Inovação e sustentabilidade ambiental e social: um estudo comparativo entre empresas do Brasil e da Europa

Abstract

In this descriptive and qualitative study, we evaluated innovation and socio-environmental sustainability as strategic organizational profiles in 78 Brazilian and European public firms traded on BM&FBovespa or NYSE Euronext between 2010 and 2013 and listed in at least one of the following indices: the Corporate Sustainability Index (ISE), the Carbon Efficient Index (ICO2) and the Low Carbon 100 Europe index®. Information was retrieved from financial reports, explanatory notes and sustainability reports. Innovation was proxied by intangible innovation assets, patents and R&D. Sustainability was evaluated based on the disclosure of GRI indicators. The two strategies were found to be strongly incorporated in European firms (i.e., in developed economies). A growing demand for innovation and sustainability was observed in both settings, indicating an indirect relationship between the two strategic profiles. Our results suggest that country-level economic and institutional factors play an important role in the definition of innovation and socio-environmental sustainability as strategic organizational profiles.