Search Results (782)

The role of externalities generated by enterprise digital transformation in advancing SDGs 8 and 9 has been largely overlooked in existing research. Taking Lighthouse Factory certification (LFC) as a quasi-natural experiment, this paper uses China’s county-level panel data from 2016 to 2023 and adopts the DID model to investigate the impact of leading enterprises’ digital transformation on regional digital entrepreneurship (RDE). The findings show that LFC promotes RDE by facilitating digital technology transfer, deepening digital technology cooperation, accelerating digital knowledge accumulation, and enhancing local digital industrial competitiveness. Moreover, this effect is more pronounced in regions with stricter environmental regulations and a stronger green transformation climate, yet is less constrained by local digital infrastructure. Interestingly, LFC exerts positive spillover effects on surrounding cities within 50–150 km and those beyond 250 km, whereas it exerts a significant siphon effect on cities within 50 km. Furthermore, LFC generates network spillovers among economically connected cities through regional digital technology transfer and cooperation networks. This paper provides empirical evidence for leveraging the demonstration effect of leading enterprises to promote the coordinated implementation of SDG 8, SDG 9, SDG 10, SDG 12 and SDG 13. Full article

This study compares environmental goal-setting and monitoring priorities of EMAS-registered and non-EMAS organizations in the European Union. Using a dataset of 847 organizations and exploratory factor analysis, it examines differences in the structure of environmental objectives and indicators. The results show that EMAS-registered organizations prioritize operational performance and continuous improvement, while non-EMAS organizations focus more on regulatory compliance, awareness-building, and external communication. EMAS participation is associated with a more integrated and strategic approach to environmental management, linking objectives with measurable performance indicators. In contrast, non-EMAS organizations often adopt more symbolic or externally oriented practices driven by legal and reputational concerns. To isolate the effects of formal verification and transparency, ISO 14001 certification is not treated separately; instead, EMAS organizations are compared with all non-EMAS entities. The findings provide new empirical evidence on how voluntary environmental schemes shape organizational behavior by improving alignment between goals and indicators. They also offer practical guidance for organizations preparing for the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS), highlighting EMAS as a model for credible, performance-based environmental reporting. Full article

This study develops the BIO-SPA Certification Model, a novel framework for evaluating the spatial organisation and biophilic design performance of spa centres within hotel and resort facilities. The research focuses on spa environments in five-star accommodation establishments in Antalya, Türkiye. The methodology integrates two assessment components: spatial design performance (SPA) and biophilic design performance (BIO). Spatial evaluations examined architectural layouts, functional zoning, circulation systems, and operational relationships, while biophilic evaluations assessed natural elements, restorative qualities, and sensory environmental conditions. A weighted multi-criteria scoring system was employed to calculate composite BIO-SPA scores and certification levels. The results revealed significant differences between spatial efficiency and biophilic quality. Some facilities demonstrated strong operational organisation but limited integration of nature-based experiences, whereas others achieved higher biophilic performance despite lower spatial efficiency. None of the analysed facilities attained the highest certification level within the proposed framework. The findings indicate that existing spa certification systems remain limited in assessing restorative spatial quality and biophilic integration. The BIO-SPA Certification Model contributes to the literature by providing a measurable and verifiable framework that integrates wellness-oriented design principles with spatial performance evaluation in spa environments. Full article

Low health literacy is associated with risky alcohol use among young people, particularly those exposed to social and environmental factors that normalize drinking. In digital contexts, innovative and engaging interventions are needed to strengthen alcohol-preventive competencies among hazardous drinkers. This study evaluated the effectiveness of an online health literacy promotion program integrating artificial intelligence (AI) and gamification in improving health literacy and alcohol-preventive behaviors among hazardous-drinking vocational students. A quasi-experimental two-group pre-test–post-test design with a 1-month follow-up was conducted among 114 first-year Higher Vocational Certificate students aged 18–20 years in Bangkok, Thailand. Participants were assigned to an intervention group (n = 57) or a comparison group (n = 57). The intervention group received the ALC Literacy Program, while the comparison group received standard educational materials on alcohol prevention. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, independent t-tests, and two-way mixed-design repeated-measures ANOVA with Bonferroni post hoc comparisons. At baseline, no significant between-group differences were observed. After the intervention and at 1-month follow-up, the intervention group showed significantly greater improvements in both health literacy and alcohol-preventive behaviors than the comparison group (p < 0.001). Large interaction effect sizes were observed for health literacy (partial η² = 0.623) and alcohol-preventive behaviors (partial η² = 0.622). These findings indicate that the ALC Literacy Program was effective in enhancing health literacy and strengthening alcohol-preventive behaviors among hazardous-drinking vocational students. This intervention may represent a potentially useful digital health promotion approach for alcohol prevention in educational settings. Full article

