristövastuullisuudesta. Tämän tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli tutkia linkkiä yrityksen ympäristövastuutuloksen (CEP) ja yrityksen taloudellisen tuloksen (CFP) välillä metsä-, paperi- ja pakkausalalla ja koneiden ja tarvikkeiden valmistusalalla. Tutkimus toteutettiin kvalitatiivisena tutkimuksena, mutta se sisältää myös joitain kvantitaviisia elementtejä. Tutkimuksen data koostui CEP julkaisuista, pääasiassa yritysvastuuraporteista ja vuosiraporteista. Tutkimuksessa oli viisi kohdeyritystä. Ympäristödatan arviointikriteeristö kehitettiin tätä tutkimusta varten hyödyntäen useita lähteitä, kuten KLD arvointikehystä ja GRI raportointikehystä. Kohdeyritysten ympäristövastuutulos analysoitiin sisällönanalyysimenetelmää käyttäen. Oman pääoman tuotto-%:ia käytettiin yritysten taloudellisen tuloksen indikaattorina. Linkkiä arvioitiin tilastollista laskentaa hyödyntäen. Pearsonin korrelaatiokertoimet laskettiin CEP ja CFP lukupareille. Aikaisempien tulosten enemmistöstä poiketen tämä tutkimus osoittaa, että CEP:n ja CFP:n välillä ei ole linkkiä kumpaankaan suuntaan. Korrelaatiokerroin on merkittävä joissakin tapauksissa, mutta koska luvut vaihelevat reilusti, merkittävät luvut johtuvat todennäköisesti sattumasta. Kun tutkittiin, johtaako korkea ympäristövastuutulos korkeaan taloudelliseen tulokseen, korrelaatiokertoimet vaihtelevat -0.15 ja 0.63 välillä. Toiseen suuntaan tarkasteltaessa luvut vaihtelevat -0.16 ja 0.90 välillä. Vaikka tutkimuksessa ei löytynyt positiivista linkkiä, tulokset osoittavat, että yrityksiä ei ainakaan taloudellisesti rangaista korkeasta ympäristövastuutuloksesta.
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The link between corporate social or\r\nenvironmental performance (CSP/CEP) and corporate financial performance (CFP) has\r\nbeen studied a lot \u2013 and with several different methods, in both directions and in different\r\nindustries. Majority of earlier studies have found a positive link between CSP/CEP\r\nand CFP but due to challenges in measuring social and environmental performance,\r\nthere is a lot of inconsistency in the study results. However, earlier studies clearly indicate\r\nthat companies are not punished for their social and environmental efforts.\r\nThe aim of this study was to examine the link between corporate environmental performance\r\n(CEP) and corporate financial performance (CFP) in the forest, paper and packaging\r\nindustry and in the manufacturing of machinery and equipment industry. The study\r\nwas conducted as a qualitative study although it includes also some quantitative elements.\r\nData consisted of CEP disclosures, mainly corporate social responsibility reports\r\nand annual reports. There were five target companies. Environmental data evaluation\r\ncriteria were developed specifically for this study by utilizing several sources, such as\r\nKLD rating framework and GRI reporting framework. Corporate environmental performance\r\nof the five target companies was analysed by using content analysis method.\r\nReturn on equity figures were used as indicators of corporate financial performance. The\r\nlink was evaluated by utilizing statistical computing. Pearson\u2019s correlation coefficiencies\r\nwere computed for CEP and CFP figure pairs.\r\nDiffering from majority of earlier studies, this study indicates that there is no link between\r\nCEP and CFP \u2013 not from CEP to CFP nor CFP to CEP. Correlation coefficiency\r\nfigure is significant in some cases but as the figures varies greatly, strong correlation figures\r\nare likely caused by coincidence. From CEP to CFP, the correlation varied anywhere\r\nbetween -0.15 and 0.63. From CFP to to CEP, the correlation varied anywhere between\r\n-0.16 and 0.90. Although positive link was not found, the results indicate that\r\ncompanies are not punished for high environmental performance.", "language": "en", "element": "description", "qualifier": "abstract", "schema": "dc"}, {"key": "dc.description.abstract", "value": "Kysymys siit\u00e4, voivatko yritykset menesty\u00e4 toimimalla sosiaalisesti vastuullisesti, on\r\nher\u00e4tt\u00e4nyt paljon kiinnostusta sek\u00e4 tutkijoiden ett\u00e4 yritysjohdon keskuudessa. Yrityksen\r\nsosiaalisen