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Show Results For
- All HBS Web
(799)
- People (1)
- News (101)
- Research (615)
- Events (2)
- Multimedia (1)
- Faculty Publications (353)
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- 2023
- Working Paper
Accounting for Carbon Offsets – Establishing the Foundation for Carbon-Trading Markets
By: Robert S. Kaplan, Karthik Ramanna and Marc Roston
Tackling climate change requires reductions in current and future greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as well as the removal of existing GHG from the atmosphere. Carbon-offset producers purport to provide such removals. But poor measurement practices and inadequate controls... View Details
Kaplan, Robert S., Karthik Ramanna, and Marc Roston. "Accounting for Carbon Offsets – Establishing the Foundation for Carbon-Trading Markets." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 23-050, February 2023.
- 2021
- Working Paper
Accounting for Product Impact in the Consumer-Packaged Foods Industry
By: Amanda Rischbieth, George Serafeim and Katie Trinh
We apply the product impact measurement framework of the Impact-Weighted Accounts Initiative (IWAI) in two competitor companies within the consumer-packaged goods industry. We design a methodology that allows us to calculate monetary impact estimates on customer... View Details
Keywords: Product Innovation; Impact; Impact Investing; Impact Measurement; ESG; ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) Performance; ESG Ratings; Social Corporate Responsibility; Corporate Social Responsibility; Social Impact; Nutrition Database; Nutritional Information; CPG; Consumer Packaged Goods; IWAI; Product Design; Product Positioning; Society; Environmental Sustainability; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Nutrition; Product; Safety; Consumer Products Industry
Rischbieth, Amanda, George Serafeim, and Katie Trinh. "Accounting for Product Impact in the Consumer-Packaged Foods Industry." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 21-051, October 2020. (Revised October 2021.)
- 2021
- Working Paper
Accounting for Product Impact in the Water Utilities Industry
By: George Serafeim and Katie Trinh
We apply the product impact measurement framework of the Impact-Weighted Accounts Initiative (IWAI) in two competitor companies within the water utilities industry. We design a monetization methodology that allows us to calculate monetary impact estimates of water... View Details
Keywords: Product Innovation; Impact; Impact Investing; Impact Measurement; ESG; ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) Performance; ESG Ratings; Social Corporate Responsibility; Corporate Social Responsibility; Social Impact; Water; Utilities; Product Design; Product Positioning; Society; Product; Environmental Sustainability; Measurement and Metrics; Framework; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Utilities Industry
Serafeim, George, and Katie Trinh. "Accounting for Product Impact in the Water Utilities Industry." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 21-104, March 2021.
- August 2023 (Revised October 2024)
- Supplement
Plug Power (B)
By: Jonas Heese, Joseph Pacelli and James Barnett
The case is set in spring 2021, immediately after Plug Power made financial restatements dating back to 2018. The case describes the restatements, which revealed that Plug was reclassifying expense items to boost gross profits. View Details
Keywords: Environmental Accounting; Financial Reporting; Ethics; Profit; Management; Social Enterprise; Energy Industry; Green Technology Industry; United States; Europe
Heese, Jonas, Joseph Pacelli, and James Barnett. "Accounting Outages at Plug Power? (B)." Harvard Business School Supplement 124-018, August 2023. (Revised October 2024.)
- 2021
- Working Paper
Impact Accounting for Product Use: A Framework and Industry-specific Models
By: George Serafeim and Katie Trinh
This handbook provides the first systematic attempt to generate a framework and industry-specific models for the measurement of impacts on customers and the environment from use of products and services, in monetary terms, that can then be reflected in financial... View Details
Keywords: Impact Measurement; Product Impact; Customer Welfare; Environment; ESG; Product; Customers; Well-being; Environmental Sustainability; Measurement and Metrics; Accounting; Financial Statements; Analysis; Framework
Serafeim, George, and Katie Trinh. "Impact Accounting for Product Use: A Framework and Industry-specific Models." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 21-141, June 2021.
- 2023
- Working Paper
Toward Decision-Useful Carbon Information
By: Gunther Glenk
Companies are increasingly viewed as crucial drivers for timely decarbonization. Current accounting practices for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, however, often leave corporate carbon disclosures and abatement obscured. Here I introduce a taxonomy for assuring the... View Details
Keywords: Carbon Emissions; Decarbonization; Carbon Accounting; Net-zero Emissions; Greenhouse Gas Emissions; Environment; Environmental Impact; Management; Sustainable Cities; Corporate Disclosure; Environmental Accounting; Environmental Management; Climate Change; Accounting Industry; Accounting Industry; Accounting Industry; Accounting Industry; Accounting Industry; Accounting Industry; Accounting Industry; Accounting Industry; Accounting Industry; Accounting Industry; Accounting Industry; Accounting Industry; Accounting Industry; Accounting Industry; Europe; North America; South America; Africa; Asia
Glenk, Gunther. "Toward Decision-Useful Carbon Information." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 24-026, September 2023. (TRR 266 Accounting for Transparency Working Paper Series, No. 121, May 2023.)
