Environmental certifications and customer satisfaction: evidence from kindergartens

The purpose of this paper is to study whether environmental certifications increase customer satisfaction in kindergartens, and whether this relationship is influenced by kindergarten size or ownership type.

Data from a parental satisfaction survey in Norwegian kindergartens is combined with data on environmental certifications (n = 2033–3270 kindergartens over 7 years, approximately 11% certified). Regression models with extensive controls are used to test the relationships.

The main pooled cross-sectional regression and all panel data regression models show no significant relationships between environmental certification and customer satisfaction. Organizational size or ownership type (for-profit/non-profit) does not moderate the relationship.

Environmental certifications have little or no impact on customer satisfaction in this sample of kindergartens.

The study contributes by examining the effects of environmental certifications on customer satisfaction in kindergartens, a little studied topic and a sector, and by using a large sample, secondary data and panel data methods, avoiding some limitations in earlier research.