Plastic reduction and firm characteristics: Evidence from (non-) financial information in Japan

Abstract The plastic pollution problem is an international environmental issue of interest. To address the misplacement of used plastics, we need to regulate plastic use; however, such a legislation process typically takes a long time. Thus, there are many examples of companies taking voluntary action ahead of regulation. Why does a profit-maximizing company pay the additional cost of reducing plastics voluntarily? To answer this question, it is important to determine the identity of the active actors. The objective of this study is to understand the characteristics of companies that are active in voluntary reduction efforts; we do so by examining both financial and nonfinancial information. Our empirical results indicate that in addition to the level of awareness and materiality of plastic pollution to their business, larger firms of a specific business type are more likely to introduce voluntary reduction initiatives.