Sustainability Performance Of Companies Research Articles

Environmental Accounting and Disclosure: A study of Ambuja Cement Ltd.

Environmental accounting plays a crucial role in today's world due to the pressing need to address and mitigate environmental challenges. It involves incorporating environmental factors and impacts into the financial and managerial accounting processes of organizations. By quantifying and reporting the environmental costs and benefits associated with business activities, environmental accounting provides valuable insights into the true economic value and sustainability performance of companies. This information allows stakeholders, including investors, regulators, and the public, to make more informed decisions and evaluate the environmental performance of organizations. In this paper, researcher has explained theories justifying the need for environmental disclosure. Further, the researcher has carried out a descriptive study with special reference to Ambuja Cement ltd. to find out their environmental disclosure practices. It was found that Ambuja Cement ltd. is truly aware of the environmental impacts from their different activities and it displays all the quantitative information in a proper way in its yearly reports.

Production planning under RTP, TOU and PPA considering a redox flow battery storage system

Due to climate change and the increasing scarcity of resources, the sustainability performance of companies is increasingly becoming the focus of science and practice. Consequently, bicriteria energy-efficient production planning under price-dynamic electricity tariffs—e.g., real-time-pricing (RTP) or time-of-use (TOU)—is meanwhile well established, often fathoming the tradeoffs between electricity costs of production and another criterion such as makespan. However, tradeoffs between electricity costs and electricity consumption in general are rarely the focus of such analyses. So-called green power purchase agreements (PPAs), which are becoming increasingly popular in the European business community as a means of improving corporate sustainability performance, are also largely ignored. Thus, for the first time in the scientific literature, we put this type of electricity tariff to the test by analyzing the tradeoffs between electricity costs and electricity consumption in a lot-sizing and scheduling context. Here, we additionally consider a real-world redox flow battery storage system that may be the system of the future, which is also new to the literature on lot-sizing and scheduling. Even more: due to the complex nature of our bicriteria mixed-integer problem, we develop and present suitable heuristics. These include an energy-efficient allocation heuristic in the case of PPA and, among others, a fix-relax-and-optimize heuristic combined with a decomposition approach in the case of RTP and TOU. Ultimately, a scenario analysis demonstrates the performance of these heuristics.

Sustainability Accounting Studies: A Metasynthesis

This review article seeks to discuss the sustainability accounting concept by examining previously conducted studies on this topic in order to understand its thematic progress in the academic literature. This study is a metasynthesis, where, in the identification phase, 334 documents published in the Web of Science (WoS) database are selected, and in the literature review stages, 15 re-reviews are selected according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) method. The results reveal that businesses, academia, and regulatory bodies do not recognize a homogeneous terminology when it comes to sustainability accounting. There is a variety of synonyms that complicate the disclosure of activities carried out by companies in the pursuit of the sustainability development goals (SDGs), with SDGs 5, 6, 13, 14, and 15 being analyzed in the academic literature in relation to the sustainability accounting concept. For future research directions, the review articles analyzed suggest examining the concrete effects produced by practices related to sustainability performance in companies, linking the relevance of understanding the sustainability reports related to the sustainability performance of companies.

Mediating Role of Green Supply Chain Management Between Lean Manufacturing Practices and Sustainable Performance.

Manufacturing companies in today's industrial world are seeking to use the new manufacturing process methods. The primary goal of corporations is to achieve optimum production while deploying minimal capital. The fundamental purpose of this study is to examine the influence of various lean manufacturing practices on the sustainability performance of companies and the mediating role of green supply chain management (GSCM). The data was gathered using questionnaires from 250 Pakistani manufacturing firms and analyzed using AMOS 25. Results demonstrate that process and equipment, product design, supplier relationships, and customer relationships significantly affect sustainable performance. It is also recognized that Green Supply Chain Management mediates the interaction between HR processes, product design, supplier relationship, customer relationship, and environmental performance. The findings of this study will enable managers and decision-makers of manufacturing companies to increase sustainable efficiency and reduce waste through the use of lean manufacturing and GSCM implementation.

Corporate Environmental Sustainability – A Key Figure-Based Approach

This paper describes the rationale and the development of a structured digital approach for measuring corporate environmental sustainability using performance metrics. It is impossible to imagine today's age without the preservation of our environment, not even in the corporate environment. Currently, sustainability is mostly only rudimentarily considered in companies, mostly only with written down phrases on the website. This will no longer be sufficient in the future, which is why companies should record sustainability on a numerical basis. Based on the development of a workable concept for companies, a small empirical study was carried out, which can be used to numerically measure the sustainability performance of companies. Two utility analyses were completed. One of them was supplemented by expert interviews. Well-known practitioners from the business world were interviewed and asked for their assessment of ecological performance indicators. The result of the research is an indicator-based concept that can be applied in corporate practice to determine ecological sustainability performance.

