Sustainability in The Banking Industry: A Strategic Multi‐Criterion Analysis

The current paper aims to develop an effective and integrated MCDM model for the evaluation of the sustainability practices in the banking services, employing a multi‐stage, fuzzy MCDM model that integrates the Balanced Scorecard, fuzzy AHP and fuzzy TOPSIS. The approach aims to evaluate sustainability from the following four perspectives: financial stability, customer relationship management, internal business process and environment‐friendly management system. A real implementation dealing with the six largest commercial banks in India is discussed. The results highlights the critical aspects of the evaluation criteria and the issues in improving sustainable banking performances. Regarding the sustainability issues, it is shown that the environment‐friendly management system takes a back seat compared with the other criteria. Furthermore, the results show that there is a misunderstanding of the role that corporate social responsibility plays with respect to environmental issues. The developed evaluation model offers a valuable management tool for banks' administrators by assisting them in strategic choices in order to achieve their objective of sustainability and sustainable banking. Moreover, it offers a measuring tool with unique features that complements the emerging trend of integrated reporting considering uncertainty. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment     

Prioritizing Sustainability Indicators: Using Materiality Analysis to Guide Sustainability Assessment and Strategy

Despite the growing awareness of complexity in sustainable development, the practical implementation of sustainability assessment through the use of sustainability indicators requires prioritizing the myriad indicators available. This study identifies the highest priority sustainability indicators for the New Zealand wine industry using materiality analysis. Thirteen information sources representative of different stakeholder perspectives considered to drive the need for sustainability assessment are analysed to provide a measure of sustainability issue salience and risk. Based on a meta‐analysis of relevant information, it is found that environmental issues make up the highest priority issues, followed by social issues relating primarily to worker wellbeing. Significantly, economic and governance issues were not found to be high priorities. These findings are discussed in the context of the common bias in agricultural sustainability assessment towards environmental issues, and the broader business implications for sustainability assessment, strategy and policy. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment     

The ‘greening’ of tourism micro‐businesses: outcomes of focus group investigations in South East Cornwall

The response of micro‐businesses to sustainability issues, and their use of environmental management tools and systems, are often presented as simply scaled‐down versions of those of larger businesses in the small and medium‐sized enterprise (SME) sector as a whole. This paper presents the findings of a series of focus groups with the owners of tourism micro‐businesses in South East Cornwall about their awareness, understanding and adoption of sustainable tourism practices. The results reveal a complex and diverse response to the concept that resists such generalizations. A genuine need for measures to increase awareness and integrate sustainability issues within business practice is highlighted. Initiatives that do not account for the heterogeneity of the sector are likely to have only limited success. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. and ERP Environment.     

异质性活文化资源战略与竞争优势——以千年瑶寨为例

本文以资源观理论为基础,以连南瑶族自治县南岗千年瑶寨旅游景区为案例研究对象,研究了异质性活文化资源战略对旅游经济持续竞争优势的影响。研究表明,人、物和情境综合体的民族活文化资源,是具有异质性的资源;只有打造这样的民族文化资源,民族地区才能够获取旅游经济持续的竞争优势。本文认为在进行民族文化资源的开发过程中,要认识到异质性资源自身的特点,只有民族文化资源保持原有的特色,保持其活力和生机,才可能具备可持续的旅游经济竞争优势。研究结论将为民族地区的文化旅游战略发展提供参考性建议。     

Stakeholder management and sustainability strategies in the French nuclear industry

This paper describes how a nuclear power corporation integrates sustainability into corporate strategies and practices. The case study focuses on one of the world's largest nuclear power generators and describes the corporate capture of sustainable development in its strategic efforts to promote a growth strategy. The paper shows how corporate strategies to address sustainability concerns involve managing different stakeholders, enabling the corporation to sustain its economic growth strategy. Three types of stakeholder management strategy are identified: reinforcement strategies for supportive stakeholders, containment strategies for obstructive stakeholders and stabilization strategies for passive stakeholders. The paper argues that, despite claims of sustainable development in the nuclear industry, there is no significant shift in the ‘business as usual’ approach and that sustainable development is merely reframed as sustainable growth. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.     

