Determinants of environmental performance in the Canadian pulp and paper industry: An assessment from inside the industry

It is generally recognized that firms face both internal and external pressures to improve their environmental performance. However, few empirical studies have attempted to delineate the importance of those various sources of pressure as managers themselves perceive them. In this study, we show that managers in the Canadian pulp and paper industry perceive the government and the public, but not financial and consumer markets, as the most important sources of pressure. We also show that involvement of the firm's higher level management and environmental education of employees are important determinants of environmental performance. While the paper provides a better understanding of the key determinants of environmental performance, it reasserts the crucial role of strong government regulatory intervention.