Purpose 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.Design/methodology/approach 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.Findings 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.Research limitations/implications Environmental certifications have little or no impact on customer satisfaction in this sample of kindergartens.Originality/value 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.
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