The Environmental Dimension: Role and Scope in the Performance Measurement and Control System

This chapter analyses the assessment of environmental results and their impact on competitive and financial performance. The literature review on studies in performance measurement and control systems of environmental strategy shows that, while the decision on environmental issues have become more and more important, high variability and limited standardization affects the environmental practices. Although several supranational institutions, international organizations, besides national laws, have provided environmental standards and metrics, the comparability of environmental performance remains very low. To clarify these aspects, we put forward a framework for identifying the most relevant key value drivers and performance indicators in order to facilitate the monitoring and evaluation of achieved environmental results. Integrating theoretical and empirical findings, our study shows a relative absence of indicators of competitive advantage and a predominant use of environmental qualitative and/or non-financial measures. By shedding light on the relationship between environmental strategies and environmental results, we suggest potential improvements for performance measurement and control of environmental dimension.