Perspectives on Civil Regulation, Firms, and the Environment

A feature of contemporary regulation debates is the view that social and economic actors can produce a form of ‘civil regulation’ that can influence organisational behaviours and practices. The following chapter uses ‘firm size’ as a tool for exploring how civil regulation might affect firms’ environmental practices. It suggests that civil regulation is an unpredictable mechanism that affects firms in different ways. Yet it also suggests that large firms are likely to be affected by stronger civil regulatory influences, due to their greater levels of visibility and exposure. For small and medium enterprises (SMEs), civil regulation is likely to be more subdued, though recent evidence suggests it can, in limited circumstances, provide ‘problem-solving’ outcomes. Work is needed, however, to further understand the nature and extent of civil regulatory pressures.