The EU EFACA project considers two conceptual aircraft design configurations for cleaning European air traffic in future decades. Recently, several different technologies have led to propulsion designs with potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and replace existing conventional engine technologies—such as the use of fossil fuel—for aviation. The results of an assessment of the environmental impacts of new technologies are considered using a multidimensional approach, ranging from aircraft certification requirements (noise, local and global engine emission, and aircraft fuel efficiency) to regional/global assessments of new designs in air traffic. Each technology for factor reduction is simulated and compared to a reference, usually the aircraft currently best in its class, providing the possibility of assessing the efficiency of the technology, both for necessary certification requirements and for the forecasted operational conditions due to ICAO long-term aspirational goals and ACARE Fly Green Deal goals. Full article

The aim of this paper is to give an overview of emerging technologies for the greening of aviation, how they can be applied to different classes of aircraft, and the challenges to be overcome in achieving efficiency and environmental objectives. The following steps are part of the journey towards the greening of aviation: (i) developing and maturing new technologies, including electrification and sustainable fuels; (ii) where possible, using new technologies in the current fleet to maximize short-term benefits—i.e., EU Fit for 55; (iii) when it is not possible to retrofit new technologies to current aircraft, incorporating them into new next-generation aircraft designs from 2035; and (iv) replacing existing fleets with new, cleaner aircraft to meet the ICAO Net Zero 2050 goal. These technologies of prime importance will have to be supplemented by operational, regulatory, and economic enablers to support wide deployment. There will not be one solution that meets the requirements of all aircraft classes or mission profiles, but rather a combination of electrification, hydrogen propulsion, and sustainable aviation fuels will be required. Achievement of aviation’s environmental goals will hence not solely be a function of technological progress but also certification pathways, investment in infrastructure, and integrated policy strategies. Full article

This study examines the relationship between Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) performance and financing and pricing outcomes in green and conventional bond markets in China over the period of 2017–2024. Drawing on signaling theory, information asymmetry theory, and market segmentation theory, the study argues that the role of ESG performance differs across bond types because green and conventional bonds operate within different institutional and informational environments. Using a comparative analysis of green and conventional bonds, the findings show that ESG performance is more strongly and consistently associated with conventional bond characteristics, particularly in relation to issuance amount, yield to maturity, and credit spreads. In contrast, ESG effects in green bonds are weaker and less consistent, suggesting that investors place greater emphasis on certification mechanisms, environmental project objectives, and sustainability-related bond characteristics than on broader issuer-level ESG disclosures. The findings also suggest that ESG information does not affect all debt instruments in the same way or always functions as a purely risk-reducing signal. In the Chinese market, stronger ESG exposure may also be associated with transition risks, regulatory pressures, and sector-specific sustainability challenges, particularly in conventional bond markets. Overall, the results indicate that the financial relevance of ESG performance depends not only on firm characteristics but also on the institutional and informational environment of the financial instrument itself. The findings remain robust across alternative model specifications and sensitivity analyses, providing additional confidence in the reported differences between green and conventional bond markets. The study contributes to the sustainable finance literature by showing that the pricing relevance of ESG information is instrument-specific rather than uniform across debt markets. It also provides practical implications for regulators, investors, and issuers by highlighting the importance of disclosure quality, transparency standards, and external verification mechanisms in strengthening investor confidence and reducing potential greenwashing risks in sustainable finance markets. Full article

Green prepared dishes are an emerging food-consumption format that links convenience, food safety, and sustainable consumption. In this study, “green” denotes a sustainability-oriented product profile involving food-safety assurance, resource-conscious packaging or sourcing, and waste-reduction potential, rather than formal organic certification. However, existing studies have mainly relied on linear behavioral models and have paid limited attention to nonlinear and asymmetric consumer decision mechanisms. This study integrates the stimulus–organism–response framework with explainable machine learning to predict consumers’ sustainable purchase intention toward green prepared dishes. Based on 805 valid questionnaires collected in Jilin Province, China, predictors were organized into three dimensions: environmental and health cognition, socioeconomic and infrastructural conditions, and sustainable behavioral propensity. The sample represents a regional online consumer profile in Jilin Province rather than a national probability sample. Six classifiers were trained using SMOTE–Tomek resampling and Optuna-based hyperparameter optimization. XGBoost achieved the best predictive performance, with an F1-score of 0.894, an AUC of 0.934, and an MCC of 0.702. Unlike conventional black-box machine learning, the SHAP-based interpretation translated ensemble predictions into transparent feature-level and case-level explanations. Accordingly, the model interpretations are framed as predictive associations rather than causal mechanisms. The study reveals an asymmetric decision pattern in which core behavioral willingness functions as a non-compensatory barrier, while channel convenience, delivery efficiency, and after-sales support facilitate purchase intention among consumers who already show high behavioral readiness. The findings suggest that green prepared-dish strategies should prioritize trust-based advocacy and word-of-mouth, reliable channel design, low-risk trial experiences, and collaborative food-safety governance rather than relying only on short-term traffic acquisition. Full article

