Integrating Economic and Environmental Performance: A Multi-Method DEA Assessment of Swedish Forestry Firms

This study applies Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) framework to examine the economic, managerial, technological, and environmental performance of three major Swedish forestry firms—SCA, Södra, and Holmen—over the period 2018–2024. The analysis employs input-oriented CCR and BCC models, super-efficiency analysis, the Malmquist Productivity Index, and an environmental DEA model incorporating transformed undesirable outputs to provide a multidimensional assessment of efficiency and productivity. In addition, a second-stage regression analysis is conducted to examine whether structural firm characteristics are associated with efficiency variation. A robustness check is performed using an output-oriented DEA specification to assess the sensitivity of efficiency results to orientation choice. The results indicate differences in performance patterns across firms and dimensions. Södra frequently operates near the estimated efficiency frontier, SCA shows improvements in environmental efficiency over time alongside scale-related constraints, and Holmen exhibits greater variability across efficiency and productivity measures. The regression results suggest that efficiency variation is not strongly associated with the included structural variables, while the robustness analysis indicates consistent firm rankings across model orientations The study provides an integrated DEA-based framework for assessing combined economic and environmental performance in resource-intensive industries and highlights the usefulness of multidimensional efficiency analysis for benchmarking purposes.