Environmental Performance Metrics Research Articles

Boosting Firm Environmental Performance: The Roles of Top Management Team Functional Diversity, Environmental Disclosures, and Government Subsidy

Contemporary organizations are actively striving to achieve a higher level of environmental performance (the extent to which the organization reduces and minimizes its negative impact on the natural environment). This pursuit is not only driven by the need to comply with governmental climate change regulations but also by the desire to gain a competitive advantage. While a limited number of studies have acknowledged the importance of top executives’ strategy-making on firms’ environmental performance, questions still persist regarding how the role structure of the top management team (TMT) promotes the disclosure of environmental policies, and subsequently enhances firm environmental performance. Based on the attention-based view and resource-dependency perspective, this study aims to examine how TMT functional diversity is beneficial for formulating better environmental disclosures, which in turn, is expected to increase environmental performance. Additionally, we explore the extent to which external resources (i.e., government subsidies) can strengthen this relationship. We employed an archival dataset from 406 Chinese manufacturing firms over a ten-year period (2010–2019) and tested a moderated mediation model. Our findings suggest that greater functional diversity within TMTs positively influences firm environmental performance through the improved environmental disclosures, and this indirect effect is amplified when firms receive higher levels of government subsidies. Our study contributes to the existing literature on environmental governance by demonstrating that (1) functional diversity within the TMT can predict more favorable environmental performance metrics; and (2) government financial support can particularly be a booster for the relationship between TMT environmental disclosures and firm environmental performance.

Advancing understanding of ESG score and executive compensation relationships in the Indian context

This study examines the impact of environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) performance metrics on executive compensation in India using a sample of top-listed firms from 2007 to 2021 and controls for various firm-level characteristics. Findings show that a higher ESG score is associated with higher executive compensation. The subsample analyses examines how business-group affiliations and environmental sensitivity affect executive compensation. Results reveal that business-group affiliated firms with higher ESG scores tend to have higher executive compensation than nonaffiliated firms. Moreover, environmentally sensitive firms with higher governance pillar scores, which represent better governance practices, show higher executive compensation. Finally, high ESG scores and executive compensation is associated with better firm performance.

Green HRM for Enhanced Environmental Performance: A Circular Economy Perspective Aligned with SDGs

This empirical inquiry explores the use of Green HRM as a strategic tool to improve environmental performance within the context of a circular economy. We chose 200 employees from the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) based on data from the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) index. The study employs Structural Equation Modeling-Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS 4) to examine the relationship between organizational policies and the implementation of circular economy principles within the framework of Green HRM practices. This research is supported by the circular economy, which is defined as a fundamental change in thinking that promotes the reuse of resources, reduction of waste, and efficient use of resources. The SEM-PLS 4 approach is used to validate the theoretical framework that proposes that Green HRM practices provide a significant contribution to the promotion of circular economy initiatives, which in turn lead to considerable gains in environmental performance metrics. Moreover, this method is employed to evaluate the complex causal links in action. Policymakers and business leaders may facilitate the integration of Green HRM into sustainability programs by utilizing the study's findings. It is expected that human capital management will play a crucial role in achieving the circular economy paradigm. This research not only improves our understanding of how Green HRM affects sustainability, but also provides firms with a strategic roadmap for implementing circular economy models.

