380
M. do Perpétuo Socorro Lamego Oliveira et al.
Governments and public administration can enhance sustainability-oriented
behaviours in business companies through policies, regulations and guidance, either
providing incentives or charging penalties. Several studies can be found in the literature focusing the relation between governmental policies and corporate social responsibility. According to Mahmoudi and Rasti-Barzoki (2018), in the Indian textile
industry the most effective government approach to minimize negative environmental
impacts is to impose tariffs. In what concerns construction industry, specific incentive
policies, defined by the government, have proven to be effective in the enhancement
of sustainable construction practices (Xia et al. 2018; Zhang et al. 2019). A research
study conducted in medium and large manufacturing plants in Pakistan concluded
that government oversight of the role of corporate social responsibility is essential
for companies to achieve satisfactory levels of environmental performance (Abbas
2020). A survey of three energy companies in Denmark showed the need for companies that directly affect the environment to be involved in climate mitigation activities,
responding positively to climate change challenges, and meeting government goals
set by the Paris Agreement (Toft and Rudiger 2020). According to this study, it is up
to government agencies to support compliance with these companies’ environmental
responsibility and corporate social responsibility actions, so that all environmental
and social objectives are met (Toft and Rudiger 2020). Cao et al. (2020) describe the
policy of laws and regulations implemented by the Chinese government regarding
remanufacturing industries, and recognize its essential role on the supervision of
corporate environmental and social responsibilities regarding the increasing industrial waste production. China’s policy regarding this subject is having positive and
beneficial effects, such as increasing the annual value of remanufacturing production
(Cao et al. 2020). The same research study concludes that remanufacturing goals can
only be achieved with public awareness and participation from everyone, business
and citizens, but environmental actions aimed at recycling and reusing waste need
government support, resources and supervision.
The construction sector has a paradoxical relation with social responsibility (Xia
et al. 2018): positive social impacts are undeniable due to the effects of the built
environment on the wellbeing of communities; but, on the other hand, construction
activities are harmful to the environment due to the intensive consumption of energy
and resources, and generation of large amounts of waste; also, construction industry
generates a large amount of employment, contemplating both skilled and non-skilled
workers, thus proving important means of survival to lower social classes; but, on the
other hand, since construction activities are generally labour intensive, construction
workers are highly exposed to accidents and negative occupational health impacts.
Social and environmental responsibility in the construction sector needs governmental incentives and regulation regarding the use of clean energy, the pursuit of
energy reduction goals, low carbon targets and environmental conservation (Wen
et al. 2020).
New global trends in technological development, such as Industry 4.0, artificial intelligence and emerging markets, including exploration of outer space through
space companies, show clearly that a global trend of interconnection between companies needs to go side by side with the development of policy innovations regarding
M. do Perpétuo Socorro Lamego Oliveira et al.
Governments and public administration can enhance sustainability-oriented
behaviours in business companies through policies, regulations and guidance, either
providing incentives or charging penalties. Several studies can be found in the literature focusing the relation between governmental policies and corporate social responsibility. According to Mahmoudi and Rasti-Barzoki (2018), in the Indian textile
industry the most effective government approach to minimize negative environmental
impacts is to impose tariffs. In what concerns construction industry, specific incentive
policies, defined by the government, have proven to be effective in the enhancement
of sustainable construction practices (Xia et al. 2018; Zhang et al. 2019). A research
study conducted in medium and large manufacturing plants in Pakistan concluded
that government oversight of the role of corporate social responsibility is essential
for companies to achieve satisfactory levels of environmental performance (Abbas
2020). A survey of three energy companies in Denmark showed the need for companies that directly affect the environment to be involved in climate mitigation activities,
responding positively to climate change challenges, and meeting government goals
set by the Paris Agreement (Toft and Rudiger 2020). According to this study, it is up
to government agencies to support compliance with these companies’ environmental
responsibility and corporate social responsibility actions, so that all environmental
and social objectives are met (Toft and Rudiger 2020). Cao et al. (2020) describe the
policy of laws and regulations implemented by the Chinese government regarding
remanufacturing industries, and recognize its essential role on the supervision of
corporate environmental and social responsibilities regarding the increasing industrial waste production. China’s policy regarding this subject is having positive and
beneficial effects, such as increasing the annual value of remanufacturing production
(Cao et al. 2020). The same research study concludes that remanufacturing goals can
only be achieved with public awareness and participation from everyone, business
and citizens, but environmental actions aimed at recycling and reusing waste need
government support, resources and supervision.
The construction sector has a paradoxical relation with social responsibility (Xia
et al. 2018): positive social impacts are undeniable due to the effects of the built
environment on the wellbeing of communities; but, on the other hand, construction
activities are harmful to the environment due to the intensive consumption of energy
and resources, and generation of large amounts of waste; also, construction industry
generates a large amount of employment, contemplating both skilled and non-skilled
workers, thus proving important means of survival to lower social classes; but, on the
other hand, since construction activities are generally labour intensive, construction
workers are highly exposed to accidents and negative occupational health impacts.
Social and environmental responsibility in the construction sector needs governmental incentives and regulation regarding the use of clean energy, the pursuit of
energy reduction goals, low carbon targets and environmental conservation (Wen
et al. 2020).
New global trends in technological development, such as Industry 4.0, artificial intelligence and emerging markets, including exploration of outer space through
space companies, show clearly that a global trend of interconnection between companies needs to go side by side with the development of policy innovations regarding