Suggestions have been made that the most appropriate mechanism for the linking of accountability and corporate social responsibility for the physical environment is through a demonstration that a positive relationship exists between corporate responsibility and environmental performance. The assumption underlying such suggestions is that the profit motive will cause corporations to adopt and implement policies that protect the physical environment. Unfortunately, empirical research on the relationship between profitability and environmental performance has been inconclusive. Fogler and Nutt (1975) and Rockness, Schlachter, and Rockness (1986) found no significant link between profitability and environmental performance, while Bragdon and Marlin (1972) and Spicer (1978b) found a positive link between the two variables, and Holman, New, and Singer (1985) found a negative link.
Suggestions also have been made that an effective mechanism for the linking of accountability and corporate responsibility for protecting the physical environment is through requirements that corporate performance within this context be disclosed in notes to annual corporate financial reports. The assumption underlying these suggestions is that public knowledge of actual corporate performance with respect to the protection of the physical environment will motivate corporations to adopt and implement policies that protect the physical environment. Again, however, the empirical research conducted in this area has produced inconclusive results. Shrum and Wuthnow (1988), Freedman and Jaggi (1982), and Wiseman (1982) found no significant link between disclosure and corporate environmental performance, Gladwin (1993), Fombrun and Shaney (1990), and Spicer (1978a) found a positive relationship between the two variables, and Baucus and Near (1991) found a negative relationship.
A different approach, thus, is required to link accountability and corporate environ...