Since early debates on the sustainability paradigm, the role played by private and public sector organisations in promoting societal transitions has been on the forefront of sustainable development research. However, how organisations contribute and promote such transitions remains unclear. Corporate Sustainability (CS) concepts have been driving the debate, along with theories and methods that provided guidance in the adoption of sustainability strategies at the organisational level. In this context, multiple studies were developed focusing either on the increase of knowledge about the theories supporting sustainability in organisations and on practical tools that would help organisations to improve their sustainability performance. Despite the wide range of studies focusing on CS, it is still debatable how can organisations achieve an effective transition towards sustainability.
Thus, the main goal of this study is twofold. Firstly, it aims to provide a critical in-depth review of recent organisational sustainability concepts, strategies and instruments, which supports a systemic understanding of key challenges in designing and assessing sustainability transitions in organisations. Secondly, departing from these insights, a deliberative framework is advanced to support the collaborative development and implementation of transition pathways in an organisational context.
Organisational sustainability concepts are holistic and complex and thus difficult to define, which leads to a great variety of implementation approaches. Most of these approaches are supported in theoretical frameworks, such as transition management and stakeholders’ theory, that provide some guidance in the development and implementation of strategic paths towards sustainability in organisations. The existing sustainability tools available to organisations are diverse in scope, scale and applicability, addressing the different dimensions of sustainability, organisations and their value chain, as well as processes, products and/or services. However, the effectiveness of these tools in reaching strategic organisational sustainability objectives is still contested topic in the reviewed literature, lacking clear evidence.
From the analysis of the in-depth review emerged a set of core elements, which form the pillars of the proposed deliberative framework for organisational sustainability: first, the approaches for involving stakeholders in the creation of a sustainability vision for the organisation and for assessing performance across time; second, the consideration of the key characteristics of sustainability as a holistic, complex and dynamic concept when developing possible paths to promote transitions towards the vision; and third, the external organisational context comprising major global trends, as well as the internal organisational factors facilitating the adoption of corporate sustainability instruments. The deliberative framework proposed builds on diverse theories, among which the Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development.
Keywords:Â organisational sustainability, sustainability transitions, in-depth literature review, deliberative framework
5a. Corporate sustainability and CSR
