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License to Critique: A Communication Perspective on Sustainability Standards

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  • Christensen, Lars Thøger
  • Morsing, Mette
  • Thyssen, Ole

Abstract

Sustainability standards are important governance tools for addressing social and environmental challenges. Yet, such tools are often criticized for being either too open-ended or too restrictive, thereby failing to contribute significantly to the development of sustainable practices. Both dimensions of the critique, however, miss the point. While all standards in principle combine elements of openness and closure, both of which are necessary to keep the sustainability agenda relevant and adaptive, sustainability standards often operate in contexts that favor closure. In this article, we draw on a research tradition that views communication as constitutive of organization to emphasize the significance of communicative mechanisms that stimulate organizational openness in the application of standards. With the notion of “license to critique,” we present a managerial philosophy designed to involve managers and employees, mobilize and develop their knowledge about sustainability and bring it forward for the benefit of both the organization and the environment.

Suggested Citation

  • Christensen, Lars Thøger & Morsing, Mette & Thyssen, Ole, 2017. "License to Critique: A Communication Perspective on Sustainability Standards," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 27(2), pages 239-262, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:buetqu:v:27:y:2017:i:02:p:239-262_00
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Christensen, Lars Thøger & Morsing, Mette & Thyssen, Ole, 2020. "Timely hypocrisy? Hypocrisy temporalities in CSR communication," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 327-335.
    2. Blankenburg Holm, Desirée & Drogendijk, Rian & Haq, Hammad ul, 2020. "An attention-based view on managing information processing channels in organizations," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 36(2).
    3. Aymen Sajjad & Gabriel Eweje & Muhammad Mustafa Raziq, 2024. "Sustainability leadership: An integrative review and conceptual synthesis," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(4), pages 2849-2867, May.
    4. Peter Seele & Mario D. Schultz, 2022. "From Greenwashing to Machinewashing: A Model and Future Directions Derived from Reasoning by Analogy," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 178(4), pages 1063-1089, July.
    5. Sofia Garcia-Torres & Marta Rey-Garcia & Laura Albareda-Vivo, 2017. "Effective Disclosure in the Fast-Fashion Industry: from Sustainability Reporting to Action," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(12), pages 1-27, December.
    6. Francesco Grimaldi & Alessandra Caragnano & Marianna Zito & Massimo Mariani, 2020. "Sustainability Engagement and Earnings Management: The Italian Context," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-16, June.
    7. Wesley Friske & Atanas Nik Nikolov & Todd Morgan, 2024. "Making the grade: An analysis of sustainability reporting standards and Global Reporting Initiative adherence ratings," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(3), pages 2098-2108, May.
    8. Wesley Friske & Seth A. Hoelscher & Atanas Nik Nikolov, 2023. "The impact of voluntary sustainability reporting on firm value: Insights from signaling theory," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 51(2), pages 372-392, March.
    9. Christian Garmann Johnsen, 2021. "Sustainability Beyond Instrumentality: Towards an Immanent Ethics of Organizational Environmentalism," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 172(1), pages 1-14, August.

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