Maintaining consistent quality performance of recycled aggregates is essential for their reliable use in construction applications. This study evaluated whether the regulatory revision permitting concurrent appointment of quality and environmental managers affected post-certification quality test performance within Korea’s recycled aggregate certification system. Extending a previous 2025 audit-based study, this research analyzed 311 certification-application-level follow-up quality test results obtained during the 2023 national post-certification management process. Statistical analyses, including chi-square tests, Fisher’s exact tests, odds ratio comparisons, and subgroup analyses, were conducted according to management structure, personnel change status, and recycled aggregate application type. The results showed that concurrent appointment and personnel changes were not associated with statistically significant deterioration in post-certification quality test performance. In contrast, the recycled aggregate application type showed substantially greater influence on pass/fail outcomes, with relatively higher failure risks observed in concrete and fine aggregate applications requiring stricter quality control conditions. Road construction and asphalt concrete applications generally maintained relatively stable pass rates regardless of management structure or personnel continuity conditions. The subgroup analyses additionally showed that concurrent appointment did not significantly increase failure risk within any recycled aggregate application category. These findings indicate that concurrent appointment did not significantly deteriorate actual post-certification quality performance within the analyzed national certification dataset. Full article

Sustainable building practices can reduce environmental harm and support resilient urban development. To aid built-environment professionals such as architects, building scientists and planners in accomplishing regenerative design objectives, a variety of building rating and accreditation schemes have been developed, such as Greenstar or the Living Building Challenge. These schemes primarily focus on sustainability targets, such as energy and water use. Biodiversity considerations, despite their importance for ecosystem services and human health, are predominantly absent as core objectives in the building rating tools currently in use. To address this gap, we introduce the New Zealand Biodiversity Factor—Building (NZBF-B), a tool created to educate and incentivise the integration of biodiversity into buildings by assessing their biodiversity value, with a focus on prioritising native species. We outline the development of the NZBF-B, including its components, its scoring methodology, and an expert-informed weighting process used to determine the ecological relevance of each category. The tool captures key characteristics of building-associated biodiversity through measurable indicators that reflect both habitat provision and opportunities to strengthen human–nature connection. We advocate for the use of the NZBF-B alongside existing certification schemes to achieve more effective green building performance outcomes related to biodiversity. Full article

As plant-based diets catalyze a global shift toward sustainable consumption, Chinese plant-based food firms are experiencing rapid growth and seeking to expand their international footprint. This study investigates the mechanisms underlying the internationalization performance of these firms by integrating the Technology–Organization–Environment (TOE) framework with a configurational perspective. We operationalize nine antecedents across three dimensions: the technological dimension (technological maturity, supply chain resilience, and digital transformation), the organizational dimension (food safety certification intensity, strategic partnership intensity, and talent acquisition intensity), and the environmental dimension (market adaptability, compliance and risk management, and product line breadth). Utilizing fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) on a sample of N = 29 publicly listed Chinese plant-based firms, this research identifies three distinct equifinal pathways to superior internationalization performance. The first is the Collaboration-Compliance configuration (Organization–Environment-driven), which is primarily characterized by the synergy between strategic partnerships and regulatory risk management. The second is the Supply Chain-Compliance-Product Diversification configuration (Technology-Environment-driven), where international success is predicated on the interplay among supply chain resilience, institutional compliance, and product variety. The third is the Full-Factor Synergy configuration (Technology-Organization-Environment jointly driven), which emphasizes a holistic coupling of technological innovation, organizational coordination, and external institutional adaptation. By uncovering these complex causal mechanisms, this study moves beyond traditional linear analysis to reveal how diverse capability configurations can lead to equivalent internationalization outcomes. The findings provide actionable strategic guidance for firms navigating the global plant-based market and offer theoretical insights for policy frameworks supporting sustainable dietary transitions. Full article