CREATING A SUSTAINABLE CORPORATE CULTURE IN THE CONTEXT OF GREEN AND DIGITAL ECONOMY

The purpose of this paper is to explore the strategies for creating a sustainable corporate culture in the context of the green and digital economy. In today's business landscape, characterised by a growing emphasis on environmental responsibility and technological innovation, organisations are faced with the challenge of aligning their corporate cultures with these emerging paradigms. This study uses a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative analysis of case studies with quantitative examination of organisational practices, to investigate effective strategies for fostering a sustainable corporate culture amidst the challenges and opportunities presented by the green and digital economy. Methodology. The research methodology includes a comprehensive review of the literature on corporate culture, sustainability and digitalisation, supplemented by analysis of data collected from case studies of organisations operating in different industries. Qualitative data from interviews with key stakeholders and observations of organisational practices are complemented by quantitative analysis of survey responses and performance metrics. Results. The findings highlight several key strategies for creating a sustainable corporate culture in the context of the green and digital economy. These include: leadership commitment to sustainability and innovation; integration of green practices into organisational policies and procedures; employee engagement and empowerment through training and development programmes; use of digital technologies to improve communication, collaboration and productivity; and continuous monitoring and evaluation of environmental performance metrics. Practical implications. The implications of this study have several practical implications for organisations seeking to cultivate a sustainable culture. First, they underscore the importance of strong leadership commitment to sustainability and innovation, and the need to integrate green practices into all aspects of organisational operations. Second, the findings highlight the critical role of employee engagement and empowerment in driving sustainable behaviour and fostering a culture of environmental responsibility. Finally, the study highlights the potential of digital technologies to enable organisations to adapt and thrive in the evolving landscape of the green and digital economy. Value / Оriginality. This paper contributes to the existing literature by providing evidence and practical insights into the strategies for creating a sustainable corporate culture in the context of the green and digital economy. By combining qualitative analysis of case studies with quantitative examination of organisational practices, the study provides a comprehensive understanding of the key factors influencing corporate culture in the contemporary business environment. In addition, the research highlights the importance of aligning organisational values with environmental and technological advances to enhance business sustainability and resilience. Overall, the paper provides valuable contributions to both theory and practice in the areas of corporate culture, sustainability and digitalisation.

Global perspectives on operational excellence: unveiling critical failure factors and sustainable pathways

PurposeThe purpose of this global study is to investigate the critical failure factors (CFFs) in the deployment of operational excellence (OPEX) programs as well as the key performance indicators (KPIs) that can be used to measure OPEX failures. The study also empirically analyzes various OPEX methodologies adopted by various organizations at a global level.Design/methodology/approachThis global study utilized an online survey to collect data. The questionnaire was sent to 800 senior managers, resulting in 249 useful responses.FindingsThe study results suggest that Six Sigma is the most widely utilized across the OPEX methodologies, followed by Lean Six Sigma and Lean. Agile manufacturing is the least utilized OPEX methodology. The top four CFFs were poor project selection and prioritization, poor leadership, a lack of proper communication and resistance to change issues.Research limitations/implicationsThis study extends the current body of knowledge on OPEX by first delineating the CFFs for OPEX and identifying the differing effects of these CFFs across various organizational settings. Senior managers and OPEX professionals can use the findings to take remedial actions and improve the sustainability of OPEX initiatives in their respective organizations.Originality/valueThis study uniquely identifies critical factors leading to OPEX initiative failures, providing practical insights for industry professionals and academia and fostering a deeper understanding of potential pitfalls. The research highlights a distinctive focus on social and environmental performance metrics, urging a paradigm shift for sustained OPEX success and differentiating itself in addressing broader sustainability concerns. By recognizing the interconnectedness of 12 CFFs, the study offers a pioneering foundation for future research and the development of a comprehensive management theory on OPEX failures.

The Impact of Green Supply Chain Management Practices on Environmental Performance Metrics in Retail Organizations

The relationship between environmental performance measures and Green Supply Chain Management (GSCM) techniques in the retail industry is examined in this study. A large sample of retail companies' GSCM adoption rates and related environmental indicators were examined using a quantitative study design. The results showed that there were notable differences in the adoption of GSCM, and that organizational commitment affected sustainability initiatives. Adoption of GSCM at high levels was positively connected with positive environmental effects, consistent with previous research. The research highlights the significance of customized sustainability strategies and offers practical advice to retail establishments looking to improve their environmental stewardship in response to changing consumer demands.

Key factors for species distribution modeling in benthic marine environments

Species distribution modeling is a widely used technique for estimating the potential habitats of target organisms based on their environmental preferences. These methods serve as valuable tools for resource managers and conservationists, and their utilization is increasing, particularly in marine environments where data limitations persist as a challenge. In this study, we employed the global distribution predictions of six cold-water coral species as a case study to investigate various factors influencing predictions, including modeling algorithms, background points sampling strategies and sizes, and the collinearity of environmental datasets, using both discriminative and functional performance metrics. The choice of background sampling method exhibits a stronger influence on model performance compared to the effects of modeling algorithms, background point sampling size, and the collinearity of the environmental dataset. Predictions that utilize kernel density backgrounds, maintain an equal number of presences and background points for algorithms of BRT, RF, and MARS, and employ a substantial number of background points for MAXENT, coupled with a collinearity-filtered environmental dataset in species distribution modeling, yield higher levels of discriminative and functional performance. Overall, BRT and RF outperformed MAXENT, a conclusion that is further substantiated by the analysis of smoothed residuals and the uncertainty associated with the predicted habitat suitability of Madrepora oculata. This study offers valuable insights for enhancing species distribution modeling in marine benthic environments, thereby benefiting resource management and conservation strategies for benthic species.