From circular business models to circular business ecosystems

AbstractThe circular economy aims to minimize resource inputs and waste and emission outputs of the economy and its organizational subsystems. This can benefit both financial and sustainability performance of companies. To analyze industrial implementation of the concept, the prevalent unit of analysis on the firm level is currently the circular business model. Our investigation of nine Swedish biogas companies and one branch organization indicates a range of conceptual shortcomings that challenges this approach. Our comparative case analysis points towards circular ecosystems being a more appropriate concept to describe the high level of coordination between different stakeholders necessary to implement circular systems. This increases the suitability to analyze, plan, and communicate circular economy systems on an organizational level, especially if value chain integration is low. An ecosystem perspective can thus support innovation and entrepreneurship in the context of the circular economy.

A Scale for Measuring Sustainable Manufacturing Practices and Sustainability Performance: Validity and Reliability

<p><strong>Purpose:</strong> In quantitative studies, providing a valid and reliable instrument is necessary to ensure accurate results when measuring sustainable manufacturing practices (SMPs) and sustainability performance (SP). Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the validity and reliability of the measurements of SMPs and SP.</p><p><strong>Methodology/Approach:</strong> The population of this study is top managers who have experience in the oil and gas industry (O&GI) in Iraq. Two tests were carried out in the present study: the pre-test and the pilot test.</p><p><strong>Findings:</strong> In the pre-test, the comments made by six academician experts and three practitioners were used to rephrase the measurements items and modify them according to the requirements of the O&GI by the Iraqi context. Moreover, in the pilot test was all the items were reliable and were sufficiently correlated with their constructs.</p><p><strong>Research Limitation/implication:</strong> There are some limitations to the current study. First, due to the small size of the study population, the pilot test sample in the current study was only 12 respondents. Future researchers can increase the sample size for the pilot test when they have a large population. Second, the validity and reliability of the measurements were tested in the current study in the oil and gas industry only. Future studies can test these measurements in other industries or small and Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).</p><strong>Originality/Value of paper:</strong> Theoretically, there are four contributions to the body of knowledge: first, introduce measures for SMPs according to the product life cycle view, it is limited in the literature. Second, these measures can be used by researchers to study the extent of SMPs and the SP of companies using descriptive statistics. Third, these measures can be used to investigate the impact of SMPs on SP by regression testing or structural equation modelling. Fourth, measures can be modified into open-ended questions for use in qualitative or mixed studies. Practically, there are two practical implications which explain in the conclusion.

The Impact of Corporate Sustainability Index on BIST Sustainability Index

Mass production, which started with the industrial revolution, caused both the unconscious consumption of the resources and the damages to the ecological system after the production. In this respect, the concept of sustainability, which is one of the most important conception of responsibility, is gradually gaining value in terms of protecting resources and transferring them to future generations. (Mori and Christodoulou, 2012: 94-106). Sustainability In the first place, it has started to be used mostly in the management of natural resources; later, it was used in different fields such as sectoral practices and energy tourism (Diaz - Baltciro, Voces, Romero, 2011: 761-773). Today, the expectations of the society from the enterprises have changed compared to the past. These changing expectations lead businesses to new searches. The most important concept that guides these quests is to be sustainable. The concept of sustainability for enterprises gains a new dimension in the form of corporate sustainability”. For corporate sustainability, it is possible for organizations to achieve individual results only to a certain extent. Because companies are affected to a great extent by all kinds of economic, social and even cultural formations occurring in their environment (Kuşat, 2012: 238). The most important benefit of sustainability indices is that it leads to improvements in transparency without the need for regulations, better understanding of the social and environmental impacts of companies and guiding them to reduce the negative effects of company activities. The BIST Index serves as a guide for companies on what to measure, what needs to be developed and what can be explained. Thus, it creates opportunities for companies to see social and environmental risks and opportunities and to manage their sustainability performances correctly. The index, on the other hand, provides information to investors and the community about the sustainability performance of companies. The aim of this study is whether the BIST Sustainable Index makes a difference for companies compared to BIST 100. "Does the BIST Sustainability Index really make a difference?" will be examined. In this context, data between 2014-2018 of BIST Sustainability and BIST 100 index will be examined. Based on the results obtained in the study, it shows that there is no strong evidence of the impact of inclusion in the BIST Sustainability Index on the stock returns of companies. At the same time, the BIST Sustainability Index has been shown to have similar returns to the BIST 100 Index. Key Words: Sustainability Index, BIST, Corporate.

