Overview
- Builds a theoretical framework to analyze sustainability initiatives
- Applies this framework to an Italian case study
- Reviews existing literature on sustainability indicators
Part of the book series: SpringerBriefs in Environmental Science (BRIEFSENVIRONMENTAL)
Access this book
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Other ways to access
Table of contents (4 chapters)
Keywords
About this book
This SpringerBrief describes the development and use of a synthetic indicator to assess different degrees of sustainability adoption by economic sector and businesses size. To make this analysis a theoretical framework which involves variables common to alternative frameworks (specifically ESG, GRI and Istat) is proposed. The empirical analysis focuses on the environmental, social and economic variables of the Italian businesses. In this analysis, all three pillars of sustainability – economic, environmental, and social – are considered.
The work begins with a review of business sustainability literature and a look into institutional frameworks for the development and measurement of the phenomena. Connections between businesses and the SDGs are examined and comparison of the classifications of sustainable activities defined by GRI and ESG international standards is used to define a framework to be adopted to analyse ISTAT Business Census. Selected indicator variables are aggregated with a synthetic indicator and the results are presented (this is a new proposal of a synthetic indicator useful for the type of data used and published by ISTAT – Italian National Statistical Institute), discussing pros and cons of using it. This study provides two important innovative contributions. The first one is about how to approach the theoretical framework of businesses sustainability at firms aggregated level. The basic idea to work on a set of variables common to different approaches is interesting from the interpretative point of view. The second one, is about the specific empirical analysis, i.e. the Italian businesses sustainability situation. The investigation based on this new theoretical classification/framework and the new proposed indicator provides some interesting substantive results.Authors and Affiliations
About the authors
Silvia Biffignandi is acting as a research consultant in economic statistics; is retired full professor Economic Statistics at Bergamo University. She participated and presented her papers in many international conferences, she published in many journals, including the JOS, the Statistical Journal of the IAOS. She has published several books, also by outstanding international editors. She has leaded as a coordinator/unit responsible many national and international projects (Eurostat, Ministry of Research, others).
She has a record of international past and ongoing collaborations with leading statistical bodies (Eurostat, Istat, other NCIs); collaboration with several university experts both in Europe and oversee are ongoing on innovative research.Main research interests are on Official statistics and socio-economic analyses, topics like sustainability measurement and analysis, administrative data, sources integration, sampling, surveys methodology and panels construction (especially web).
Samuel Ashong is an independent researcher with an interest in statistical methods, data science, and sustainable development. He currently has a master’s degree in Economics and Data Analysis (European Master in Official Statistics) from the University of Bergamo, Italy and following a PHD programme at the same University. He holds a bachelor of science degree in Statistics from KUNST, Ghana. He has work experience with the Businesses,Well-being and Sustainable Development Studies Unit at ISTAT, Italy, and he also worked as an environmental, health and safety officer at a cement production company in Ghana. He is currently involved in research projects on sustainable practices of businesses.
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: Sustainable Practices in Italian Businesses
Book Subtitle: Environmental, Social and Economic Aspects
Authors: Fabiola Riccardini, Silvia Biffignandi, Samuel Ashong
Series Title: SpringerBriefs in Environmental Science
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-28177-8
Publisher: Springer Cham
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental Science, Earth and Environmental Science (R0)
Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2023
Softcover ISBN: 978-3-031-28176-1Published: 10 June 2023
eBook ISBN: 978-3-031-28177-8Published: 09 June 2023
Series ISSN: 2191-5547
Series E-ISSN: 2191-5555
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: VII, 153
Number of Illustrations: 4 b/w illustrations, 32 illustrations in colour
Topics: Sustainable Development, Computer Science, general, Statistics, general, Economic Geography