Evaluation of Impact of ESG Rating and Environmental Performance Factors on the Level of Credit Risk and Shareholder Expectations of Companies in Carbon-Intensive Industries from BRICS Countries

The objective of the study was to evaluate the impact of ESG ratings, environmental (E) pillar scores and environmental performance metrics of non-financial companies from BRICS countries on their credit risks (measured by credit rating) and shareholder expectations (measured by enterprise value (EV) to sales multiple). Environmental performance metrics included emission scores, water efficiency scores, environmental management team scores and the ability to cope with climate risks scores. The relevance of the study is underpinned by the limited number of research in the field for BRICS countries and contradictory conclusions in research about the strength and direction of the influence of ESG factors onthe value and financial metrics of the companies. The ordered logit regression and OLS regression models were applied for credit ratings and EV/Sales multiple respectively. The sample included 206 companies from carbon-intensive industries from Brazil, China, India, South Africa and Russia for 2018-2021. Financial and ESG metrics were taken from Refinitiv while companies' credit ratings were taken from Moody’s and S&P. The results showed that the improvements in ESG and E-scores as well as environmental performance metrics hurt companies’ credit ratings. Conversely, the improvements in ESG, E-scores and environmental performance metrics had a positive impact on EV/Sales metrics. The latter confirms the TGMT (too-much-of-a-good-thing) effect of environmental performance as equity investors expect a positive effect from climate-related actions on equity performance in the long term.

How does green floating bond and financial sector readiness promote green economic growth evidence from China

Global awareness about environmental issues and sustainable economic development has grown recently. This research examines how green floating bonds and financial sector preparation promote green economic development in China's regions. Policymakers are considering green bonds to solve environmental issues. Green floating bonds enable interest rate adjustments based on environmental performance metrics. Using a panel dataset from 2011 to 2019, we use econometric models to evaluate the link between green floating bonds, financial sector preparedness, and green economic development in China. Our findings show that green floating bonds finance ecologically beneficial initiatives by increasing green economic development. Financial sector preparedness, evaluated by banking efficiency, depth, and development, boosts green economic growth via green floating bonds. These results demonstrate the relevance of new financial mechanisms and a supportive financial sector in sustainable development. This research adds to the green finance literature and provides policymakers and practitioners in Asian countries with significant insights.

An agile new product development-based sustainable supply chain framework to improve environmental quality performance: emerging economies perspective

PurposeSustainable supply chain management (SSCM) is a new subfield of supply chain management. The purpose of this research is to develop a framework for assessing the impact of agile new product development (ANPD) practices on the environmental SSCM performance.Design/methodology/approachThe ANPD practices and SSCM environmental performance metrics (SEPMs) are identified through the literature review. The shortlisted ANPD practices are categorized into five major criteria each with an own set of sub-criteria. A four-level conceptual framework is developed. The weights of these ANPD practices are computed using the Pythagorean fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process (PFAHP), and the SEPMs are ranked using the Pythagorean fuzzy Combined Compromise Solution (PFCoCoSo).FindingsThe results show that the major criterion “Innovation Aspects” is the most important with a weightage of 0.2368, followed by “Policy Aspects” having 0.2228, “Technology Aspects” with 0.1959, “Organisation Aspects” having 0.1786 and “Executive Aspects” with 0.1658 weightage. The SEPMs “Frequency of NPD” is ranked first with an assessment value (Ki) of 2.5569, followed by “Lead time reduction” and “Number of design iterations” with Ki of 2.4482 and 2.3897, respectively. The research findings show that the ANPD practices like customer need assessment, availability of multidisciplinary team and Industry 4.0 technology usage contribute more to achieving environmental SSCM.Practical implicationsManagers can enhance environmental SSCM performance by adopting the ANPD practices and prioritizing SEPMs. Corporate effectiveness will be increased by the practices that promote SSCM and the use of technological innovations.Originality/valueThis study identified a unique set of 22 performance metrics that quantitatively measure NPD performance as well as environmental SSCM performance by adopting the 31 ANPD practices that were shortlisted. The proposed framework is a novel synthesis of literature from various disciplines such as new product development (NPD), environmental management, SSCM and performance evaluation.

