Title: Corporate environmentalism: an empirical study in Brazil

Authors: Eliana Andréa Severo; Julio Cesar Ferro De Guimarães

Addresses: Post-Graduate Program in Administration, Faculdade Meridional (IMED), Rua Senador Pinheiro, 304 – Passo Fundo, Rio Grande do Sul, CEP 99070-220, Brazil ' Post-Graduate Program in Administration, Faculdade Meridional (IMED), Rua Senador Pinheiro, 304 – Passo Fundo, Rio Grande do Sul, CEP 99070-220, Brazil

Abstract: Many organisations have reached the conclusion that environmental sustainability can be a strategic part of company development and are implementing integrated business models, incorporating environmental issues and embracing the competitive advantages. This study presents construction of a time line for corporate environmentalism and analyses the current status of corporate environmentalism, from the perspective of environmental sustainability development in organisational management practices, at 364 metal-mechanic companies in Brazil. The basic methodology employs a quantitative and descriptive survey. The results indicate that 54.7% of the companies surveyed seek to comply with environmental legislation and that environmental sustainability is not yet perceived as a strategic development area for most companies in southern Brazil. A small percentage of companies were identified as being concerned with environmental issues and viewed the overlap and integration of economic development, social responsibility and environmental management as drivers of sustainable development.

Keywords: organisational management; corporate environmentalism; waste management; environmental management; environmental sustainability; Brazil; sustainable development; strategic management; economic development; social responsibility.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBG.2015.070225

International Journal of Business and Globalisation, 2015 Vol.15 No.1, pp.81 - 95

Received: 17 Nov 2014
Accepted: 03 Feb 2015

Published online: 29 Jun 2015 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article