“This report demonstrates a new methodology that translates the implications of a company’s environmental performance into financial terms. The methodology is forward-looking, deals explicitly with uncertainties regarding future environmental developments, and is fully consistent with established financial valuation techniques. Not only is the approach suitable as a tool for investment analysis, it can easily be adapted for use by company managers as an internal strategic planning tool. An application of this methodology to 13 leading companies in the U.S. pulp and paper sector shows that pending environmental issues will have material financial impacts on companies in the pulp and paper sector and that these financial exposures vary considerably between companies. Knowing which companies are best positioned with regard to environmental issues could improve investors’ decision making.”
