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The cultural consensus of sustainability‐driven innovation: Strategies for success

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  • Tracy Van Holt
  • Matt Statler
  • Ulrich Atz
  • Tensie Whelan
  • Mara van Loggerenberg
  • James Cebulla

Abstract

Although sustainability may have previously appeared to business leaders primarily as an additional cost, today there are many signs of a change where sustainability appears to business leaders as a source or driver of value instead. Prior research shows that solving sustainability challenges should lead to innovations, yet we do not see widespread changes across companies. One reason may be that sustainability professionals do not share the same knowledge about the drivers and benefits of innovations that emerge when people solve sustainability challenges. To study this, we ran a cultural consensus analysis with sustainability professionals to test whether those with more sustainability expertise—that is, those with longer work experience in sustainability or to those that worked in companies where sustainability was embedded into core business operations—had different perspectives than those with less expertise. We found an overwhelming agreement among professionals regardless of expertise. We then followed up and conducted interviews with expert sustainability professionals to understand more about the business practices that drive sustainability‐driven innovation in their organizations.

Suggested Citation

  • Tracy Van Holt & Matt Statler & Ulrich Atz & Tensie Whelan & Mara van Loggerenberg & James Cebulla, 2020. "The cultural consensus of sustainability‐driven innovation: Strategies for success," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(8), pages 3399-3409, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:bstrat:v:29:y:2020:i:8:p:3399-3409
    DOI: 10.1002/bse.2584
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Tracy Van Holt & Martin Delaroche & Ulrich Atz & Kevin Eckerle, 2021. "Financial benefits of reimagined, sustainable, agrifood supply networks," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 4(1), pages 102-118, March.
    3. Hana Urbancová & Pavla Vrabcová, 2023. "Sustainability-oriented Innovation: Crucial Sources to Achieve Competitiveness," Journal of Economics / Ekonomicky casopis, Institute of Economic Research, Slovak Academy of Sciences, vol. 71(1), pages 46-64, January.
    4. Rodríguez-Espíndola, Oscar & Cuevas-Romo, Ana & Chowdhury, Soumyadeb & Díaz-Acevedo, Natalie & Albores, Pavel & Despoudi, Stella & Malesios, Chrisovalantis & Dey, Prasanta, 2022. "The role of circular economy principles and sustainable-oriented innovation to enhance social, economic and environmental performance: Evidence from Mexican SMEs," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 248(C).
    5. Florina Pînzaru & Adina Săniuță & Bianca Roxana Sălăgeanu, 2022. "Managing innovation for sustainability in public administration: the challenges of capacity-building," Nowoczesne Systemy Zarządzania. Modern Management Systems, Military University of Technology, Faculty of Security, Logistics and Management, Institute of Organization and Management, issue 3, pages 65-80.
    6. Thanya Weerasinghe & Dileepa Samudrage & Nuwan Gunarathne, 2023. "The influence of top management team diversity on Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) reporting: Evidence from Sri Lanka," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(8), pages 5922-5934, December.

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