Towards a better integration of corporate sustainability at functional level

Abstract

An increasing number of companies engages in corporate sustainability (CS) resulting in a need to find ways to integrate CS successfully. Successful CS integration requires commitment from all employees and a change towards more sustainability-oriented activities throughout the entire company. In this regard, research at a company’s group level has been underrepresented. Therefore, this thesis has focussed on CS integration at functional/departmental level.

Three functional levels at a multinational have been analysed and compared on two parts: 1) how they work with CS; and 2) what still could hinder them from integrating CS and how to overcome this. The findings on the first part show that all functions (partly) know their roles in CS, but actual integration differs. Tasks of a more sustainability-oriented function are strongly related to environmental contributions making CS integration easier. The functions of Sales and Communication are increasing their efforts in CS due to more external reasons (e.g. customers’ requirements) but their actual level of CS integration is perceived to be lower. The findings on the second part involve exploration and analyses of barriers to change towards CS and strategies on how to overcome these (OCMCS), thereby facilitating the various functional levels to know about their particular hindrances for CS integration. Each function is characterised by a decreasing number of barriers when coming towards higher managerial levels (intra-functional variance). Inter-functional variance on barriers is also observed where half of the barriers are unique to one of the three functions. The challenge in prioritising CS is the most predominant barrier within all three functions. Overall, absolutely more recognition of strategies to overcome barriers to change is observed than recognition of actual barriers occurring. Most strategies seem appropriate for overcoming the barriers mentioned. However, some level of discordance between barriers and strategies has been found, particularly on the emotional attitude and at organisational level. This can be explained by the fact that strategies are mentioned but not yet or recently applied.

The intra- and inter-functional variances within the analyses performed advocate for attention towards function-tailored approaches in order to get towards an even better CS integration. Additionally, the novel exploration of specific tasks in CS for various functions, and their barriers to change towards CS and strategies to overcome these novel to literature have expanded knowledge on CS integration and OCMCS, primarily at group level.