Corporate Environmental Strategy

Book excerpt: This book is a first step towards understanding the complexity of corporate environmental strategy while explaining the relationships between the numerous dimensions of the concept. When we think of corporate environmental strategy, we usually have in mind a dull and stereotypical statement issued by the CEO, addressing aspects such as pollution reduction, stakeholder dialogue, and unfailing care for the environment. However, genuine environmental protection relies on proactive policies, managerial commitment, cleaner technologies, and advanced management procedures. The author identifies a series of environmental strategy dimensions, some of which have been thoroughly researched in the literature, whereas others have only emerged in recent years. The main dimensions presented in this book include corporate environmental performance; environmental accounting and disclosure; environmental management practices; greening the supply-chain; environmental values and responsibility; green entrepreneurship and innovation; environmental training, culture and policies; and environmental legitimacy and reputation. For each dimension, the author develops a discussion framework, which provides the necessary operational definitions, methodological implications, and practical situations in which these constructs can be used. Each section contains a visual representation of the relationships between the dimensions of corporate environmental strategy and the actions of decision-makers and relevant stakeholders.