Gender, environment and business responsibility
Published in Social Sciences, Sustainability, and Business & Management
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Analysis for environmental issues in the Mexican society from a gender view
Our paper makes a significant contribution to the fields of gender studies, environmental sociology, and critical Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) research. Particularly, we introduce a novel conceptual framework called the Responsibility Footprint, which reinterprets CSR through a gender and ecological lens. It is applied to the Mexican case.
We analyse the social perception and attitudes of the Mexican people by gender related to several spatial, environmental and public health issues as global warming, water shortage, water pollution and the influence of economic growth.
Our objective is twofold. First, a renewed framework of business responsibility is described, including the “responsibility footprints”. Second, an integrated measurement of environmental and social impacts within a broader analytical framework such as that of business responsibility (CSR) is proposed.
Many researchers study the environmental risks, but they are frequently less related to the gender. The importance of this study stems from the synergetic influence of ecological awareness, on the one hand, and women’s role in the conservation of natural resources and public health, as well as their more positive attitude towards environmental issues, on the other, despite women having mainly been vetoed from the greater public and private administrative and decision-making scene.
In this new approach, from a post-Marxist point of view (Marxism, feminism and ecologism currents) related to the metabolic rift, several environmental and socioeconomic indexes are incorporated into the new CSR approach, thus integrating the measurement of business responsibility into the usual ethical parameters of social responsibility.
Particularly, Latin America had the lowest levels of gender inequality in the areas of health and education. More specifically, the gender gap in Mexico in 2020 was one of the highest within the group of Latin American countries, both on a global scale and in each of the categories covered by the Gender Gap Index (GGI), excepting health.
Regards to Mexico, several papers study mainly the socio-environmental perceptions and risks, although they not study this topic from a gender and economic view together. We have proposed several original indices, and apply these to Mexican data to analyse perceptions of environmental risks differentiated by gender.
This paper brings to light the invisible pillars of labour exploitation on a global scale, that is, women's unpaid work and the unappreciated wealth and services provided by the environment; thus relativizing the emphasis on business ethics from a neo-liberal approach. Particularly, the social and environmental footprints of the Mexican people with regard to issues of such social interest as global warming or the influence of economic growth on the environment.
The empirical results suggest nuanced gendered patterns in ecological awareness, policy preferences, and concern about water scarcity and pollution. In conclusion, this study is relevant for public policies that will greatly bolster initiatives to prompt, among others, better female professional involvement in the conservation of natural resources and public health.
This post draws on the co-authored article by J. Agustín Franco and Manuel Pulido, “Analysis for environmental issues in the Mexican society from a gender view” (Discover Environment, 2025), https://doi.org/10.1007/s44274-025-00382-9
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Discover Environment
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Key topics include:
Chemical Hydrology: Analysis of water composition, pollutant behavior, and geochemical interactions shaping water quality.
Basin and Catchment Science: Investigations into watershed hydrology, sediment transport, and hydrogeomorphological processes.
Glacier Environments: Research on cryospheric hydrology, glacier-fed rivers, and the influence of climate change on water availability.
Land-Use Systems: Examining the effects of agriculture, urbanization, deforestation, and industry on water resources.
Water Pollution & Remediation: Addressing emerging contaminants (e.g., microplastics, pharmaceuticals, PFAS), nature-based solutions, and policy frameworks for water protection.
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Methodological advancement in water research
Furthermore, to enhance the scope and impact of the section, we strongly encourage submissions that:
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• Promote the integration of traditional ecological knowledge and community-based water governance practices to enhance the cultural relevance and sustainability of proposed water stewardship strategies.
• Explore transboundary water issues, including shared aquifers and river basins, to highlight the importance of cooperation and policy in sustainable resource management.
• Emphasize the value of coupling remote sensing and GIS technologies with in-situ hydrological data for improved water quality monitoring and modeling accuracy across scales.
• Focus on emerging contaminants such as microplastics, pharmaceuticals, and PFAS in both freshwater and marine environments, reflecting current global research priorities.
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• Highlight the role of climate change scenarios and projections in shaping adaptive water management frameworks, particularly in glacier-fed and drought-prone regions.
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By fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and highlighting diverse perspectives, the Water Environment: Addressing Global Water Challenges section serves as a vital platform for advancing knowledge on global water challenges and informing policy for sustainable water stewardship.
This Collection supports and amplifies research related to: SDG 6 & SDG 13
Keywords: Water Systems, Water Pollution, Climate Change, Land-Use Impacts, Sustainable Water Management, Emerging Contaminants, Hydrological Modeling, Interdisciplinary Collaboration, SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), Chemical Hydrology, Watershed Science, and Glacier Environments.
Publishing Model: Open Access
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Advancing Environmental Sustainability via Green Finance, Energy Efficiency, and Clean Technologies
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This collection aims to synthesize and explore knowledge on how green finance, energy efficiency and clean technologies can be employed in advancing a smooth transition to sustainable futures. Policy frameworks, emerging solutions and effective strategies that that are useful in facilitating a shift to clean energy and technologies, foster sustainable economic development and environmental protection are explored on.
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* To display clean technological advancements that lessen environmental impact in different economic sectors.
* To demonstrate how energy efficiency is fundamental in reducing emissions.
* To investigate key mechanisms that can be adopted to ensure the efficient channeling of green finance into practices and projects that support environmental sustainability.
* To identify interconnections as well as synergies between these three pillars; hence, facilitate the development of integrated sustainable solutions
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This Collection explores interdisciplinary strategies integrating finance, energy, and technology to tackle global environmental challenges.
* Green Finance: Sustainable investment funds, green bonds, impact investing, carbon finance, sustainable banking practices, lending that considers an assessment of environmental risk, green finance policy frameworks, and the promotion of sustainability by financial institutions.
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* Governance and Policy: International agreements, regulatory frameworks, incentive measures and regulatory standards for energy efficiency and public-private partnerships in supporting the scaling and adoption of clean technologies.
* Best Practices and Case Studies: Successfully implemented real-world examples from different industrial sectors and geographical contexts.
This Collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 7 & SDG 13
Keywords: Environmental Sustainability; Green Finance; Green Technological Innovations; Energy Efficiency; Climate Change; Sustainable Development
Publishing Model: Open Access
Deadline: Aug 31, 2026
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