Open access article 📃 - We are glad to announce that the our new article, titled “Composition and Determinants of Corporate Climate Lobbying: Evidence From Italy” (open access), is now published and available in Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management by Wiley! 🎉 We thank to and congratulate the authors: Lilit Popoyan, Grazia Errichiello, Mariangela Bonasia, and Pasquale Marcello Falcone. 👏 Read the news for further details about the article. 🔎
🔎 What we studied:
Using firm-level data (LobbyFacts + ORBIS, 2011–2023) and a mix of AI-assisted textual analysis and econometrics, we map who lobbies on climate in Italy, how much they spend, and what drives participation in EU climate policy meetings.
💡 Take-home messages:
- Revenue is the #1 driver: higher-revenue firms spend more on lobbying and show up more in climate-related meetings—especially very large companies.
- Regional divide matters: lobbying is concentrated in the North (Lombardy, Veneto, Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany, Lazio), mirroring Italy’s industrial geography.
- Who’s at the table? Capital-intensive, highly regulated sectors (e.g., energy, manufacturing, professional services) account for the largest outlays; SMEs are present but under-represented (though growing since 2017).
- Policy milestones, policy attention: engagement spiked around major EU initiatives (Paris Agreement, Green Deal, Fit for 55).
- Why it matters: when only the biggest voices are heard, the risk of asymmetric influence grows—making transparency and broader participation essential.
📃 Abstract of the article
This study investigates the determinants of corporate climate-related lobbying in Italy, focusing on firm-level factors that influence lobbying expenditures and participation in European climate policy discussions. Given rising pressure from governments and stakeholders for sustainable practices, corporate lobbying plays a crucial role in shaping European climate policies. Using an unbalanced panel dataset of Italian firms from 2011 to 2023, we employ advanced econometric methods and AI-supported textual analysis to explore lobbying dynamics. The findings indicate that firm revenue is a key driver of lobbying intensity, with larger firms investing more in lobbying activities and engaging more frequently in climate-related discussions. Additionally, regional differences and company size significantly affect lobbying behaviors, highlighting the role of financial resources and institutional context in shaping firms’ climate policy engagement. In this, the research contributes to the limited EU-focused literature on corporate lobbying, providing valuable insights into Italy’s unique lobbying landscape and its implications for climate governance.
Keywords: Corporate Lobbying, European Climate Policy, Firm-level Determinants, Policy Engagement, Textual Analysis
Open access and paper details: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/csr.70148