POLICY DISCLOSURE AS A PREDICTOR OF ENVIRONMENTALBEHAVIOUR: EVIDENCE FROM THE CHILEAN RETAIL SECTOR

Abstract
This study examines the relationship between corporate environmental policy disclosures and firms’ environmental investments. Using an endogenous switching probit (ESP) model to mitigate potential endogeneity issues, this study serves two purposes. Initially, it estimates the influence of six organizational haracteristics—size, age, manager gender, export orientation, family ownership, and corporate group affiliation—on the probability of firms declaring pro-environmental policies. Subsequently, we test whether such policy disclosures are reliable predictors of environmental investment. We use the retail sector as a case study because of its pivotal role as an intermediary between primary producers, manufacturers, and
consumers, thereby holding a uniquely influential position in driving sustainable
consumption and production. Our results show a positive relationship between size, manager gender, export orientation, family ownership, and corporate group affiliation. In addition, we find that declaring an environmental policy positively affects the likelihood of businesses investing in environmental protection. This study contributes to the existing literature in three significant ways: it increases the evidence supporting a causal relationship between environmental policy disclosure and environmental investments; it is the first to explore this relationship within the retail industry; and it broadens our understanding of this dynamic in the context of developing countries.
Keywords: retail industry; corporate environmental policy disclosure; environmental
investment; active pro-environmental behaviors; environmental intention; firms'
characteristics