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An assessment of the climate change policies and performance of large European companies

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  • RORY SULLIVAN

Abstract

How are large companies responding to the challenges of reducing their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions? An analysis of the published climate change policies and performance of 125 large European companies is presented. The results suggest that most large European companies have now developed the management systems and processes necessary for them to effectively manage their GHG emissions and related business risks. However, there is a significant disconnect between the targets that companies set for themselves and the more ambitious targets being set by the European Union (which has committed to a 20% reduction in its emissions by 2020 against a 1990 baseline). Of the companies surveyed, just over one-third had stabilized or reduced their total GHG emissions over the period 2002-2007, and fewer than one-third expected their emissions to stabilize or reduce in the coming years. The relationship between the quality of corporate policies and performance outcomes (in terms of GHG emissions) suggests that while companies with stronger policies are likely to have relatively better performance, only a minority of those companies with the highest-quality policies are committing to absolute reductions in their GHG emissions.

Suggested Citation

  • Rory Sullivan, 2010. "An assessment of the climate change policies and performance of large European companies," Climate Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 10(1), pages 38-50, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:tcpoxx:v:10:y:2010:i:1:p:38-50
    DOI: 10.3763/cpol.2008.0591
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Victor Caritte & Salvador Acha & Nilay Shah, 2015. "Enhancing Corporate Environmental Performance Through Reporting and Roadmaps," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(5), pages 289-308, July.
    2. Matthias Damert & Rupert J. Baumgartner, 2018. "Intra‐Sectoral Differences in Climate Change Strategies: Evidence from the Global Automotive Industry," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(3), pages 265-281, March.
    3. Rory Sullivan & Andy Gouldson, 2016. "Comparing the Climate Change Actions, Targets and Performance of UK and US Retailers," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 23(3), pages 129-139, May.
    4. Matthew P. Johnson & Theresa S. Rötzel & Brigitte Frank, 2023. "Beyond conventional corporate responses to climate change towards deep decarbonization: a systematic literature review," Management Review Quarterly, Springer, vol. 73(2), pages 921-954, June.
    5. Daniel Kouloukoui & Ângelo Marcio Oliveira Sant'Anna & Sônia Maria da Silva Gomes & Marcia Mara de Oliveira Marinho & Pieter de Jong & Asher Kiperstok & Ednildo Andrade Torres, 2019. "Factors influencing the level of environmental disclosures in sustainability reports: Case of climate risk disclosure by Brazilian companies," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 26(4), pages 791-804, July.
    6. Mousa Mohamed, 2018. "The Phenomenon of Climate Change in Organization and HR-Related Literature: A Conceptual Brief Analysis," Valahian Journal of Economic Studies, Sciendo, vol. 9(1), pages 101-108, April.
    7. Mousa Mohamed, 2018. "The Phenomenon of Climate Change in Organization and HR- Related Literature: A Conceptual Brief Analysis," HOLISTICA – Journal of Business and Public Administration, Sciendo, vol. 9(1), pages 113-121, May.
    8. Azlan Amran & Say Keat Ooi & Cheng Yew Wong & Fathyah Hashim, 2016. "Business Strategy for Climate Change: An ASEAN Perspective," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 23(4), pages 213-227, July.
    9. Sullivan, Rory & Gouldson, Andy, 2013. "Ten years of corporate action on climate change: What do we have to show for it?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 733-740.
    10. Sunhee Suk, 2018. "Determinants and Characteristics of Korean Companies’ Carbon Management under the Carbon Pricing Scheme," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-23, April.
    11. Liang Li & Yanghong Wang & Huaping Sun & Huihui Shen & Yuen Lin, 2023. "Corporate Social Responsibility Information Disclosure and Financial Performance: Is Green Technology Innovation a Missing Link?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-18, August.

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