ASSESSING SUSTAINABLE MANUFACTURING PRACTICES AND SUSTAINABILITY PERFORMANCE AMONG OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY IN IRAQ

The companies' interest in the level of their sustainable manufacturing practices (SMPs) has become necessary. This is because of its role in improving and balancing dimensions of sustainability performance (SP) which includes environmental sustainability (EnS), social sustainability (SoS) and economic sustainability (EcS). Therefore, the objective of the present study is the investigate about the extent of SMPs and SP to encourage the oil and gas industry (O&GI) in the context of Iraq to obtain a balance in the dimensions of SP, i.e. EcS, EnS and SoS. The data collected from 80 companies were analysed using descriptive statistics method by using SPSS version 25. The results revealed that the extent of the four SMPs and the three dimensions of SP in companies were implemented at a slight level. These results imply that although SMPs have become a required necessity expected from all industries, and companies should prefer to implement them, there is still needed to more efforts in implementation of SMPs among the O&GI to achieve a balance in the dimensions of SP.Keywords: Sustainable Manufacturing Practices, Sustainability Performance , Oil and Gas IndustryJEL Classifications: Q52, Q56, Q58, Q380DOI: https://doi.org/10.32479/ijeep.9228

Sustainable Product Portfolio Evaluation Methodology for Sustainability Reporting in the Cement and Concrete Industry

The sustainability performance of companies, and in particular of construction material producers, is attracting more and more attention by a broad range of stakeholders. Many companies have consequently started to implement sustainability practices into practical action and to report on their efforts. This research aims to develop a methodology to assess the sustainability performance of cement and concrete products. This requires overcoming the main shortage of life cycle assessment, namely focusing on environmental parameters only, by considering a number of social and economic sustainability indicators and ensuring operational ease, without compromising the informative value of the assessment results. A status on sustainable product evaluation is provided as the starting point for the development of the new sustainable product evaluation methodology. The status on product evaluation includes Life Cycle Assessments, the development of indicators addressing environmental, social, and economic parameters, and recent methodology developments in industry. The results obtained with the tool developed in this work confirm the need for considering social and economic parameters along a product’s life cycle when evaluating the sustainability performance of cement and concrete. They also indicate that the new methodology is suitable for R&D orientation, portfolio management and sustainability reporting. 
 Keywords: Sustainable products, sustainability indicators, lifecycle, UN Sustainable Development Goals, financial data

Business, society, and the need for stewardship orientation

PurposeOrganizational change involves optimizing a firm’s sustainability performance. The purpose of this paper is to explore how strategic orientations concerning the interface between business and society influence organizations’ sustainability performance. To explain how different strategic orientations – especially stewardship and instrumental orientations – impact sustainability performance, dynamic managerial capability theory is explored.Design/methodology/approachOurs is an inductive, qualitative study based on the template analysis of interviews conducted among sustainability managers from stock-listed multinational corporations headquartered in the Eurozone.FindingsCorporations with a stewardship orientation develop different dynamic managerial capabilities underlying sustainability performance than corporations that apply a more instrumental orientation. Results also show an “in-between” position: an equidistant orientation.Research limitations/implicationsThis study proves the emergence of different dynamic managerial capabilities that depend on companies’ strategic orientation, but follow-up research based on appreciative inquiry is needed to investigate the development of these capabilities over time.Practical implicationsFor achieving a higher level of sustainability performance, a stewardship orientation offers a stronger foundation than an instrumental orientation. Also companies with an equidistant orientation have a better sustainability performance than companies with an instrumental orientation, but based on a more central corporate level. The strategic orientation must be grounded in the development of fitting dynamic managerial capabilities that include an emphasis on shared cognition of long-term objectives, inclusion of stakeholders and setting objectives. Also strong internal and external ties, leadership of the CEO, educational background and how to deal with lack of knowledge are important aspects of managerial social and human capital.Social implicationsDue to its focus on the sustainability performance of companies and the identification of the supporting dynamic managerial capabilities, this paper is socially highly relevant.Originality/valuePrevious research has focused on strategic orientation, but little to no research has investigated how various strategic orientations toward the interface between business and society impact sustainability performance or what role dynamic managerial capabilities might play in the related change process.

How do the capital markets undermine sustainable development? What can be done to correct this?

This article sets out how the capital markets relate to sustainable development issues and makes some modest proposals for how to improve our capital markets. It argues that capital markets' influence over corporate sustainable development originates via two principal routes: (i) financial influence—the buying and selling of equity shares and debt on the capital market influences the cost of capital for listed companies; and, (ii) investor advocacy influence—shareholders are the principals of the business and can exercise their rights of share ownership over their agents, the company directors, by sending explicit signals regarding the management of the company. Capital markets generally do not need to understand nor reward sustainable behaviour. This is either because the markets are inefficient and do not reward good behaviour, or because market failures means that investors do not need to worry about the very long term costs as they are outside of their investment time horizons. In order to change this, we should focus on the incentives of all key players within the capital supply chain such that they are all sanctioned and incentivized partly on their sustainability performance. The market also needs much better market information on the sustainability performance of companies. Better training of market participants on the materiality of sustainability issues as well as how they can be factored into valuation analysis would also help. However, before capital markets can be genuinely sustainable we need capital market policy makers to have greater regard for future generations when setting policy. This will require greater government intervention, particularly around the regulation of investor delivery of responsible ownership.