Shifting Subsistence
Featured Sustainability and Finance: Can We Achieve a Circular Economy? View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Alexander Szívós
Public attention emerged towards sustainability in 1987, when the World Commission on Environment and Development adopted a recommendation on environmental goals. In 2012 the UN conference participants in Rio decided to launch a process to develop a set of Sustainable Development Goals, which will build upon the Millennium Development Goals and converge with the post 2015 Development Agenda. The movement led to the adoption of Agenda 2030. As part of the legislative process, the EU adopted the Paris Agreement in 2016, the first universal, legally binding global agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The mentioned initiatives have put on economy and the financial sector an unprecedented attention and its role has been recalled as a key enabling factor for the attainment of the most ambitious sustainability-related objectives. The first phase of sustainability legislation focused on voluntary compliance based on soft law standards. International institutions intended the soft law norms to play a vital role and hoped that they would be spontaneously incorporated into national legislation. However, despite the undisputed achievements, they started to recognise the limitations of soft law enforcement. We should accept that achieving sustainability goals in the pinned time and manner is not possible under the current legislative system. The paper analyses and compares the existing regulative framework from a financial a tax law perspective. The research examines how do the EU member states implementing the idea of circular economy and what are the most common challenges and mistakes they should face with.
Stakeholder Engagement through Sustainability Labels: Strategic Choices within the Food Industry View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Pernille Eskerod, Mohammadjavad Bagherzadehpolami
In recent times, labeling - not least within the food industry - has become a popular means for companies to communicate about sustainability efforts to their various stakeholders whether customers, investors, employees, partners, or the society. We address the following research questions: How do companies aim to engage stakeholders through sustainability labels within the food industry? What are the costs and benefits of various sustainability label choices in selected segments of the food industry? In our research, we undertake a literature review on stakeholder theory and sustainability labeling. Further on, we conduct a qualitative multi-case study based on online secondary data collection on regional and global sustainability labels within the food industry, e.g. seafood labels. We offer within-case and cross-case analyses. Our research shows that food labels can take the form of governmental required labels, self-declarations, non-governmental endorsements, and third-party certificates. Each form comes with its own costs and benefits, and our research implies that any company should make informed and conscious strategic decisions on whether, which and how many sustainability labels to pursue. Our research implies that the cost side of third-party certificates is worth further research and discussions. Pursuing multiple third-party certificates may not bring more stakeholder benefits, however it may lead to significant extra monetary and non-monetary costs for the company at hand. We welcome practitioners and researchers for further dialogue.
Recharging the Batteries: Challenges and Opportunities in Creating a Sustainable Lithium-ion Battery Value Chain in Finland View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Laura Kainiemi, Minttu Laukkanen
Climate considerations are increasing the demand for lithium-ion batteries, but global battery value chains have resulted in issues of environmental and social sustainability, and material sufficiency, creating interest in more localized and circular value chains. EU wants to expand its battery industry in order to improve energy self-sufficiency, and Finland aims to become a leader in sustainable battery innovations. We explore the challenges and opportunities of creating a localized, circular and sustainable lithium-ion battery value chain in Finland. Much of the raw materials for lithium-ion batteries are extracted in the global south, where mining has resulted in environmental degradation, health issues, and poor working conditions. We employ a holistic approach that integrates elements from business studies, sustainability sciences and transition studies, to map the potential for sustainable value creation, i.e., economic, environmental and social impacts for the battery value chain in Finland. We match these impacts with EU and national policy in order to reveal obstacles and drivers for the creation of a sustainable Finnish lithium-ion value chain and discover areas that need additional policy support. Increased circularity will reduce the need for material extraction, but is unlikely to replace it completely. A significant challenge for the sustainable Finnish value chain is to balance the opposition of domestic mining and the need to import battery materials. Mining policy is largely separate from the battery sector and mining outside EU is difficult to regulate. Transparency is required throughout the value chain in order to achieve a social license to operate.
How (Personal and Social-focused) Values Shape the Purchase Intention for Organic Food: Cross-country Comparison between Thailand and Germany View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Julia Winterstein
Rather different sets of values and motivations are driving consumer preferences for organic food in mature compared with emerging markets. To inquire about similarities and differences our comparative study employs a series of in-depth interviews with organic-food-store clients in Germany and Thailand from February to May 2021. For that purpose, means-end chain technique was applied and results were evaluated referring to the Schwartz values scheme. We find rather a similar values base of both samples in terms of ‘quality of personal life’ and ‘personal well-being’. However, also substantial differences emerged concerning social and environmental motivations. Concluding, the research deduces theoretical implications and managerial recommendations for marketers.
Greening Marketing Mix or Greenwashing? : Effects on Brand Affinity and Implications on Environmental Issues and Authentic Sustainability View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Francia Santos
Businesses have the leeway to invest in sustainable development and greening strategies while increasing brand affinity among customers who patronize environmental-friendly products. Perspectives from the greening of the marketing mix in the coffee shop industry provide implications for companies’ strategic greening in the proliferating green market. However, the phenomenon of greenwashing seems to gain equal importance in influencing the coffee shops’ brand affinity. There were 260 customers of coffee shops in Metro Manila, Philippines who were selected purposively to participate in an online survey. This study examined the mediating role of greenwashing on the linkage between green marketing mix and brand affinity. The study utilized predictive causal and quantitative research designs to gauge the relationship between green marketing and brand affinity. Relevant findings reveal that businesses seek greenways in their marketing mix strategies to build brand affinity amongst coffee drinkers and or coffee shop customers. The study has implications on the values of strategic greening to address environmental issues for authentic sustainability.
