‘Fossilfritt Sverige’ : Which Companies Engage with the Climate initiative, and Why?

Abstract: The climate initiative Fossilfritt Sverige, largely comprised of companies, has been advanced as an integral part for the national climate ambition of Sweden becoming a fossil free welfare state by 2045. This paper seeks to explore and provide insights about the relationship between company characteristics, and motives for, voluntary engagement in the initiative. The study uses a mixed method approach to test hypotheses and expectations regarding such relationships. In doing so an original dataset of 400 of Swedish companies is analysed using binary regression analyses along with a thematic analysis of 15 previously carried out interviews with company representatives. The findings of the study support a hypothesis of ISO 14001 certified companies being more likely- and further indicates that companies with higher annual net revenues are less likely to engage with the initiative. Moreover, the findings indicate that engagement is especially influenced by competitive motives. It is further suggested that financially smaller, along with certified, companies thus perceive greater marketing and coinciding legitimising benefits from engagement in the initiative. This paper thereby contributes to the literature on private actors and their collaborations with public actors in climate governance by providing with insights into which and why companies voluntarily engage with the climate initiative.