The Position of a Company in the Production Chain of the Pulp and Paper Industry Focusing on the Adoption of Eco-Innovation Strategies

This study sought to gauge to what extent companies in the production chain focus on the relationship between contextual factors and the definition of eco-innovation strategies. The methodology is based on a quantitative approach using a survey in 117 companies. The results show that, in general, the companies in the sample the correlation with proactive innovation strategies was especially strengthened for those at the beginning of the production chain, with an increase in the mean for this group. This result is not in keeping with the literature when it comes to the sample data. In the literature, companies that operate in the latter stages of the production chain ought to have a greater impact at the environmental actions, as they have more direct contact with consumers of the end product. This improved performance for companies at the beginning of the production chain could be explained by the fact that these are the most polluting companies and have become the focus of environmental legislation.