Corporate governance and extent of corporate sustainability practice: the role of investor activism

Purpose Following the unceasing pressure on companies to adopt sustainable business practices to mitigate climate effect, this study aims to examine corporate governance (CG) attributes and role of activist investors in influencing extensive sustainability practice for firms in the developed and emerging climes. Design/methodology/approach Using a panel ordered probit regression analysis for 368 companies over 2016 to 2019, the study examined CG attributes that drive extensive corporate sustainability practice. The study addressed endogeneity bias using STATA Extended panel ordered probit regression model with endogenous covariates. Findings The result showed CG attributes is critical for firms, and activist investors play a critical role in driving extensive sustainability practice. Findings further reveal the extent of adoption is relatively low in the emerging climes but showed sign of improvement over the years examined. Research limitations/implications The study focused mainly on larger firms operating in different sectors globally. Hence, findings cannot be generalized for small sized entities. Practical implications The study provides an insightful explanation regarding the extensive sustainability practices and the vital role assumed by activist investors. Social implications The increasing number of companies responding to Carbon Disclosure Project and consequent improvement in scores indicates a corporate commitment to ensuring a sustainable future. Originality/value This research offers significant insights to the extent discussion on attributes of CG critical for sustainability practice. The findings ascertain useful tools to aid the continued adoption of sound sustainability practices around the globe.

Accountants’ IT Competencies and IT Responsibilities in Supporting IT Sustainability Practice: The Variations of Students’ Perspective

This study looks at the variability of accounting students’ perceptions in Indonesia on the importance of IT competence and IT responsibility for accountants and the importance of IT sustainability practices. This study measures different perceptions of accounting students based on gender (male and female), year of study (junior and senior), and the type of university (public and private). The majority of accounting students agree with the importance of accountants’ role in IT sustainability practices by utilizing information systems. However, differences in perceptions of accountants’ IT responsibility, accountants’ IT competence, and the importance of IT sustainability practice are found in the senior and junior student groups. This finding results in junior students being higher than senior students in understanding the importance of the accountants’ role in the IT sustainability practice. Differences were also found in the groups of students from public and private universities, where students in public universities have a higher perception than students in private universities toward IT sustainability issues. There is no difference in perception in the gender group. This study can be helpful for higher education providers and teachers in accounting who play an essential role in supporting students to understand the practical implementation in accounting professions regarding their role in sustainability through the utilization of information technology.

DNI’s DNA: Where Is Google’s Money in European Media?

This paper aims to investigate Google’s role in European media sustainability. In order to understand the implication of this digital intermediary in the news industry, we have analysed all of the projects funded through Google’s DNI Fund from 2016 to 2020. After revising each report, we have classified the data available, including the full amount of money awarded, chronologically marking every new country added to the fund and all the media outlets involved in each project. We argue that Google’s role is truly beneficial for the medium and long-term sustainability of European media because it offers both financial support and a successful path for media companies to truly embrace its digital technology potential. However, it also has some added weight in terms of transparency (a key element in sustainability practice and standards) and press independence. Besides the existing correlations between the awarded countries and the changes that have affected media legislation in Europe, our findings show an alarming scarcity of information regarding both the continuity and the conditions of each funded project. Our proposed agenda for future research consists of an in-depth investigation of each beneficiary, which will entail several interviews as well as different case studies of all the participants in Europe.

Ecovillages, Environment and Sustainability Practice

This paper focuses on the Ecovillages operation, environment, and sustainable practices implemented among the current operating Ecovillages worldwide. The main objective is to examine the critical factors affecting the sustainability of Ecovillages and their practice in managing their surroundings and environment. This study proceeds with a quantitative research method to further investigate the sustainability practice issues among the existing Ecovillages in the world. The data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire using an online platform. This study test four independent variables, namely energy efficiency, organic food, telework, and social media, towards the sustainability practice of the Ecovillages operation worldwide. Keywords: Ecovillages; Environment; Sustainable; Practice eISSN: 2398-4287© 2021. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BYNC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians/Africans/Arabians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/ebpj.v6i17.2819

Effect of Corporate Sustainability on Corporate Reputation and Firm Performance of Companies in Thailand

This research analyzes the contribution of corporate sustainability practice on corporate reputation and firm performance of companies in Thailand. This research is based on the Triple Bottom Line framework which conceptualizes sustainability into three dimensions: environmental, social, and economic. The data were obtained from a total of 196 firms through online questionnaires surveys. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was used for the data analysis. The results show that all three dimensions of corporate sustainability positively and significantly determine corporate reputation. Corporate reputation also positively and significantly determines firm performance. Lastly, corporate reputation is also found to mediates the linkage between all three dimensions of corporate sustainability practice and firm performance.

