How Do Proactive Environmental Strategies Affect Green Innovation? The Moderating Role of Environmental Regulations and Firm Performance

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Aug 28;18(17):9083. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18179083.

Abstract

Global warming has gained the attention of researchers and authorities to work on the environmental glitches. Prior researchers highlighted that the industrial sector is more responsible for these environmental glitches. The industrial sector is highly participated for climate change problems. In the light of firm's sustainable development goals, this study focuses on the proactive environmental strategies for green innovation. Furthermore, this study considers the link amid environmental regulations and green innovation, firm performance, and green innovation. Most importantly, this study applies the moderating role of environmental regulations and firm performance on the link amid proactive environmental strategies and green innovation. The outcomes with ordinary least square, fixed effect, generalized method of moments, and feasible generalized least square presents unique conclusions. This study concluded that firms with proactive environmental strategies are more valuable for green innovation practices. The environmental regulations promote green innovative practices. Similarly, firm performance also encourages the firm for green innovative practices. Importantly, these outcomes suggest that environmental regulations positively moderate the link amid proactive environmental strategies and green innovation. In addition, firm performance also plays positive role for positivity amid proactive environmental strategies and green innovation. These findings are imperative addition into the narrow literature of environmental practices at firm level in Pakistan. Moreover, this study suggests various guidelines and directions for policy makers, owners, governments, and stakeholders as promoting the environmental practices for higher profitability as well as minimizing industrial negative effects.

Keywords: environmental regulations; firm performance; green innovation; proactive environmental strategies.

MeSH terms

  • Creativity
  • Government
  • Industry*
  • Pakistan
  • Sustainable Development*