An increasing number of firms in OECD countries are obtaining certification as Socially Responsible. Literature is sensitive in testing whether there is a relation between firm performance and Social Responsibility certification. In order to overcome problems related to the multiplicity of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) definitions and certifications, our work implements a CSR index based on the intersection between two of the three main international indices (Domini 400 Social Index, Dow Jones Sustainability World Index and FTSE4Good Index). By using this database in a panel framework, our work shows that among Corporate Performance Measures (CPF), Market Value Added (MVA) is affected by a firm’s social responsible behaviour and certification. The results support the idea that CSR firms have better long-run performance. Thanks to the reputation effect, they achieve higher sales volumes and profits and a reduction in long-run costs: these effects compensate the costs due to the certification.

The Water–Energy–Food (WEF) nexus describes natural resource use in the context of social needs and economic development, addressing food, water, and energy security. Population growth and rising economic prosperity will increase the demand for energy, food, and water in the Mediterranean region, compromising the sustainable use of resources. As governments are required to make decisions in order to cope with increasing demands for resources, this paper performs a review of the legislation and WEF policies, identifying the main political and institutional actors involved and the possible policy (in)coherence in four MED countries located on two continents: Egypt, Italy, Spain, and Tunisia. This choice will allow the identification of the barriers and catalysts influencing the implementation of WEF policies and will improve our understanding of the WEF trade-offs and synergies by exploring them on national, regional, and local scales.

Purpose: The aim of this study is to investigate the contribution of tangible and intangible investments in driving labour productivity growth in the European Union over the period 2000–2017 and their role in the short and medium run. Additionally, heterogeneity across countries is accounted for by performing estimates separately for Eastern and Western European countries. Design/methodology/approach: The methodology used to conduct the analysis of the determinants of productivity is the two-way fixed-effect and the system generalised method of moments. We also include country-specific dummies in place of our variable on national innovative capacity as a means to further reduce the number of instruments. Findings: The results reveal a long-term relationship of investment in intangible assets with labour productivity growth, more specifically of investment in R&D. This relationship holds both when considering the whole set of European countries and for Western European countries, demonstrating that R&D is key to enhancing labour productivity growth. On the contrary, the effect for Eastern countries is negative, probably due to the lack of capacity to turn this investment into an efficient and effective way to foster productivity. Originality/value: Besides confirming the well-known role of tangible and intangible assets in productivity, the heterogeneity shown in our analysis highlights the need for improving capabilities in Eastern countries. Diversifying the decisions on the investments in European countries, depending on the specific needs and their heterogeneity, could help bridge the productivity gap and enhance specific capabilities of the country systems.

The systematic use of landfills as a method of waste disposal is leaving a heavy legacy in terms of environmental pollution, especially in the case of illegal or non‐compliant disposal sites. When no environmental precaution is adopted, harmful substances' release imposes relevant health risk to the surrounding population. This risk is also reflected on the value of nearby assets. To mitigate this pressing problem, the European Union is planning and financing the remediation of thousands of contaminated sites on its territory. Cost–benefit analysis (CBA) is used for assessing the priority of individual projects and for accessing European funding, evaluating the effectiveness of an investment considering the externalities generated. In this paper, we apply CBA to two emergency securing interventions of contaminated sites in Southern Italy. We execute a financial analysis and an economic evaluation of four environmental and social spillovers (reduction of mortality, recovery of real estate and land assets values and landscape enhancement). This study contributes to the literature of CBA applied to environmental projects, proposing a systematic and replicable method for evaluating externalities generated by contaminated sites' emergency securing. Being based on two real case studies, this work allows to compare similar interventions, highlighting the most effective action strategy.

Amidst the escalating impact of climate change, the agricultural sector faces the challenge of maintaining productive capacity while conserving increasingly scarce water resources. Modernizing irrigation systems by replacing inefficient open‐channel distribution infrastructures is crucial to address this challenge. Cost–benefit analysis (CBA) offers a valuable tool to assess the effectiveness of such actions, in terms of both financial and socio‐environmental impacts. CBA is also valuable for optimizing the allocation of limited financial resources to the most impactful measures and addressing trade‐offs within the water‐energy‐food (WEF) nexus. This study applies CBA to two modernization projects in the ‘Villalar de los Comuneros’ irrigation district in the Duero River Basin, located in northern Spain. The first project focuses on enhancing energy efficiency by installing a photovoltaic system to power irrigation pumps, while the second promotes climate‐smart agriculture through the use of soil moisture sensors to improve irrigation precision and facilitate the transition to higher value crops. The results of the CBA demonstrate the financial and economic viability of both projects, highlighting the social and environmental benefits generated, and providing policymakers with a valuable framework for guiding similar future interventions.