This paper investigates the relationship between economic growth, greenhouse gas emissions and other factors based on the panel data of 22 countries of the EU in the period 1995–2014. The fixed effect panel model was used as a framework for the analysis. The novel contribution of this paper is that the factors of economic growth, energy consumption, energy taxes as well as R&D were tested in one expanded EKC model, including the data of three Baltic States. The regression coefficients referring to GDP, Energy consumption have a positive sign, while R&D and Energy taxes have a negative sign. The empirical analysis combines two steps of evaluation of panel models of different groups of countries. The results imply that the analysed factors (energy consumption, energy taxes as well as R&D) can be applied to adjust the EKC trend in the region and might be useful for the climate change policy adjustment.

The paper analyses the environmental Kuznets curve relationship between greenhouse gases and chosen indicators of economic development based on the panel data of 20 countries of the EU in the period 2006–2013. Besides the typical variables, such as the share of a particular polluting industry, environmental taxes, energy taxes, research and development, the dummy variable of the crises and enterprise’s sustainability score were also included in the model. The fixed effect panel model was used as a framework for the analysis. The original contribution of this paper is that the factor referring to the enterprises’ sustainability was empirically tested in the expanded model. Higher energy taxes, research and development and the number of sustainable enterprises decrease the level of greenhouse gases. The size of agriculture, production and construction has a positive sign, which means that a higher value of the indicator is associated with a higher level of greenhouse gases. This implies that the analysed set of factors can be applied to adjust the trend in the region and might be useful for the climate change policy adjustment.

The stream of scientific articles on sustainability, financial literacy, and sustainability literacy shows their importance in the transformation process. New financial instruments with sustainable or green features have been introduced in the financial market. As a result, financial literacy is becoming more complex and the need for sustainability literacy is also increasing. Financial literacy now includes not only the knowledges, attitudes, and behavior of financial well-being but also positive impacts on environmental and social development. This article presupposes financial literacy and sustainability literacy are key instruments for the sustainable development of society. The aim of this article is to analyze the scientific literature on sustainability literacy and financial literacy and investigate the level of sustainability literacy and financial literacy among young people aged 15–30 years in the Baltic states. A systematic review of the literature was carried out followed by a survey, which revealed some differences between Estonia and Latvia and Lithuania in terms of sustainability and financial literacy levels.

The paper analyses the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) relationship between greenhouse gases and main aspects of economic development based on the panel data of 20 countries of the EU, including the data of three Baltic States, in the period 1995–2011. The fixed effect panel model was used as a framework for the analysis. The commonly used models confirmed the presence of the inverse U-shaped relationship. The novel contribution of this paper is that the factor referring to the global financial crisis was tested in expanded EKC model. Higher energy taxes, primary production of nuclear heat and R&D decrease the level of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). The size of agriculture, industry and construction, as well as the primary production of solid fuels have a positive sign, which means that a higher value of these indicators is associated with a higher level of GHG. This implies that the analysed set of factors can be applied to adjust the EKC trend in the region and might be useful for the climate change policy adjustment.

The main purpose of this study was to examine the ethicality of future employees’ attitudes toward advancement in the workplace in Slovenia and Lithuania. This study focuses on students representing young adults from Generation Z as future employees in organizations. Using a survey of work-related issues, we collected 212 answers from Slovenian and 159 from Lithuanian' students from business faculties. We used t-tests and regression analyses to obtain results. We found that the future employees in Slovenia see organizationally beneficial behavior and self-indulgent behavior significantly more acceptable for their advancement, than their Lithuanian peers. No differences exist in the perception of destructive behavior among participants from both countries. Substantial differences in the importance of personal values ​​among Generation Z members in both societies, provide a strong support for the divergence nature of Generation Z across cultures. The impact of personal values on the ethicality of different behavior for advancement in the workplace among future employees in both societies is substantial, but biased and follows different patterns. In Slovenia, the dominant role has power, followed by hedonism, benevolence, security, conformity, tradition, and universalism, while in Lithuania, the dominant role belongs to self-direction, followed by tradition, universalism, security, achievement, and power. This study will help us to understand Generation Z values and their perceptions regarding ethicality of advancement in the workplace and enable organizations to manage the behavior of future employees.

Recently, the role of businesses in advancing sustainable development has drawn growing attention from governments, investors, and a wide range of stakeholders. This increased focus has led enterprises to incorporate environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations into their strategic and operational decisions, driven by evolving regulatory frameworks, increasing investor scrutiny, and rising consumer expectations. Despite this shift toward sustainability-oriented practices, the relationship between ESG performance and financial results remains a subject of considerable debate and empirical uncertainty. The research examines the links between separate ESG pillars and the financial performance of enterprises operating within resource-intensive industries, such as energy, industrials, materials, and utilities across Europe and the USA, based on a sample of 384 companies, using data from 2015 to 2024. The study focuses on differences between regions and further examines whether differences in the influence of individual ESG dimensions on the financial results of enterprises are evident within specific industries. The research findings present identified positive and statistically significant relationships with the environmental pillar of ESG for both Europe and the US regions. There are differences between the social and governance pillars of ESG and the financial performance of the resource-intensive industries of Europe and the USA. In Europe, there is a positive influence of social-related factors on financial performance, while in the USA, there is a negative impact. However, the governance-related factor shows that a statistically significant relationship exists with financial performance in the USA, and a negative one in Europe. These findings show the different focus directions of Europe and the USA regions.