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Journal of Business Ethics
Published in: Journal of Business Ethics 3/2017

01-05-2015

The Role of Board Environmental Committees in Corporate Environmental Performance

Authors: Heather R. Dixon-Fowler, Alan E. Ellstrand, Jonathan L. Johnson

Published in: Journal of Business Ethics | Issue 3/2017

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Abstract

This study explores the relationship between board environmental committees and corporate environmental performance (CEP). We propose that board environmental committees will be positively associated with CEP. Moreover, we argue that the composition of the committee (i.e., stakeholder representation) as well as the presence of a sustainability manager will influence this relationship. Our results find support for a positive association between board environmental committees and CEP. Further, the presence of a senior-level environmental manager positively moderates this relationship, but is not effective in isolation. Unexpectedly, no support was found for the influences of stakeholder representation.
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Footnotes
1
Outside directors considered affiliates of the firm include significant shareholders (>10 % of voting shares), members of professional firms providing service to the company (e.g., law firm, commercial bank, consulting firms, etc.), officers of firms with significant supplier/customer relationship to the company, directors affiliated with non-profit institutions receiving more than $100,000 from the company that year, members with interlocking directorships, former employees, and directors receiving personal benefit from the company (individual consultant to the company, vice-chair of board) of greater than $100,000 per year.
 
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Metadata
Title
The Role of Board Environmental Committees in Corporate Environmental Performance
Authors
Heather R. Dixon-Fowler
Alan E. Ellstrand
Jonathan L. Johnson
Publication date
01-05-2015
Publisher
Springer Netherlands
Published in
Journal of Business Ethics / Issue 3/2017
Print ISSN: 0167-4544
Electronic ISSN: 1573-0697
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-015-2664-7

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