abs

Environmental Communication and Competitiveness - Case

1,02

Study in the Car Industry

140

stron

4365

International Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics

2000

rok

Table of contents

1. INTRODUCTION 5

1.1 PROBLEM STATEMENT 5

1.2 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY 6

1.3 SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS 6

1.3.1 CONTENTS BOUNDARIES 6

1.3.2 GEOGRAPHICAL AND TIME BOUNDARIES 8

1.4 METHODOLOGY AND APPROACH 8

1.5 STRUCTURE OF THE REPORT 10

PART I - THEORETICAL BASICS

2. ENVIRONMENT AND COMPETITIVENESS 11

2.1 FROM ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS TO ENVIRONMENTAL COMPETITION FIELDS 11

2.1.1 THE LOGIC OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSFORMATION 12

2.1.2 ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS AND STEERING SYSTEMS 12

2.1.3 THE STAKEHOLDERS BEHIND THE STEERING SYSTEMS 13

2.1.4 ACTUAL, LATENT AND POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL COMPETITION FIELDS 14

2.2 ENVIRONMENTAL COMPETITION STRATEGIES 15

2.2.1 ENVIRONMENTAL MARKET SECURING STRATEGIES 16

2.2.2 ENVIRONMENTAL COST STRATEGIES 16

2.2.3 ENVIRONMENTAL DIFFERENTIATION STRATEGIES 17

2.2.4 ENVIRONMENTAL MARKET DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES 18

2.2.5 COMMENTS TO ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGIES 18

2.3 COMPETITIVENESS OF COMPANIES AND ENVIRONMENT 19

2.3.1 THE MARKET-BASED VIEW 19

2.3.2 THE RESOURCE-BASED VIEW 21

2.3.3 SHAREHOLDER VALUE MODELS 22

2.3.4 COMMENTS TO THE THEORIES 23

3. ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNICATION 24

3.1 WHAT IS ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNICATION? 24

3.1.1 ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTING 24

3.1.2 ENVIRONMENTAL PRODUCT INFORMATION AND ECO-MARKETING 27

3.2 DRIVERS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNICATION AND TARGET GROUPS 28

3.2.1 ORGANISATION-INTERNAL TARGET GROUPS 28

3.2.2 MARKET-BASED TARGET GROUPS 28

3.2.3 NON-MARKET-BASED TARGET GROUPS (PUBLIC OR POLITICAL TARGET GROUPS) 30

3.3 PROBLEMS WITH ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNICATION 32

3.3.1 SPECIAL POSITION OF COMPLEX FINAL GOODS PRODUCERS 33

3.4 DEVELOPMENTS IN ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNICATION 33

3.4.1 EUROPEAN AND INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENTS IN ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTING 34

4. ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNICATION AND COMPETITIVENESS 35

4.1 LINKING ENVIRONMENT, COMMUNICATION AND COMPETITIVENESS 35

4.2 MODEL FOR ANALYSIS 39

PART II - CASE STUDY IN THE AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY

5. ENVIRONMENT AND THE CAR INDUSTRY 42

5.1 CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CAR INDUSTRY IN THE EUROPEAN MARKET 43

5.1.1 PRODUCTION IN EUROPE AND LEADING COMPANIES 43

5.1.2 MARKET SITUATION 44

5.1.3 GLOBAL CHALLENGES AND STRATEGIES 45

5.2 ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES ALONG THE LIFE CYCLE OF THE CAR 46

5.2.1 ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES ALONG THE LIFE CYCLE OF THE CAR 46

5.2.1.1 Raw materials extraction and processing 46

5.2.1.2 Pre-assembly manufacturing and vehicle assembly 47

5.2.1.3 Use phase 48

5.2.1.4 End of life 49

5.2.2 SUMMARY MATRIX OF ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS 50

5.3 ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS ON THE CAR INDUSTRY ARISING FROM THE

ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS 51

5.3.1 LEGISLATORS 52

5.3.1.1 Fuel use and CO2 emissions - European level 52

5.3.1.2 End-of-life - Directive on End-of-life vehicles 53

5.3.1.3 Influence of regulation and authorities 54

5.3.2 ”GREEN” POLITICAL PARTIES 54

5.3.2.1 Influence of Green Parties 54

5.3.3 ENVIRONMENTAL NGOS 55

5.3.3.1 Influence of Environmental NGOs 55

5.3.4 CONSUMERS AND MOTORISTS ASSOCIATIONS AND CONSUMERS 55

5.3.4.1 Influence of consumers and motorists associations 56

5.3.5 SUPPLIERS 56

5.3.5.1 Influence of suppliers 57

5.3.6 INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONS, COMPETITORS 57

5.3.6.1 Influence of Industry Associations 57

5.3.7 STAKEHOLDERS AND THE STEERING SYSTEMS 57

5.3.8 SUMMARY MATRIX OF ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS ALONG THE LIFE CYCLE 58

5.4 ENVIRONMENTAL COMPETITION FIELDS AND STRATEGIES 60

5.4.1 REDUCING EXHAUST GAS EMISSIONS 60

5.4.2 FUEL AND CO2 EFFICIENCY 61

5.4.3 PRODUCT STEWARDSHIP AND END-OF-LIFE MANAGEMENT 63

5.4.4 NEW MOBILITY CONCEPTS 64

5.5 IMPLICATIONS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNICATION 65

5.5.1 ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNICATION CONCERNING ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS 65

5.5.2 ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNICATION SUPPORTING ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGIES 65

6. ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNICATION AND REPORTING IN THE CAR INDUSTRY 68

6.1 THE POSITION OF ENVIRONMENT WITHIN THE CORPORATE INTERNET COMMUNICATION

6.1.1 CORPORATE WEB-SITES 69

6.1.2 ANNUAL REPORTS AND OTHER STATEMENTS 70

6.2 ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTS IN THE AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY 71

6.2.1 LIMITATIONS IN COMPARABILITY 73

6.2.2 ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND GUIDELINES 73

6.2.2.1 CEO statement 73

6.2.2.2 Environmental Policy and guidelines 74

6.2.3 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM 74

6.2.4 DATA ABOUT COMPANY RELATED MATTER AND ENERGY STREAMS 74

6.2.5 ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF PRODUCTS AND SERVICES 75

6.2.6 ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMME AND ENVIRONMENTAL GOALS 76

6.2.7 ECONOMIC QUESTIONS OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION 77

6.2.8 COMMUNICATION WITH TARGET STAKEHOLDERS 78

6.2.9 CREDIBILITY 78

6.3 ENVIRONMENTAL PRODUCT INFORMATION AND ECO-MARKETING 78

6.3.1 CUSTOMER-ORIENTED ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION IN THE INTERNET 78

6.3.2 ENVIRONMENTAL LABELS, PRODUCT DECLARATIONS AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL

INFORMATION IN CUSTOMER ORIENTED COMMUNICATION 79

6.3.2.1 The Volvo Environmental Product Declaration 79

6.3.2.2 Environmental information at the point of sale 81

6.3.2.3 Environment and product information in car magazines 81

6.4 SUMMARISING REMARKS 82

7. APPLICABILITY OF THE GRI GUIDELINES FOR “COMPETITION-ORIENTED”

ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTING 84

7.1 COMPARISON OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTS WITH THE GRI GUIDELINES 84

7.2 IMPLICATIONS FOR “COMPETITION ORIENTED” REPORTING IN COMPLEX GOODS

INDUSTRIES 85

PART III - SYNTHESIS

8. DISCUSSION OF THE RESEARCH QUESTIONS 87

8.1 THERE IS NO “GENERAL RECIPE” FOR ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNICATION 87

8.2 SHORTCOMINGS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR DEVELOPMENT IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL

COMMUNICATION OF THE CAR INDUSTRY 88

8.2.1 ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNICATION ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS 88

8.2.2 ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNICATION SUPPORTING ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGIES 89

8.2.3 IMPLICATIONS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTING AND REPORTING FRAMEWORKS

SUCH AS THE GRI 92

8.2.4 HOW CAN THE CUSTOMER BE REACHED? 94

9. FINAL REMARKS 96

10. REFERENCES 99

10.1 PRINTED SOURCES 100

10.2 WEB-BASED SOURCES AND E-MAIL SOURCES 101

10.3 FURTHER CONSULTED SOURCES 103

10.4 INTERVIEWED PERSONS 104

Appendices

APPENDIX 1 – GRI GUIDELINES A - 2

APPENDIX 2 – ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTING TYPES A - 3

APPENDIX 3 – ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS IN THE CAR INDUSTRY A - 5

APPENDIX 4 – EUROPEAN LEGISLATION CONCERNING CAR USE PHASE A - 11

APPENDIX 5 – ANALYSED CORPORATE WEB-SITES AND ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTS A - 15

APPENDIX 6 – ANALYSIS OF ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTS A - 17

APPENDIX 7 – REMARKS TO ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE INDICATORS A - 23