Carbon reduction indicators and strategies: A cornerstone of corporate social responsability

• Pages: 13-21

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Balkan Journal of

Interdisciplinary Research

E-ISSN 2411-9725

ISSN 2410-759X

Vol.10 No.2

September, 2024

Carbon reduction indicators and strategies: A cornerstone of corporate social

responsibility

PhD (C.) Ina Balukja

University of Elbasan “Aleksandër Xhuvani”, Elbasan, Albania

DOI: hps://doi.org/10.2478/bjir-2024-0012

Abstract

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has become an essential element for modern businesses,

encompassing a range of ethical and sustainable practices that address social, economic, and

environmental impacts. Among these, carbon reduction stands out as a critical focus due to

the urgent global threat posed by climate change. This paper explores the fundamental role

of carbon reduction within CSR by examining key indicators and strategies employed by

companies to lower their carbon emissions. The indicators discussed include total greenhouse

gas emissions, carbon intensity, renewable energy usage, energy eciency, and waste reduction

and recycling. Strategies such as improving energy eciency, transitioning to renewable

energy sources, carbon oseing, enhancing supply chain sustainability, and adopting

circular economy practices are analyzed for their eectiveness and implementation challenges.

The benets of carbon reduction, including improved public image, cost savings, regulatory

compliance, investor araction, and employee engagement, are highlighted. Additionally, the

paper addresses the challenges companies face in their carbon reduction eorts, such as high

initial costs, technological limitations, supply chain complexity, lack of standardization, and

regulatory uncertainty. Case studies of successful companies like IKEA, Google, Unilever,

and Patagonia provide practical insights and best practices for eective carbon management.

The role of stakeholders, including employees, customers, suppliers, investors, and regulatory

bodies, is emphasized in driving and supporting carbon reduction initiatives. Future trends

in carbon reduction, such as advancements in technology, increased regulatory pressure,

greater focus on the circular economy, enhanced stakeholder engagement, and the integration

of sustainability into business strategies, are also explored. This paper concludes that carbon

reduction is not only crucial for environmental protection but also brings signicant business

benets, making it a fundamental aspect of corporate social responsibility and a critical

component for achieving long-term sustainability and success.

Keywords: corporate social responsibility, carbon reduction, sustainability, energy eciency,

cricular economy, environmental responsibility.

1

Vol. 9 No.2

September, 2023

Balkan Journal of Interdisciplinary Research

IIPCCL Publishing, Graz-Austria

E-ISSN 2411-9725

ISSN 2410-759X

Research Article

© 2023 Ardita Abazi Imeri

This is an open access article licensed under the Creative Commons

Aribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License

(hps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/)

Deliberating in the Gray Zone: North Macedonia’s Hybrid Regime and

Deliberative Democracy Exercise

Ardita Abazi Imeri

European Policy Institute (EPI) – Skopje

DOI: hps://doi.org/10.2478/bjir-2023-0001

Abstract

Deliberative polling has emerged as a promising method for promoting democratic reform

and citizen engagement in various contexts, however, its potential and limitations in hybrid

regimes, where democratic governance is challenged by a mix of democratic and authoritarian

features, remain relatively unexplored. This paper focuses on the case of North Macedonia,

as a country that has undergone signicant political and societal transformation especially in

the recent years. Despite eorts to promote democratic reforms, the country continues to face

challenges in terms of ensuring democratic governance and citizen participation. In a hybrid

regime, like North Macedonia’s, political leaders might not be inclined to value citizens’

input, and the media environment might not be free from inuence, which limits access to

varied and reliable sources of information. Civil society organizations may also encounter

limitations on their operations, and institutional assistance may be insucient. Additionally,

the population’s diversity could make it dicult to reach and build trust with citizens. In

this context, deliberative polling represents an opportunity to engage citizens in meaningful

political dialogue and institutional reform. This paper examines the potential of deliberative

polling as a tool for promoting governance in North Macedonia and highlights the challenges

and limitations faced in this process.

Keywords: deliberative poll, hybrid regime, authoritarian, democracy.

1. Introduction

Democracy around the world is in crisis. In general, the state of democracy world-

wide indicates a lack of progress (Economist Intelligence Unit, 2022). Looking at the

global picture, 2022 fell short of expectations for democracy, as it was anticipated that

the lifting of pandemic-related restrictions might result in an improvement in the

overall score. Both the Freedom House Report 2022 and the Economist Intelligence

Unit’s Democracy Index (EIU) 2022 indicate that the state of democracy around the

world is facing signicant challenges and setbacks.

Research Article

© 2024 Ina Balukja

This is an open access article licensed under the Creative Commons

Aribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License

(hps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/)