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Sustainability materiality matrices in doubt: may prioritizations of aspects overestimate environmental performance?

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  • Idoya Ferrero-Ferrero
  • Raúl León
  • María Jesús Muñoz-Torres

Abstract

This study builds on the research gap that arises from the consistency analysis of the GRI-materiality approach with other prioritization approaches. The main objective is to explore to what extent corporate environmental performance is consistent using two different prioritization approaches. This study employs a novel quantitative approach to assess environmental performance through the prioritization of environmental aspects by using companies’ materiality analysis and independent expert knowledge. The empirical analysis focuses on the environmental performance analysis of wearing apparel companies. The main findings reveal that companies with better environmental performance could be using materiality analysis to further embellish the positive performance or for greenwashing purposes. This study could serve as a starting point to improve understanding of how companies could identify, from an objective and comparable basis, those environmental aspects that are essential to their business strategy and that are necessary to help stakeholders to make fully informed decisions.

Suggested Citation

  • Idoya Ferrero-Ferrero & Raúl León & María Jesús Muñoz-Torres, 2021. "Sustainability materiality matrices in doubt: may prioritizations of aspects overestimate environmental performance?," Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 64(3), pages 432-463, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:jenpmg:v:64:y:2021:i:3:p:432-463
    DOI: 10.1080/09640568.2020.1766427
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    Cited by:

    1. Jordan Famularo, 2023. "Corporate social responsibility communication in the ICT sector: digital issues, greenwashing, and materiality," International Journal of Corporate Social Responsibility, Springer, vol. 8(1), pages 1-25, December.
    2. Raúl León & Aitor Salesa, 2024. "Is sustainability reporting disclosing what is relevant? Assessing materiality accuracy in the Spanish telecommunication industry," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 26(8), pages 21433-21460, August.
    3. Martinez Meyers, Susana & Ferrero-Ferrero, Idoya & Muñoz-Torres, María Jesus, 2024. "ARE sustainable funds doing the talk and the walk? An ESG score analysis of fund portfolio holdings," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 93(PA), pages 1526-1541.

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