tai ymp\u00e4rist\u00f6vastuutuloksen (CSP/CEP) ja yrityksen taloudellisen tuloksen\r\n(CFP) v\u00e4list\u00e4 linkki\u00e4 on tutkittu paljon k\u00e4ytt\u00e4en useita eri menetelmi\u00e4, tutkimalla useita\r\neri toimialoja sek\u00e4 tutkimalla linkki\u00e4 molempiin suuntiin. Suurin osa aikaisemmista\r\ntutkimuksista on osoittanut, ett\u00e4 CSP/CEP ja CFP ovat positiivisesti linkittyneit\u00e4, mutta\r\nmerkitt\u00e4vist\u00e4 sosiaaliseen ja ymp\u00e4rist\u00f6vastuutulokseen liittyvist\u00e4 mittaushaasteista\r\njohtuen, tulokset ovat ep\u00e4johdonmukaisia. Aikaisemmat tutkimukset osoittavat\r\nkuitenkin selv\u00e4sti, ett\u00e4 yrityksi\u00e4 ei ainakaan rangaista korkeasta sosiaalisesta ja\r\nymp\u00e4rist\u00f6vastuullisuudesta.\r\nT\u00e4m\u00e4n tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli tutkia linkki\u00e4 yrityksen ymp\u00e4rist\u00f6vastuutuloksen\r\n(CEP) ja yrityksen taloudellisen tuloksen (CFP) v\u00e4lill\u00e4 mets\u00e4-, paperi- ja pakkausalalla ja\r\nkoneiden ja tarvikkeiden valmistusalalla. Tutkimus toteutettiin kvalitatiivisena\r\ntutkimuksena, mutta se sis\u00e4lt\u00e4\u00e4 my\u00f6s joitain kvantitaviisia elementtej\u00e4. Tutkimuksen\r\ndata koostui CEP julkaisuista, p\u00e4\u00e4asiassa yritysvastuuraporteista ja vuosiraporteista.\r\nTutkimuksessa oli viisi kohdeyrityst\u00e4. Ymp\u00e4rist\u00f6datan arviointikriteerist\u00f6 kehitettiin\r\nt\u00e4t\u00e4 tutkimusta varten hy\u00f6dynt\u00e4en useita l\u00e4hteit\u00e4, kuten KLD arvointikehyst\u00e4 ja GRI\r\nraportointikehyst\u00e4. Kohdeyritysten ymp\u00e4rist\u00f6vastuutulos analysoitiin sis\u00e4ll\u00f6nanalyysimenetelm\u00e4\u00e4\r\nk\u00e4ytt\u00e4en. Oman p\u00e4\u00e4oman tuotto-%:ia k\u00e4ytettiin yritysten taloudellisen\r\ntuloksen indikaattorina. Linkki\u00e4 arvioitiin tilastollista laskentaa hy\u00f6dynt\u00e4en. Pearsonin\r\nkorrelaatiokertoimet laskettiin CEP ja CFP lukupareille.\r\nAikaisempien tulosten enemmist\u00f6st\u00e4 poiketen t\u00e4m\u00e4 tutkimus osoittaa, ett\u00e4 CEP:n ja\r\nCFP:n v\u00e4lill\u00e4 ei ole linkki\u00e4 kumpaankaan suuntaan. Korrelaatiokerroin on merkitt\u00e4v\u00e4\r\njoissakin tapauksissa, mutta koska luvut vaihelevat reilusti, merkitt\u00e4v\u00e4t luvut johtuvat\r\ntodenn\u00e4k\u00f6isesti sattumasta. Kun tutkittiin, johtaako korkea ymp\u00e4rist\u00f6vastuutulos\r\nkorkeaan taloudelliseen tulokseen, korrelaatiokertoimet vaihtelevat -0.15 ja 0.63 v\u00e4lill\u00e4.\r\nToiseen suuntaan tarkasteltaessa luvut vaihtelevat -0.16 ja 0.90 v\u00e4lill\u00e4. 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spellingShingle Eilola, Maria The link between corporate environmental performance and corporate financial performance Yritysten ympäristöjohtaminen Corporate Environmental Management 20425 yritykset tuloksellisuus ympäristövastuu sosiaalinen vastuu
title The link between corporate environmental performance and corporate financial performance
title_full The link between corporate environmental performance and corporate financial performance
title_fullStr The link between corporate environmental performance and corporate financial performance The link between corporate environmental performance and corporate financial performance
title_full_unstemmed The link between corporate environmental performance and corporate financial performance The link between corporate environmental performance and corporate financial performance
title_short The link between corporate environmental performance and corporate financial performance
title_sort link between corporate environmental performance and corporate financial performance
title_txtP The link between corporate environmental performance and corporate financial performance
topic Yritysten ympäristöjohtaminen Corporate Environmental Management 20425 yritykset tuloksellisuus ympäristövastuu sosiaalinen vastuu
topic_facet 20425 Corporate Environmental Management Yritysten ympäristöjohtaminen sosiaalinen vastuu tuloksellisuus ympäristövastuu yritykset
url https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/56547 http://www.urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:jyu-201712274886
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