Paris, France (GLOBE-Net) – A new study from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) offers insight into links between public environmental policies and corporate behaviour, and is intended to help policy-makers craft better environmental regulations.

For the last 30 years, analysis of the inner workings of firms has been largely absent from economic assessments of environmental policy, say the report authors. Recent work has highlighted the importance of understanding a firm’s commercial motivations, decision-making procedures and organizational structure when designing and implementing public environmental policies.

Environmental Policy and Corporate Behaviour responds to this need, says the OECD, investigating the many internal challenges faced by firms seeking to implement new policies and achieve significant and long-lasting environmental progress.

The authors provide an empirical analysis of an industrial survey undertaken in seven OECD countries (Japan, France, Germany, Hungary, Norway, Canada and the United States), spanning 4000 facilities in all manufacturing sectors, including small and medium-sized enterprises. They use their findings to illustrate the links between public (government) environmental policies and private (firm and facility) environmental management, investments, innovation and performance.

With a specific focus on the public policy implications of the empirical findings, the book provides a foundation upon which to formulate public and corporate policy in the environmental sphere. The authors say the multi-disciplinary approach makes the book appealing to academics and policymakers with an interest in economics of the environment, as well as those with business and management perspectives.

Read the report here.

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Source: OECD .