Solvent based dissolution–precipitation of waste polyethylene terephthalate: economic and environmental performance metrics

Evaluating six economic and two environmental performance metrics for recycling of waste PET via solvent-based dissolution–precipitation processes.

Tourist destination competitiveness and ESG performance in the airline industry

The relevance of corporate environmental, social, and governance performance (ESG) has increased significantly during the last few years. The airline industry is susceptible to such environmental, social, and governance practices, which explains its selection for the analysis purposes in this study. This paper analyzes the influence of the Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index and its constituent factors on environmental, social, and governance performance variables in a sample of leading airline companies worldwide with historical data available from 2013 to 2019. The study required analyzing panel data using a panel-corrected standard error model. The results suggest that airlines headquartered in countries with ideal conditions for operating businesses and outstanding information and communication technology readiness show excellent environmental, social, and governance performance. However, the findings also imply that airline companies headquartered in countries with heavy government influence on the airline industry sector measured by the government prioritization of the domestic travel and tourism sector have poor environmental, social, and governance performance. Similarly, the analysis provided evidence that countries well positioned to join national air service arrangements and subscribe to regional trade agreements have airline companies with excellent environmental, social, and governance performance metrics. The reported results can be priceless for policymakers designing national travel and tourism policies to enhance domestic airline firms’ environmental, social, and governance performance.

Analysis of environmental sustainability reporting in the waste-to-energy sector: Performance indicators and improvement targets of the EMAS-registered waste incineration plants in Italy

This work analyzed how 15 Italian waste incineration (WI) plants registered to the European Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) in 2020 reported to the public their environmental sustainability. Their EMAS Environmental Statements (ESs) were analyzed to identify the environmental performance indicators and metrics used by the companies, the improvement actions planned, and the adoption of the Best Available Techniques (BAT) for WI. 197 environmental performance indicators and 140 improvement objectives, with an overall allocated budget of 79.8 M€, were inventoried. WI companies emphasized reporting and improvement of energy consumption, emissions to air, waste production, process management and energy production. Current values of 8 key performance indicators (HCl, NOx, CO, and dust concentrations in flue-gas, water consumption, waste production, and electricity consumption/production per 1 ton of treated waste) were assessed and compared. GHG reporting and compliance with the BAT for WI (on emissions to air, energy and raw materials consumption, and waste production), although often not detailed, w also analyzed. Requesting companies to report a pre-defined subset of key metrics, possibly related to the BAT emissions levels, and an explicit section on the adopted BAT could provide an even more representative description of the environmental performances of the WI plants. This study shows a novel approach that could be extended to other industrial sectors to analyze their environmental performance from a consistent, validated, and publicly available data source (EMAS ESs). It also provides metrics and recommendations that could be useful references for the environmental reporting of the WI sector.

Environmental, social and governance (ESG) - augmented investments in innovation and firms' value: a fixed-effects panel regression of Asian economies

