Title

Does Workforce Diversity Matter in the Fight against Climate Change? An Analysis of Fortune 500 Companies

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management

Publication Date

1-1-2012

Abstract

This paper asks whether more diverse companies are more committed to the fight against climate change than less diverse companies. Workforce diversity is measured along several socio-demographic dimensions: age, gender, race, and presence in European Union countries. The paper develops the concept of Environmental Workplace Behavior, which explains how environmental attitudes and beliefs influence work decisions. The dependent variable is a climate change index calculated by a non-profit organization, for a sample of Fortune 500 companies. A cross-sectional research design is employed, using ordinary least squares (OLS) regression to analyze the data. The results suggest that companies that employ more women and have a stronger European presence tend to exhibit a higher concern for climate change. Companies do not seem to involve minorities and young people in meaningful decision-making regarding climate change actions and initiatives. Future research might analyze other diversity dimensions, such as gender orientation, education, political liberalism, or religious affiliation. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.

Volume

19

Issue

1

First Page

47

Last Page

62

DOI

10.1002/csr.279

ISSN

15353958

E-ISSN

15353966

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