What Motivates Companies to Take the Decision to Decarbonise?
What motivates industrial companies to decarbonise? While climate policy has intensified, the specific factors driving corporate decisions remain underexplored. This article addresses that gap through a mixed-methods study combining qualitative insights from a leading automotive supplier with quanti...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Energies |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/14/3780 |
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| _version_ | 1839616092406808576 |
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| author | Stefan M. Buettner Werner König Frederick Vierhub-Lorenz Marina Gilles |
| author_facet | Stefan M. Buettner Werner König Frederick Vierhub-Lorenz Marina Gilles |
| author_sort | Stefan M. Buettner |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | What motivates industrial companies to decarbonise? While climate policy has intensified, the specific factors driving corporate decisions remain underexplored. This article addresses that gap through a mixed-methods study combining qualitative insights from a leading automotive supplier with quantitative data from over 800 manufacturing companies in Germany. The study distinguishes between internal motivators—such as risk reduction, future-proofing, and competitive positioning—and external drivers like regulation, supply chain pressure, and investor expectations. Results show that internal economic logic is the strongest trigger: companies act more ambitiously when decarbonisation aligns with their strategic interests. Positive motivators outperform external drivers in both influence and impact on ambition levels. For instance, long-term cost risks were rated more relevant than reputational gains or regulatory compliance. The analysis also reveals how company size, energy intensity, and supply chain position shape motivation patterns. The findings suggest a new framing for climate policy: rather than relying solely on mandates, policies should strengthen intrinsic motivators. Aligning business interests with societal goals is not only possible—it is a pathway to more ambitious, resilient, and timely decarbonisation. By turning external pressure into internal logic, companies can move from compliance to leadership in the climate transition. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d76f23edeb6d4bbf8785d4f8f8fb7bd0 |
| institution | Matheson Library |
| issn | 1996-1073 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Energies |
| spelling | doaj-art-d76f23edeb6d4bbf8785d4f8f8fb7bd02025-07-25T13:21:33ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732025-07-011814378010.3390/en18143780What Motivates Companies to Take the Decision to Decarbonise?Stefan M. Buettner0Werner König1Frederick Vierhub-Lorenz2Marina Gilles3EEP—Institute for Energy Efficiency in Production, University of Stuttgart, 70569 Stuttgart, GermanyREZ—Reutlingen Energy Center for Distributed Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency, Reutlingen University, 72762 Reutlingen, GermanyEEP—Institute for Energy Efficiency in Production, University of Stuttgart, 70569 Stuttgart, GermanyEEP—Institute for Energy Efficiency in Production, University of Stuttgart, 70569 Stuttgart, GermanyWhat motivates industrial companies to decarbonise? While climate policy has intensified, the specific factors driving corporate decisions remain underexplored. This article addresses that gap through a mixed-methods study combining qualitative insights from a leading automotive supplier with quantitative data from over 800 manufacturing companies in Germany. The study distinguishes between internal motivators—such as risk reduction, future-proofing, and competitive positioning—and external drivers like regulation, supply chain pressure, and investor expectations. Results show that internal economic logic is the strongest trigger: companies act more ambitiously when decarbonisation aligns with their strategic interests. Positive motivators outperform external drivers in both influence and impact on ambition levels. For instance, long-term cost risks were rated more relevant than reputational gains or regulatory compliance. The analysis also reveals how company size, energy intensity, and supply chain position shape motivation patterns. The findings suggest a new framing for climate policy: rather than relying solely on mandates, policies should strengthen intrinsic motivators. Aligning business interests with societal goals is not only possible—it is a pathway to more ambitious, resilient, and timely decarbonisation. By turning external pressure into internal logic, companies can move from compliance to leadership in the climate transition.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/14/3780industrial decarbonisationintrinsic motivationemission reductionenergy efficiencycarbon neutralityclimate policy |
| spellingShingle | Stefan M. Buettner Werner König Frederick Vierhub-Lorenz Marina Gilles What Motivates Companies to Take the Decision to Decarbonise? Energies industrial decarbonisation intrinsic motivation emission reduction energy efficiency carbon neutrality climate policy |
| title | What Motivates Companies to Take the Decision to Decarbonise? |
| title_full | What Motivates Companies to Take the Decision to Decarbonise? |
| title_fullStr | What Motivates Companies to Take the Decision to Decarbonise? |
| title_full_unstemmed | What Motivates Companies to Take the Decision to Decarbonise? |
| title_short | What Motivates Companies to Take the Decision to Decarbonise? |
| title_sort | what motivates companies to take the decision to decarbonise |
| topic | industrial decarbonisation intrinsic motivation emission reduction energy efficiency carbon neutrality climate policy |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/14/3780 |
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