PurposeHistorically, investments in innovation are perceived as one of the paramount decisions businesses opt to thrive and the impact of such investments on businesses' market performance is well documented in the literature. However, the environmental aspects of making such investments are yet to be addressed by the firms, which in turn, present considerable damage to the environment. Coupling with the natural resource-based view (NRBV) and the stakeholder theory of the firm, this research builds on an earlier work of Khalil and Nimmanunta (2021) in an attempt to examine the link between innovation and firms' environmental and financial value. The authors extend their analysis and document a more consistent approach to measuring environmental innovation which allows the authors to investigate the firms from three additional economies with respect to firms' investments in both traditional and environmental innovations.Design/methodology/approachThe underlying models are tested using the time fixed-effects panel regression by utilizing information from publicly traded companies of ten Asian economies, including Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Malaysia, Singapore, India, Indonesia, and Saudi Arabia. The reported sample covers annual firm-level ESG data obtained from Thomson Reuters' Datastream and Refinitiv Eikon during the 2015–2019 period.FindingsThis research offers support to the conventional wisdom that innovation is advantageous to the firms' market value. The authors further decompose innovation into traditional innovation and environmental innovation. The findings of this research suggest that traditional innovation is favorable only for the firms' market valuation and traditional innovation is strongly ineffectual for the environment – traditional innovation produces sizeable environmental distress by contributing substantially to carbon emissions. In contrast, the resultant effects of investments in environmental innovation are evident to be instrumental for both firms' financial performance and the environment.Research limitations/implicationsThis research has primarily focused on only two components of a company's environmental performance: reduction in carbon emissions (CO2) and corporate social responsibility (CSR). Given the complexity of firms' environmental strategies and the multidimensionality of the variable, which encompasses a wide range of corporate behavior in terms of relationships with communities, suppliers, consumers, and broader environmental responsibilities broadening the scope of the study by including other important aspects of environmental sustainability is, therefore, critical.Practical implicationsThe findings of this research signify environmental innovation as one of the vital investment approaches as firms can exploit benefits related to the market from firms' sustainable practices, developing eco-friendly processes by introducing steady yet systematic chains of green products and services. Such products and services may have a feature of enhanced functionality with a better layout in terms of improved product life with better recycling options, and lower consumption and exploitation of energy and natural resources. These sustainable practices would be advantageous for the firms regarding the possibility of setting prices above the standard level through establishing green brands and gaining market share of environmentally anxious consumers. For those companies that are striving to take the leading role in the green industry and longing to seek superior returns on the companies' environmental investments, these benefits, in particular, are exceptionally critical to them.Originality/valueThe linkage between firms' financial and environmental performance in the context of simultaneous inclusion of both green and traditional innovations remains unclear and is yet to be investigated by researchers. Thus, this research shed light on the role of environmental innovation and traditional innovation on firms' environmental performance and financial performance. The authors utilize a novel dataset with a clear indication of measuring different elements of innovation that allows us to develop a more robust approach to corporates' environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance metrics having the slightest biases related to transparency and firm size.

Keeping Up with the Teslas: Technology Spillovers, Firm Capabilities, and Environmental Performance

This study explores how technology spillovers –unintentional flows of knowledge stemming from the R&D efforts of technologically close firms– influence a firm’s environmental performance. This issue is critical because research is unclear on i) whether firms may learn from peers’ innovation to become more sustainable, and, if so, ii) which type of firms are more likely to incorporate technology spillovers to raise their environmental performance. On the one hand, firms with greater innovative and financial capabilities can better exploit and recombine peers’ knowledge to enhance their environmental position. On the other hand, firms with weaker capabilities are particularly exposed to environmental shifts that further threaten their position, thus compelling managers to take advantage of spillovers. We address this puzzle by providing evidence of the impact of technology spillovers on different firm-level environmental performance metrics in firms with varying levels of innovative and financial capabilities. Our evidence shows that technology spillovers increase the environmental performance of firms. Yet the effect of technology spillovers is greater on firms with weaker innovative (e.g., low R&D stock, high inertia) and financial (e.g., low liquidity, growth potential) capabilities. We discuss the implications for research on environmental performance and innovation and show how our research informs current debates around technology policy.

Societal practices as predictors of sustainable outcomes: Evidence across 57 countries

AbstractThe purpose of this paper is to present evidence that cultural factors account for sustainability‐based outcomes at the national level. Instead of subjective and perception‐based measure of sustainable propensity of individuals as used in previous research, this paper uses the directly and objectively captured sustainability scores from the Environmental Performance Index report. The test sample is comprised of 57 countries. Bayesian regression modelling is adopted. One important theoretical contribution is that sustainable competitiveness may be conceptualised as a higher‐order concept consisting of two first‐order constructs, namely primary resources and derivative capabilities. Cultural determinants vary substantially in the way they are related to these two components. Four cultural characteristics are related to derivative capabilities, while none have any predictive relationship with respect to primary resources. Researchers may use the findings of this study to similarly model the normative or soft factors embedded in hard environmental performance metrics, in the future. Country clusters may exhibit variations and nuances which warrant further investigation.

Techno‐economic, environmental, and social measurement of clean energy technology supply chains

AbstractIn addition to the criteria of reliability and cost, clean energy technologies, such as wind, solar, and batteries, need to strive to a higher standard of environmental and societal benefit along their entire supply chain. This means additional performance metrics for these technologies should be considered, such as embodied energy, embodied carbon, recycled content and recyclability, environmental impact of material sourcing, impact on land and ecosystems, materials recovery at end of life, and production through quality nonexploitive jobs with community benefit. Many commercial and emerging energy technologies have not yet been explicitly evaluated based on these environmental and social performance metrics, which presents multiple opportunities for researchers and analysts. In this paper, we review the importance and current limitations of techno‐economic and life‐cycle assessment models for research design and manufacturing decisions. We explore emerging manufacturing modeling options that could improve environmental and social performance and how they could be used to help guide research. Even with the deployment of low‐carbon energy‐generation technologies, the future of a successful clean energy transition requires collaboration between researchers, advanced manufacturers, independent standards and tracking organizations, local communities, and national governments, to ensure the financial, environmental, and social sustainability of the entire supply and manufacturing process of energy technologies.

