The literature on the environment has analyzed how firms carry out R&D to reduce their pollutant emissions, assuming that they maximize profits. However, empirical evidence shows that firms are increasingly concerned about Environmental Corporate Social Responsibility (ECSR). Following that evidence, we consider that the objective function of firms incorporates the environmental damage they generate as part of their social concern. We find that how firms perform environmental R&D depends crucially on the degree to which they care about ECSR. If that degree is low enough, firms agree to set up an Environmental Research Joint Venture (ERJV) under which they coordinate their R&D investments and fully share their technological knowledge. This is the result obtained when firms maximize profits. If the degree is high enough, firms enter into an ERJV in which each fully shares its technological expertise but they do not coordinate their R&D investments. Finally, if the degree is intermediate, firms neither set up an ERJV nor disclose information. Social welfare is the highest and environmental damage the lowest if firms form an ERJV and coordinate their R&D investments. Therefore, the way in which firms organize their R&D activities is not always the most socially preferable.

环境方面的文献分析了企业如何开展研发以减少污染物排放，假设他们实现利润最大化。然而，经验证据表明，企业越来越关注环境企业社会责任 (ECSR)。根据该证据，我们认为公司的目标函数将它们产生的环境破坏纳入其社会关注的一部分。我们发现，企业如何进行环境研发在很大程度上取决于他们对 ECSR 的关心程度。如果这个程度足够低，公司同意建立一个环境研究合资企业（ERJV），在该合资企业下他们协调他们的研发投资并充分分享他们的技术知识。这是企业利润最大化时得到的结果。如果学历足够高，公司进入 ERJV，其中每个人都完全共享其技术专长，但他们不协调他们的研发投资。最后，如果学历是中级，公司既不会设立 ERJV，也不会披露信息。如果企业组建 ERJV 并协调其研发投资，则社会福利最高，环境破坏最低。因此，企业组织研发活动的方式并不总是最受社会欢迎的方式。