ISO 26000 and the Standardization of Strategic Management Processes for Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility

The standard ISO 26000 aims to provide guidance on social responsibility and help all types of organizations contribute to sustainable development. Such guidance is important since there is still no consistent understanding of what corporate sustainability and social responsibility (CSSR) encompass. Many companies lack a strategic approach to CSSR and instead follow unsystematic procedures; thus, formal strategic planning could improve operational efficiency. Against this background, this article critically examines the contribution of ISO 26000 to the strategic management processes of different types of companies. This allows the potential of ISO 26000 for guiding companies on their path to sustainability to be identified. The analysis shows that the standard is most useful for beginners in CSSR. However, ISO 26000 does not cover the entire range of strategic management processes. Instead, the standard is especially helpful for internal and external analyses and in providing starting points for implementing sustainability strategies. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.     

Stakeholder Engagement: Defining Strategic Advantage for Sustainable Construction

Although sustainable development is increasingly becoming a part of business plans, it is unclear what makes the economic, social and environmental dynamics strategically compatible. This research examines which of the following in sustainable development – government policy, managerial attitude and stakeholder engagement – is the most influential on the profitability of companies in the UK construction sector. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were rendered through a survey and semi‐structured interviews. Patterns of ambiguity in legislation were discovered as an obstacle for changing the sector's mind‐set. Stakeholder engagement was identified as the defining factor increasing managers' awareness, helping legislation to be effectively implemented and making sustainability highly appealing to clients. These findings indicate that to gain competitive advantage, companies should embark on long‐term strategic alliances which adopt the proposals of environmental non‐governmental organisations and closely follow public opinion. This, strengthens brand equity, allows for premium pricing, increases market share and maximizes profit. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.     

Integrating Sustainability into Firms' Processes: Performance Effects and the Moderating Role of Business Models and Innovation

Innovation has been widely regarded as a panacea for sustainable development, but there remains considerable uncertainty about how it will lead to a more sustainable society. We analyze the role of innovation and business models for the link between the integration of sustainable management with other corporate functions and the economic and environmental performance of companies. Drawing on survey data in the manufacturing sector, we apply structural equation modeling to compare differences between business models and the role of different stakeholder groups in a moderation analysis. We find a positive association of the integration of strategic issues and environmental management with the economic and environmental performance of firms. The results also suggest differences in the link between integration and economic and environmental performance, respectively, depending on the type of business model or innovation pursued, and that secondary stakeholders influence sustainability integration. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.     

Sustainable procurement practice

Procurement has a key role in sustainability as policies and practices need to extend beyond organisations' boundaries incorporating their whole supply chains. Guidelines on sustainability encourage procurement to make decisions that encompass the environmental, economic and social elements of the Triple Bottom Line (TBL). Taking a supply chain perspective, procurement also need to analyse how decisions impact on the TBL in respect of suppliers. The results of a survey of sustainable procurement practices in 44 English‐based UK Housing Associations (HAs), who are responsible for the provision of social housing, confirms prior research of other sectors that suggests 1) a failure to overcome inertia in relation to sustainable procurement; and 2) in the few examples where practices have been established, only the environmental element of the TBL is considered. The organisations surveyed have sustainability‐related issues in their missions and external and internal pressures to embed sustainability, yet this has not translated into widespread establishment of sustainable procurement. Recommendations to neutralise inertia are: firstly, take the experiences from other areas, e.g. innovation management, which stress the importance of inter‐organisational relationships; secondly, develop a small number of sustainable development indicators for procurement and, to take advantage of the relatively more‐advanced environmental practices to show how these elements have socio‐economic impacts; and finally, rather than focus on just the pressures and drivers of sustainability (as suggested in strategic models of sustainability), emphasise the triggers that overcome inertia and lead to changes in behaviour amongst procurement staff i.e. the establishment of ethical pricing models. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.     

