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The Barriers to Corporate Social Responsibility in the Nordic Energy Sector

Author

Listed:
  • Mauricio Latapí

    (Environment and Natural Resources Program, University of Iceland, 102 Reykjavík, Iceland)

  • Lára Jóhannsdóttir

    (Environment and Natural Resources Program, University of Iceland, 102 Reykjavík, Iceland)

  • Brynhildur Davíðsdóttir

    (Environment and Natural Resources Program, University of Iceland, 102 Reykjavík, Iceland)

  • Mette Morsing

    (Department of Management, Society, and Communication, Copenhagen Business School, DK 2000 Copenhagen, Denmark)

Abstract

Nordic companies have been at the top of sustainable business rankings since the early 2010s. Some of them are energy companies that have adopted Corporate Social Responsibility to have a positive social impact and become carbon neutral. However, limited literature has analyzed the barriers that Nordic energy companies face while implementing Corporate Social Responsibility. This article aims to identify and categorize the barriers faced by Nordic energy companies. The research is based on empirical data obtained from interviews involving high-level managers from the largest suppliers of energy in the Nordic region. A model is developed, which identifies and categorizes seven barriers at the individual level, seven at the organizational level, and three at the institutional level of analysis. The findings suggest that barriers can be of a direct and indirect nature and can be found across the three levels of analysis. The main contributions of this article are: (1) it identifies and categorizes the barriers that Nordic energy companies face; (2) it defines the barriers as direct and indirect based on their interaction with the company; (3) it presents two models of the barriers and provides empirical evidence that complement the literature; and (4) it contributes to the literature by focusing on the Nordic countries, a region that has received limited attention by scholarly research.

Suggested Citation

  • Mauricio Latapí & Lára Jóhannsdóttir & Brynhildur Davíðsdóttir & Mette Morsing, 2021. "The Barriers to Corporate Social Responsibility in the Nordic Energy Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-30, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:9:p:4891-:d:544181
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Wadim Strielkowski & Elena Tarkhanova & Natalia Baburina & Justas Streimikis, 2021. "Corporate Social Responsibility and the Renewable Energy Development in the Baltic States," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-18, September.
    3. Hend Alregab, 2022. "The Role of Environmental, Social, and Governance Performance on Attracting Foreign Ownership: Evidence from Saudi Arabia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-15, November.

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