Determinants of sustainable & responsible innovations: A firm-level analysis for Italy

• Published in: Structural change and economic dynamics Vol. 59; pp. 360 - 374
• Main Authors: Divella, Marialuisa, Sterlacchini, Alessandro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.12.2021
• Subjects: Environment protection; Occupational health and safety; Responsible innovation; Sustainable innovation; O35; Q55; Occupational health and safety; Sustainable innovation; Environment protection; O31; Responsible innovation
• ISSN: 0954-349X; 1873-6017
• DOI: 10.1016/j.strueco.2021.09.011

•We use the term sustainable & responsible innovations (S&RIs) to focus upon innovations addressing societal challenges.•S&RIs are not confined to environment protection but encompass a wide range of social problems.•Along with those reducing environmental impacts, we examine innovations aimed at improving the health and safety of employees.•By means of a bivariate probit model, we assess whether firms pursuing workers’ health and safety as innovation objective are also ascribing high importance to environment preservation.•Using data for Italian firms we found that external knowledge and innovation sources and internal human resource practices paly a key role for the achievement of both S&RIs.•Similarities but also differences emerge between innovative firms, according to whether they are committed to health and safety or environment protection. This paper provides a micro-econometric analysis of the factors facilitating the introduction of Sustainable & Responsible Innovations by firms, with a focus on those aimed at improving occupational health and safety and reducing environmental impacts. Compared to the latter, the former objective of innovation has rarely been investigated with quantitative methods. By means of a bivariate probit model, we assess whether firms pursuing workers’ health and safety as innovation objective are also ascribing high importance to environment preservation. The evidence provided by using data for Italian firms highlights the key role of external knowledge and innovation sources and internal human resource practices for the achievement of Sustainable & Responsible innovative outcomes. Many similarities but also some differences between innovative firms emerge, according to whether they are committed to health and safety or environment protection.