Integrating Environmental,Social and Governance (ESG) Disclosure for a Sustainable Development: An Australian Study

Addressing environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues has become a critical part of business strategy. This article explores the extent of ESG reporting of metal and mining sector companies listed in the Australian Securities Exchange to determine the nature of ESG indicators in use in the sector. The current study argues that stakeholder engagement is the key to enhance company environmental policy and sustainable development. According to the results of this study, ESG reporting motives are highly influenced by reporting regulations. Given the diversity in reporting of ESG, comparability of ESG strategic performance is problematic. This study contributes towards developing an ESG disclosure index, which companies could use as a legitimacy tool that external stakeholders could use to reliably measure and compare the ESG performance of companies. It also reveals there is an increased demand for more empirical research on integration of sustainability into strategic planning process. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment     

New sustainable business models in China

This research explores the need to establish new sustainable business models in China and uses multiple objectives to examine in a sample of Chinese companies the reality of the level of sustainable development, environmental awareness and performance, community responsibility, performance barriers and drivers and other sustainability issues. A mixed methodology was adopted, using a questionnaire survey and interviews with 20 manufacturing companies in Guangzhou and Shenzen. Evidence from the small sample of companies demonstrates the lack of significant sustainable development practices in China, although small and medium sized companies appeared to show interest in this area and would like to further contribute to for example triple bottom line objectives. Increasing concerns are found from the company level regarding the need to use renewable energy, source alternative sustainable materials, close the loop of the supply chain, improve the quality of products produced rather than reducing cost, export to Europe and treat employees as an asset. The lack of skills, finance and knowledge are found to be prohibiting the effective embedment of sustainable development within companies and hence cause an under‐performance in this regard. The study concludes that the establishing of a new business model for sustainable development in China is needed urgently, and this should be a joint effort with the Chinese government. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.     

Corporate Sustainable Development and Marketing Communications on Social Media: Fortune 500 Enterprises

This study proposes a measurement to evaluate corporate sustainability marketing communications on social media implemented by Fortune 500 enterprises. The results reveal significant differences between sustainability marketing communications in blogs and on Facebook. This study makes theoretical contributions by proposing a customer‐centric SMC framework that integrates sustainability issues, stimulation of sustainable mindsets and encouragement of sustainable consumption. It also demonstrates how corporate sustainability marketing communications differ on different social media. In addition, practical suggestions are provided. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment     

对我国林业可持续发展存在问题的思考

林业可持续发展目标中社会与生态环境目标,体现的是全人类的利益,即可持续发展的社会经济,。而作为人类群体中的林业生产经营者来说,不仅需要自身的实践活动所提供的产品服务,更具有意义的是要求其自身经济利益的持续性,这也是不同利益主体对林业问题构成不同态度的深刻原因。本文从我国实现林业可持续发展存在的问题分析实现林业可持续发展的对策。     

Contesting Sustainability: ‘SMART Growth’ and the Redevelopment of Austin's Eastside

The compatibility between an agenda for sustainable urban development and the neoliberal economic restructuring of urban space has been observed within cities in developed countries across the globe. From providing economic support to local ‘green’ industries to creating bike lanes, municipalities develop sustainability strategies that are designed to boost their competitive advantage. Moreover, municipalities are responding to demands from popular social movements and national governments that seek to reconfigure societal relationships with the natural environment in cities. Cities are increasingly understood not as part of the ecological crisis but as part of the solution, or as places where alternative patterns of sustainable consumption and new socially and ecologically responsible industries can be developed. Over the last decade in Austin, environmental sustainability has become an uncontested paradigm that has progressively shaped the city's urban space and policy. Two competing conceptualizations of the environment, so‐called ‘environmental’ and ‘just’ sustainability groups, are explored in this article. I demonstrate how the notion of environmental sustainability has been selectively incorporated into the hegemonic vision of Austin's strategic growth plan. I argue that the dominance of this conceptualization is best understood by asking what counts as the ‘environment’ for environmentalists, and understanding the unstated assumptions about the environment shared by the business community and environmentalists.     

Policy instruments for sustainability‐oriented organizational learning

The concept of sustainable development implies the need for organizational learning in business corporations to find innovative solutions. In this context, the paper analyzes the requirements and options for environmental policy to induce sustainability‐related learning processes in corporations. It discusses the impacts of different policy instruments on these processes. Initially, the particular challenges of organizational learning for sustainability are being sketched out. Drawing on organizational learning studies, a subsequent section of the paper addresses fundamental elements and drivers for organizational learning processes on different levels in business corporations. The particular nodes where public policy can influence corporate learning processes are the central focus of these considerations. On this basis, we examine existing policy instruments frequently used in environmental policy with regard to their potential to foster learning processes towards sustainability. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.     