Sensitivities of Aircraft Acoustic Metrics to Engine Design Variables for Multidisciplinary Optimization

Aircraft environmental performance metrics including fuel burn, takeoff and landing noise, and gaseous emissions are increasingly driving the design and optimization of modern aircraft engines. Gradient-based methods can significantly reduce the computational resources required during their multidisciplinary optimizations. However, current state-of-the art noise modeling tools do not allow for effective computation of sensitivities of acoustic metrics with respect to engine design and control variables, and therefore cannot be easily integrated into multidisciplinary optimization tools. This paper presents the utility of the python Noise Assessment tool (known as pyNA): an aircraft noise estimation model providing sensitivities of acoustic metrics, enabling multidisciplinary optimization and optimal control of engines for low-noise aircraft. The model is used to assess the trades of environmental performance metrics in the clean-sheet engine design for the NASA supersonic technology concept airplane. For the engine examined, if the fan diameter is allowed to change while technology levels are held constant, the takeoff noise levels and emissions are found to be most sensitive to the design fan pressure ratio. For an engine with a fixed fan diameter, takeoff noise levels are found to be insensitive to design variables; whereas nitrogen oxide emissions and cruise thrust-specific fuel consumption are most sensitive to the engine fan and high-pressure compressor pressure ratios.

Assessing the Role of Planning and Considerations in the Sustainability of BRT-PPP Projects: A South African Case

The development of bus rapid transit (BRT) systems is essential to African cities’ economic vitality through accessibility and expansion of urban mobility. Several studies have investigated the deployment of such transportation systems. However, the role of a delineated planning stage of BRTs has been given limited attention. This study examined the role of planning in ensuring the sustainable performance of BRT systems. A qualitative approach using interviews with experts and BRT users in the Gauteng Province of South Africa was adopted. Findings indicated that planning should extensively encompass projections of the intended or future performance outcomes. These include institutional arrangements, existing characteristics and impact, service reliability and quality, technical analysis of infrastructural integration, demand, environmental performance metrics and life cycle costs. This inductive research advances the theory of critical factors that could potentially hinder the delivery of PPP-based BRT projects. The findings are envisaged to be beneficial to transport policymakers and stakeholders in the assessment of BRT systems. Failures surrounding the BRT in Gauteng result from an omission of critical factors at the planning stage. This presents a critical lesson for future BRT projects in South Africa and other developing countries, to be meticulous and consider critical factors at the planning stage.

Analysis of Life Cycle Environmental Impacts of Using Enogen Corn in Beef Cattle Rations.

Simple SummaryThis study presents a comparative lifecycle assessment of the environmental performance of Enogen® corn as an ingredient in beef rations. We show that the reductions in environmental impact per unit of live weight gain are approximately 5% across four primary impact categories: climate change, embedded energy, land use, and water use. These conclusions are robust under a series of evaluations considering different phases of the supply chain.Agricultural production systems have been identified as significant sources of anthropogenic impacts across several environmental key performance indicators (KPIs). Livestock husbandry is growing in global importance as the demand for high-quality protein continues to increase. It is therefore imperative to have sustainable intensification technologies, and we describe one such technology. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of Enogen® corn grain compared to conventional feed corn when used as an ingredient in backgrounding and feed yard beef rations using life cycle assessment. The project was conducted in compliance with ISO standards, including a third-party panel review. A series of scenarios were analyzed to evaluate the impacts of boundaries and functional units on the outcomes. The use of Enogen corn as a feed component in beef production showed a quantifiable benefit in terms of the sustainability metrics of primary interest in this study. The gate-to-gate improvements at the feed yard and backgrounding based on full field trial datasets from field trials conducted at Kansas State University and at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln showed 3.4 and 5.8 percent reductions in Global Warming Potential, respectively. It is particularly noteworthy that the improvement in feed conversion ratio at the feed yard results in approximately 6 percent improvement in the four key environmental performance metrics of beef production, which demonstrates potential for the sector to meet its sustainability targets.