This study examines the global wood products market to propose an eco-label for the Chilean sector with an international orientation. A national prior certification framework and governance structure were established, aligned with international regulations to ensure compliance with target market standards. By doing so, the initiative aims to expedite the entry of Chilean products into foreign markets while incentivizing the supply and demand for sustainable goods locally. Through a historical review of eco-labels and an assessment of environmental declarations in the timber industry, this research identified critical regulations and designed a comprehensive management model. The findings reveal that existing certifications predominantly focus on indoor air quality (IAQ), specifically regarding volatile organic compound (VOC) and formaldehyde (HCHO) emissions in wood products for the construction sector (CLT, GLULAM, panels, etc.) using fossil-based adhesives. This study concluded that governance should be spearheaded by the Chilean Environment Ministry in collaboration with a specialized technical committee. Consequently, as a result, a hybrid (quantitative and qualitative) eco-label is proposed to communicate emissions limit compliance, enabling Chilean firms to report it emissions, prior to initiating formal international certification processes. Full article

Environmental governance plays a critical role in shaping the effectiveness of sustainability certification implementation in perennial plantation systems, particularly in oil palm plantation landscapes associated with forest transformation and socio-ecological risks. In Indonesia, the Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO) scheme functions as a mandatory certification system aimed at strengthening environmental accountability. However, variations in implementation outcomes suggest that compliance alone does not guarantee effective certification implementation. This study examines how internal governance mechanisms shape ISPO implementation within a specific plantation organizational context by focusing on the transition from compliance-oriented practices to sustainability-oriented commitment. Using survey data from an ISPO-certified plantation in West Kalimantan and applying partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), the study tests a mediation model linking green training effectiveness, sustainable work environment, and environmental compliance transparency to certification outcomes through corporate environmental commitment. The results show that Corporate Environmental Commitment fully mediates the effects of Green Training Effectiveness and Sustainable Work Environment on ISPO Implementation Success, indicating that organizational conditions contribute to certification effectiveness only when they are translated into governance commitment. In contrast, Environmental Compliance Transparency does not significantly influence commitment formation or certification outcomes. These findings suggest that effective certification implementation depends less on procedural compliance and more on the internalization of environmental priorities into organizational governance routines. The study contributes to the environmental governance literature by demonstrating that sustainability certification effectiveness emerges through governance internalization processes rather than through organizational practices alone. Full article

Green labels on online travel platforms have become an important mechanism for disclosing environmental information and guiding sustainable tourism consumption. However, when a platform simultaneously provides green certification and competes with suppliers through its self-operated business, green label adoption may reshape both market competition and environmental outcomes. This study develops a game-theoretic model of a co-opetitive tourism platform supply chain consisting of a tourism service supplier (TSS) and an online travel platform (OTP). Two label adoption strategies are compared: the TSS’s self-labeling strategy and its adoption of the OTP-certified green label. The results show that, under self-labeling, the OTP can gain a competitive advantage by setting a higher price and greenness level, although this advantage weakens as consumer recognition of the TSS’s self-label increases. Under platform-certified labeling, the OTP raises the common green standard, which intensifies price competition between the two parties. In most cases, adopting the OTP’s green label improves supply chain profits; however, under certain combinations of competition intensity and platform label credibility, it may reduce the profits of both members and increase environmental damage. These findings suggest that platform-led green certification does not necessarily improve environmental performance and should be designed as a governance mechanism rather than a purely marketing instrument. Full article

Indonesia, as the world’s major palm oil producer, has promoted the Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO) certification to sustain its global industrial competitiveness and address growing international environmental pressures. Despite being formally introduced in 2011, smallholder participation in ISPO certification remains critically low. In response, the Indonesian government enacted a mandatory ISPO compliance policy, with a transitional phase, for smallholders. This study examines the behavioral predictors of ISPO adoption intention and readiness among two categories of oil palm smallholders in Riau Province, Indonesia: scheme smallholders, who cooperate with firms under nucleus partnership, and independent smallholders, who rely on open market channels with minimal institutional support. Data were collected from 300 smallholders and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Multi-Group Analysis (PLS-MGA), drawing on an extended Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) framework that incorporates environmental awareness (EA) and collective membership participation (COL) as additional constructs. The findings show that behavioral intention is the influential predictor associated with ISPO adoption readiness across both groups (β = 0.376 for independent; β = 0.229 for scheme smallholders), while perceived behavioral control (PBC) significantly influences readiness among scheme smallholders (β = 0.344), but not among independent smallholders (β = 0.097), reflecting the structural capacity constraints faced by the independent group, particularly land legality. Environmental awareness positively shapes adoption intention among scheme smallholders (β = 0.126) but shows no significant effect among independent smallholders. Collective farmer group membership consistently enhances both adoption intention and readiness across both groups, emerging as the most universally actionable driver of ISPO compliance. These findings underscore the need for differentiated policy interventions, particularly targeted structural support for independent smallholders in terms of land legalization, certification subsidies, and field-based capacity building, to ensure equitable and effective implementation of mandatory ISPO certification. Full article