Measuring Retailers' Sustainable Development

This study aimed to develop a framework and measurement items for retailers to assess sustainability while avoiding potential subjectivity by combining top‐down and bottom‐up approaches, and verifying their validity based on consumer perceptions of sustainable retailing. The framework consisted of 54 measurement items categorized into a three‐order hierarchical model. At the top level of the model, there were three third‐order dimensions respectively related to consumers, retailers, and society. At the middle level, eight second‐order sub‐dimensions associated with retailing mix were classified into the aforementioned third‐order dimensions. At the bottom level, there were 21 first‐order sub‐dimensions related to the sustainable retailing activities. The development of sustainability assessment by combining top‐down and bottom‐up approaches and including consumer perceptions will allow retailers to assess their sustainability more strategically, as it will reduce the subjectivity and increase consumers' recognition of sustainable retailing. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment     

Ten years later: where is our common future now?

In 1996 a paper entitled ‘Where is our common future?’ in Sustainable Development maintained that the world's largest oil companies, the Seven Sisters, were two giant steps away from sustainable development in their 1993 environmental values, visions and policies. These factors matched the level of their business environment; hence, the Sisters had positioned themselves to meet the needs of their business environment, but not the needs of the ecological environment. This is a 10‐year follow‐up study of these findings. The analysis of the 2003 environmental values, visions, business environment, general strategic management and environmental policies of the current Four Sisters – BP(Amoco), ChevronTexaco, ExxonMobil and Shell – indicates that these companies have moved one step towards sustainable development. However, their business environment has moved two steps, firmly rooting itself in ecocentric sustainable development – and now runs ahead of the Sisters in principle but not yet in practice. In the long run, the Four Sisters need to exchange their technocentric values, traditional visions and conventional policies for ecocentric values, progressive visions and entrepreneurial policies to be able to participate in Our Common Future. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.     

Tour Operators and Sustainable Development–A Contribution to the Environment

ABSTRACT

In recent years the attitude of tour operators towards the environment in tourism destinations has been slowly changing, as consumers have put greater pressure towards sustainable tourism. Although there are just a few tour operators in Europe that take responsibility for sustainability and the environment, these are among the biggest ones, and they have the power and are willing to change their practice and the practice of many others in this business. Moreover, their central position in the tourism system gives them great potential to influence the decisions and behaviour of both sides: tourists and service providers.     

Core issues in sustainable supply chain management – a Delphi study

Sustainable supply chain management has emerged as a growing topic, receiving increasing interest in the sustainability and supply chain management area. So far, the field is dominated by either case or survey based research. Few attempts have been made to take a broader look at the overarching issues, which form core topics of sustainable supply chain management. This paper presents the findings from a Delphi study where experts were asked to contribute their opinion. The Delphi study allows an aggregation of these opinions and extracts underlying topics in a structured manner. Four major topics were identified, which are (1) pressures and incentives for sustainable supply chain management, (2) identifying and measuring impacts on sustainable supply chain management, (3) supplier management (particularly addressing issues at the supplier–buyer interface) and (4) supply chain management (dealing with issues across all companies involved in the supply chain). The research presented contributes to substantiating and consolidating the field of sustainable supply chain management. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.     

Two Dimensions of Corporate Sustainability Assessment: Towards a Comprehensive Framework

Over the last years, many approaches have emerged that attempt to measure the contribution of firms to sustainable development, i.e. corporate sustainability. Our review of existing methodologies for the assessment of corporate sustainability reveals two major shortcomings. First, value creation as a core condition for sustainability as well as for further contributions to economic sustainability is often ignored in these assessments, suggesting that financial and non‐financial organizational processes are separable. Second, existing approaches fail to differentiate between the actual contribution of a firm to sustainability on the one hand, and governance‐related features aimed at attaining this contribution on the other. We argue that the implementation of sustainability‐oriented organizational structures and managerial instruments alone does not necessarily guarantee sustainability performance. Therefore, besides the dimension of current sustainability performance, we introduce the notion of sustainability governance as a second distinct dimension of corporate sustainability assessment. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.