Sustainability leadership: from strategy to results

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this article is to show how a previously developed multi‐level model of employee engagement can be leveraged to implement a comprehensive sustainability strategy. By combining macro‐level (organization‐wide) with micro‐level (manager to employee) leadership practices, management teams can more effectively engage their entire workforce in sustainability endeavors.Design/methodology/approachA narrative synthesis approach is used to integrate extant empirical and practitioner literature spanning various disciplines in order to apply a comprehensive model for leading sustainability efforts.FindingsThe path to successful sustainability efforts hinges on both “macro” and “micro” organizational factors. Combining these factors provides management with a powerful approach that engages a workforce in sustainability endeavors, resulting in positive employee‐level and organizational‐level sustainability performance.Research limitations/implicationsIf research is reported on in the paper this section must be completed and should include suggestions for future research and any identified limitations in the research process. Applying the engagement model to corporate sustainability efforts is an important advancement in the theoretical sustainability literature. It is applicable to multiple sustainability efforts, and may be applied regardless of the industry or the size of the companies undertaking sustainability initiatives. The model provides guidance for researchers who are seeking to frame their inquiry from a multi‐level perspective and in relation to other disciplines. Future research should focus on the relationship between the different leadership factors identified in the model and sustainability performance.Practical implicationsDespite the observations into what needs to be done around sustainability, many organizations do not quite seem to know how to do it. Therefore, the model presented provides a road map that can be used to structure management's approach to their sustainability endeavors.Originality/valueA gap exists in both the practitioner and academic literature regarding the development of a model that encompasses the key elements of corporate sustainability efforts from inception to implementation. Moreover, no clear leadership model exists with the expressed purpose of creating the most effective employee engagement during corporate sustainability efforts. In this paper it is demonstrated how a previously developed workforce engagement model can be leveraged to implement a comprehensive sustainability strategy. The multi‐level model provides a foundation for the formulation, implementation and successful execution of sustainability efforts.

Liderança e sustentabilidade: contribuições de estudos sobre dinâmicas socioespaciais de reconversão e requalificação de funções econômicas

“…al., 2016;ALLIO, 2012) e a relacional (BURNS; VAUGHT; BAUMAN, 2015;UHL-BIEN, 2006), assim como engloba o desenvolvimento de novos conceitos e abordagens de liderança, tanto em relação às características, comportamentos e ações do líder quanto das organizações, voltadas à sustentabilidade (SANT'ANNA; NELSON; CARVALHO NETO, 2015b;TIDE-MAN;ARTS;ZANDEE, 2013;GALPIN;WHITTINGTON, 2012;HARDMAN, 2010;ULRICH;SMALLWOOD, 2013).…”

Crise de abastecimento de água em São Paulo e falta de planejamento estratégico

“…Na década seguinte, as estratégias ambientais foram ganhando espaço com a discussão sobre eco e socioeficiência e equidade ecológica (Dyllick;Hockerts, 2002), oferecendo orientação aos executivos e estrategistas de negócios (Olson, 2009). Mais recentemente, estudos de caso sobre estratégias ambientais começaram a ganhar destaque em publicações como o Journal of Business strategy (Bonn;Fisher, 2011), assim como novos modelos para o desenvolvimento de estraté-gias ambientais de amplo alcance (Galpin;Whittington, 2012). Publicações mais específicas, como o periódico científico Business strategy and the environment, passaram a divulgar surveys com empresas (Ormazabal;Sarriegi, 2014) ou respostas estratégicas às mudanças climáticas (Galbreath, 2014).…”

“…Desde 2011, entretanto, verifica-se uma tendência de redução na recomposição do nível do sistema, representada pela reta AB na Figura 8. Essa tendência é reforçada pela Figura 9, que evidencia que ao longo do segundo semestre de 2013 não houve indício de que haveria uma elevação do nível d'água no sistema, informação essa que poderia ter sido utilizada para a concepção de estratégias preventivas (Galbreath, 2014;Galpin;Whittington, 2012). Para melhor avaliar a influência climática, foram utilizados dados primários coletados pela Estação Meteorológica do Instituto Astronômico e Geofísico da Universidade de São Paulo (IAG/USP) e dados secundários fornecidos pelo Climate Prediction Center da National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (CPC/NOAA) para a elaboração da Tabela 3.…”

Sustainability of the Self–Harnessing Natural Cycles for Leadership Development

“…Despite this there is in fact little specifically focussed research on the intersection of sustainability and leadership (Brown, 2011;Galpin & Whittington, 2012;Velsor, 2009). In fact the search for an overarching definition as to what constitutes 'leadership' continues, however many agree that leadership is a practical skill that regards the ability of an individual to lead or guide other individuals, teams or entire organisations in the pursuit of an specific endeavor.…”

“…This is due to the fact that not only do business processes and practices need to change but so too the vision and management approaches that underpin modern organisations. Numerous studies have demonstrated that sustainability actions only take place where there is an active leader and/or manager within a company that champions this approach (Epstein & Buhovac, 2014;Galpin & Whittington, 2012;Székely & Knirsch, 2005). Alongside this business leaders and managers have a central role to play in wellbeing.…”