Enhancing Kurdistan's manufacturing companies' sustainable waste management: A norm activation approach to green accounting, CSR, and environmental auditing oversight

Abstract

The significance of accurate energy production prediction cannot be overstated, especially in the context of achieving carbon neutrality and balancing traditional and clean energy sources. Unlike conventional models with simplified assumptions or limited data inputs hindering energy usage optimization, waste reduction and efficient resource allocation, we introduced a novel structural equation modelling approach to eight manufacturing industries' sustainable waste management practices (SWMPs) in Iraq. This comprehensive analysis, conducted with Smart PLS software on 375 responses aims to enhance energy production predictions’ accuracy and support sustainability goals contribute to achieving carbon neutrality goals and promote a balanced energy mix that supports sustainability and environmental stewardship. The findings reveal noteworthy insights: notably, chemical manufacturing companies exhibit a substantial advantage from green accounting practices, witnessing a 78.1 % and 45.8 % improvement in environmental auditing oversight and SWMPs, respectively, compared to other manufacturing sectors. Compared to conventional grey models, our model demonstrates that a 1-unit improvement in CSR enhances environmental auditing oversight effectiveness by 33.4 % and sustainable waste management by 56.9 % across industries. By leveraging these data-driven insights and innovative approaches, we can drive positive change towards a more sustainable and resilient energy future, collectively contributing to a more resilient, efficient, and sustainable energy ecosystem that benefits societies, economies, and the environment. The heightened accuracy of energy production prediction facilitated by our novel model empowers stakeholders at regional and global levels to make informed decisions, mitigate risks, support policy development, achieve sustainability goals, formulate effective policies and foster collaboration.