SUSTAINABILITY-DISCLOSURES AND FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE: SHARIAH COMPLIANT VS NON-SHARIAH- COMPLIANT INDONESIAN FIRMS

We investigate the impact of sustainability-performance disclosure (SPD) on firmperformance on a cross-industry sample of 71 firms over the period 2011-2018. Wealso compare the relationship between shariah-compliant firms (SCFs) and non-shariah-compliant firms(NSCF). To control for possible issues of unobservedheterogeneity, endogeneity and autocorrelation, we use the system generalizedmethod of moments approach. We found that disclosure of sustainability performanceincreases a firm’s financial performance. Firms which disclose information on theirsustainability practices were found to have higher earnings on assets and equity,which clearly supports the argument of information asymmetry. In the comparison ofshariah-compliant and non-shariah-compliant firms, it was found that SCFs are at anadvantage by being shariah compliant and that disclosure of sustainabilityperformance increases the financial performance of such firms, whereas for non-shariah-compliant firms, the impact was found to be negative. One of the mainfindings from the research is that while firms’ involvement in corporate sustainabilityactivities is encouraged, they also need to disclose any related information to theirstakeholders, general public to capitalise on this investment, in return for a goodreputation and consider going shariah complaint. Our study further recommends thatthe management of firms in Indonesia should focus on shariah compliance andconsider sustainability-practice and sustainability-performance disclosures with apositive mindset, recognising them as means of gaining an advantage rather than asan obligation.

Regenerative futures

Purpose This paper aims to investigate how futures concepts may further existing regenerative sustainability thinking. Design/methodology/approach This paper reviews existing regenerative fields, including regenerative design, regenerative development and regenerative sustainability as alternatives to conventional sustainability practice. It considers futures concepts that may deepen regenerative thinking and practice to develop a regenerative futures conceptual model. Findings This paper demonstrates how regenerative fields and futures studies have the capacity to reciprocally inform one another and builds upon this relationship through the development of a regenerative futures conceptual model. Originality/value This paper makes a number of theoretical contributions. First, it demonstrates how regenerative fields and futures thinking may reciprocally inform one another and, subsequently, enrich regenerative practice. Second, by drawing from futures thinking, it questions and ultimately lengthens notions of reality and time from a regenerative perspective. Finally, through the proposal of a regenerative futures conceptual model, it offers an alternative lens to analyse human behaviours and their associated impacts. In this way, it introduces a theoretical model that is focused on deep individual and collective transformation and a starting point for future research and refinement.

Factors Affecting Tourism Organization Competitiveness: Implications for the Egyptian Tourism Industry

This research builds on the ideas through the development of sets of attributes (strategic leadership, strategic planning effectiveness, and tourism sustainability practice), the event of a framework for evaluating destination competitiveness in Egypt. This study has followed a quantitative design with a survey-based questionnaire development. Survey data from tourism professionals were obtained in Egyptian destinations and subjected to statistical examination (PLS-SEM) Partial Least Squire-Structural Equation Modelling as an analysis technique. The findings of this study: strategic leadership significantly impact strategic planning effectiveness, tourism sustainability practice, and destination competitiveness; strategic planning effectiveness significantly impacts tourism sustainability practice; and finally, tourism sustainability practice significantly affects destination competitiveness. The results are outstanding empirical evidence for incorporation into the competitiveness studies of the tourism industry in both enterprise and destinations. Longitudinal data would be required to prove that relationships are founded upon. The growing methodology bias restricts the findings from this analysis. This analysis would be useful if the findings were to be taken into account when considering other integrative variables.