- November 2012 (Revised April 2013)
- Case
Colbún and the Future of Chile's Power
By: Forest Reinhardt and Shon R. Hiatt
This case is about Colbún, Chile's second largest electricity generator, which is facing significant uncertainty regarding the cost and availability of alternative energy sources. Problems with the contracted supply of natural gas and the volatility of oil prices,... View Details
Keywords: Energy; Chile; Environmental Protection; Energy Generation; Energy Industry; South America; Chile
Reinhardt, Forest, and Shon R. Hiatt. "Colbún and the Future of Chile's Power ." Harvard Business School Case 713-047, November 2012. (Revised April 2013.)
- 2021
- Working Paper
Accounting for Product Impact in the Interactive Media and Services Industry
By: DG Park, George Serafeim and Katie Trinh
We apply the product impact measurement framework of the Impact-Weighted Accounts Initiative (IWAI) in two competitor companies within the interactive media and services industry. We design a monetization methodology that allows us to calculate monetary impact... View Details
Keywords: Product Innovation; Impact; Impact Investing; Impact Measurement; ESG; ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) Performance; ESG Ratings; Social Corporate Responsibility; Corporate Social Responsibility; Social Impact; Product Design; Product Positioning; Society; Product; Environmental Sustainability; Measurement and Metrics; Framework; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Social Media; Technology Industry
Park, DG, George Serafeim, and Katie Trinh. "Accounting for Product Impact in the Interactive Media and Services Industry." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 21-134, June 2021.
- 2019
- White Paper
Impact-Weighted Financial Accounts: The Missing Piece for an Impact Economy
By: George Serafeim, T. Robert Zochowski and Jennifer Downing
Reimagining capitalism is an imperative. We need to create a more inclusive and sustainable form of capitalism that works for every person and the planet. Massive environmental damage, growing income and wealth disparity, stress, and depression within developed... View Details
Keywords: Impact-Weighted Accounts; IWAI; Background; Economic Systems; Economy; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Measurement and Metrics; Financial Statements
Serafeim, George, T. Robert Zochowski, and Jennifer Downing. "Impact-Weighted Financial Accounts: The Missing Piece for an Impact Economy." White Paper, Harvard Business School, Boston, MA, September 2019.
- November 2023 (Revised August 2024)
- Background Note
Life Cycle Assessment: An Overview
By: Willy C. Shih, Michael W. Toffel and Kelsey Carter
Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a holistic approach to quantifying the environmental impacts—including resources consumed and wastes produced—associated with the entire life cycle of a product, from the production or extraction of the raw materials used in its creation,... View Details
Keywords: Life-cycle; Environmental Performance; Design; Environmental Management; Environmental Sustainability; Climate Change; Measurement and Metrics; Standards; Accounting; Environmental Accounting
Shih, Willy C., Michael W. Toffel, and Kelsey Carter. "Life Cycle Assessment: An Overview." Harvard Business School Background Note 624-052, November 2023. (Revised August 2024.)
- 2022
- Case
Can Salesforce Compete in the Carbon Accounting Market?
By: Andrew J. Hoffman
This case describes Salesforce's development of Sustainability Cloud, a suite of software tools built to help companies measure, track, and report carbon emissions and other sustainability metrics. The goal of this case is to provide students with a background and... View Details
Keywords: Environmental Accounting; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Corporate Accountability; Applications and Software
Hoffman, Andrew J. "Can Salesforce Compete in the Carbon Accounting Market?" William Davidson Institute Case 6-796-717, 2022.
- Article
We Need Better Carbon Accounting. Here's How to Get There.
By: Robert S. Kaplan and Karthik Ramanna
Any effective system of greenhouse gas (GHG) accounting needs to measure each company’s supply-chain carbon impacts accurately. Such information would provide visibility and incentives for the company to make more climate-friendly product-specification and purchasing... View Details
Keywords: Accounting; Greenhouse Gas Emissions; GHG; Carbon Accounting; Environmental Accounting; Environmental Management; Governing Rules, Regulations, and Reforms; Supply Chain
Kaplan, Robert S., and Karthik Ramanna. "We Need Better Carbon Accounting. Here's How to Get There." Harvard Business Review Digital Articles (April 12, 2022).
- 24 Nov 2020
- Working Paper Summaries
Accounting for Product Impact in the Consumer Finance Industry
- 2020
- Working Paper
Measuring the Cost of Corporate Water Usage
By: DG Park, George Serafeim and T. Robert Zochowski
We develop a methodology that calculates the impact that organizations have on the environment through their water consumption relating to water stress risk. Using the methodology, we derive estimates for four companies that show how assumptions on the geographic... View Details
Keywords: Water; Water Management; Environment; Sustainability; Environmental Impact; Impact-Weighted Accounts; IWAI; Organizations; Environmental Sustainability; Valuation
Park, DG, George Serafeim, and T. Robert Zochowski. "Measuring the Cost of Corporate Water Usage." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 21-036, September 2020.
- March–April 2016
- Article
Scrutiny, Norms, and Selective Disclosure: A Global Study of Greenwashing
By: Christopher Marquis, Michael W. Toffel and Yanhua Zhou
Under increased pressure to report environmental impacts, some firms selectively disclose relatively benign impacts, creating an impression of transparency while masking their true performance. We identify key company- and country-level factors that limit firms' use of... View Details
Keywords: Disclosure Strategy; Disclosure; Environmental Performance; Environmental Strategy; Environment; Symbolic; Reporting; Corporate Disclosure; Integrated Corporate Reporting; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact
Marquis, Christopher, Michael W. Toffel, and Yanhua Zhou. "Scrutiny, Norms, and Selective Disclosure: A Global Study of Greenwashing." Organization Science 27, no. 2 (March–April 2016): 483–504. (Formerly titled "When Do Firms Greenwash? Corporate Visibility, Civil Society Scrutiny, and Environmental Disclosure.")
- January 2013
- Case
Luotang Power: Variances Explained
By: Robert Simons and Craig Chapman
The general manager of Luotang Power, a coal-fired power plant located in central China, reviews annual results before a meeting with the board of directors. He thought the company performed well during the year and both plant availability and fuel economy had improved... View Details
Keywords: China; Financial Statements; Management Accounting; Variance Analysis; Environmental Regulations; Incentives; Electric Power Generation; Contracts; Valuation; Energy Generation; Accounting; Performance Evaluation; Energy Industry; China
Simons, Robert, and Craig Chapman. "Luotang Power: Variances Explained." Harvard Business School Brief Case 913-533, January 2013.
- Research Summary
Overview
Dr. Crawford conducts research on innovation in the energy industry, with a special focus on emerging business models. She is developing several cases for the EC course, "21st Century Energy," that specifically examine innovations at the interface of IT and Energy — ... View Details
Keywords: Electricity; Prosumer; Smart Grid; Blockchain; Microgrid; Electric Vehicles; Batteries; Energy Storage; Ride-sharing; Smart Cities; Smart Buildings; Smart Meters; Demand Response; ＂GMOs,＂; Corporate Accountability; Responsibilities To Society; Environmental And Social Sustainability; Leadership & Corporate Accountability; Competitive Strategy; Innovation Strategy; Disruptive Innovation; Research and Development; Leadership; Environmental Sustainability; Energy Industry; Chemical Industry; Pharmaceutical Industry; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Technology Industry; Europe; Asia; United States
- March 2017 (Revised June 2019)
- Case
CEO Activism (A)
By: Michael W. Toffel, Aaron K. Chatterji and Julia Kelley
This case introduces CEO activism, a phenomenon in which business leaders engage in political or social issues that do not relate directly to their companies. The case uses several examples to describe why business leaders are engaging in CEO activism and the potential... View Details
Keywords: Leadership & Corporate Accountability; Environmental And Social Sustainability; Environment; Climate Change; Gender Equality; Communication Strategy; Moral Sensibility; Values and Beliefs; Leadership; Law; Rights; Risk Management; Media; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Religion; Expansion; Strategy; Social Issues; Consumer Products Industry; Electronics Industry; Technology Industry; United States; Indiana; North Carolina
Toffel, Michael W., Aaron K. Chatterji, and Julia Kelley. "CEO Activism (A)." Harvard Business School Case 617-001, March 2017. (Revised June 2019.)
- March 2024
- Article
Establishing the Foundation for Carbon Trading Markets
By: Robert S. Kaplan, Karthik Ramanna and Marc Roston
Poor measurement practices and inadequate controls have led to extensive trading of carbon offset instruments that do not materially reduce the supply of atmospheric GHG. We introduce five carbon offset accounting principles, built from fundamental financial-accounting... View Details
Keywords: Carbon Offsetting; Accounting; Carbon Accounting; E-liabilities; Measurement; Trading; Environmental Accounting; Environmental Sustainability
Kaplan, Robert S., Karthik Ramanna, and Marc Roston. "Establishing the Foundation for Carbon Trading Markets." Accountability in a Sustainable World Quarterly 2, no. 2 (March 2024): 48–57.
- June 2011 (Revised February 2024)
- Background Note
Carbon Footprints: Methods and Calculations
By: Michael W. Toffel, Stephanie van Sice and Kelsey Carter
Describes methods to calculate the carbon footprint (greenhouse gas emissions) of an organization's operations and supply chain, and a product or service. Illustrates concepts with examples of calculating the carbon footprint of organizations and products. Provides... View Details
Keywords: Measurement; Climate Change; Climate Impact; Carbon Accounting; Carbon Footprint; Carbon Emissions; Sustainability; Environmental Management; Operations; Supply Chain; Pollutants; Measurement and Metrics; Environmental Sustainability
Toffel, Michael W., Stephanie van Sice, and Kelsey Carter. "Carbon Footprints: Methods and Calculations." Harvard Business School Background Note 611-075, June 2011. (Revised February 2024.)