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The Implementation of Corporate Sustainability in the European Automotive Industry: An Analysis of Sustainability Reports

Author

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  • Martina Sukitsch

    (Institute of Systems Sciences, Innovation and Sustainability Research, University of Graz, Merangasse 18/1, 8010 Graz, Austria)

  • Sabrina Engert

    (Institute of Systems Sciences, Innovation and Sustainability Research, University of Graz, Merangasse 18/1, 8010 Graz, Austria)

  • Rupert J. Baumgartner

    (Institute of Systems Sciences, Innovation and Sustainability Research, University of Graz, Merangasse 18/1, 8010 Graz, Austria)

Abstract

The acceptance of corporate sustainability implementation and sustainability reporting has continued to grow steadily in recent years. This is particularly true for companies in the automotive industry. Increasing regulatory demands, for example, with respect to CO 2 emissions, are one clear reason for this. In this paper the sustainability reports of 14 manufacturers in the European automotive industry are analyzed with respect to issues of corporate sustainability implementation. This entails content analysis of sustainability reports from 2012, and of their earliest available equivalents. The analysis of corporate sustainability implementation in the selected companies is provided with the purpose to help understand how manufacturers in the European automotive industry implement corporate sustainability. Results confirm the importance of specific policy instruments in implementation, such as the use of environmental management systems and standards, and of related changes in organizational structures. The latter include suitable adaptation of corporate strategy, philosophy, objectives, measures, and activities, as well as the need to integrate stakeholders in the adjustment process. The analysis shows that while companies are well-aware of the significance of sustainability for their industry, some tend to be leaders, and others laggards, as far as implementation is concerned.

Suggested Citation

  • Martina Sukitsch & Sabrina Engert & Rupert J. Baumgartner, 2015. "The Implementation of Corporate Sustainability in the European Automotive Industry: An Analysis of Sustainability Reports," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(9), pages 1-28, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:7:y:2015:i:9:p:11504-11531:d:54712
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    7. Perello-Marin, M Rosario & Rodríguez-Rodríguez, Raúl & Alfaro-Saiz, Juan-Jose, 2022. "Analysing GRI reports for the disclosure of SDG contribution in European car manufacturers," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 181(C).
    8. Thomas A. Tsalis & Maria Terzaki & Dimitrios Koulouriotis & Konstantinos P. Tsagarakis & Ioannis E. Nikolaou, 2023. "The nexus of United Nations' 2030 Agenda and corporate sustainability reports," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(2), pages 784-796, April.
    9. Beatriz Garcia-Ortega & Javier Galan-Cubillo & Blanca de-Miguel-Molina, 2022. "CSR and CEO’s Moral Reasoning in the Automotive Industry in the Era of COVID-19," SAGE Open, , vol. 12(2), pages 21582440221, May.
    10. A. Sardi & E. Sorano, 2021. "Dynamic Performance Management: An Approach for Managing the Common Goods," Papers 2102.04090, arXiv.org.
    11. Zanellato Gianluca, 2021. "Quality of Information Disclosed in Integrated Reports, in the Extracting Sector: Insights from Europe," Studia Universitatis Babeș-Bolyai Oeconomica, Sciendo, vol. 66(3), pages 1-20, December.
    12. David Ziegler & Sebastian Wolff & Ana-Beatrice Agu & Giorgio Cortiana & Muhammad Umair & Flore de Durfort & Esther Neumann & Georg Walther & Jakob Kristiansen & Markus Lienkamp, 2023. "How to Measure Sustainability? An Open-Data Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-23, February.
    13. Daniel Zdolšek & Sabina Taškar Beloglavec, 2023. "Sustainability Reporting Ecosystem: A Once-in-a-Lifetime Overhaul during the COVID-19 Pandemic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-22, April.
    14. Josef-Peter Schöggl & Morgane M. C. Fritz & Rupert J. Baumgartner, 2016. "Sustainability Assessment in Automotive and Electronics Supply Chains—A Set of Indicators Defined in a Multi-Stakeholder Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(11), pages 1-20, November.
    15. Fuli Zhou & Yun Lin & Xu Wang & Lin Zhou & Yandong He, 2016. "ELV Recycling Service Provider Selection Using the Hybrid MCDM Method: A Case Application in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(5), pages 1-22, May.
    16. Szász, Levente & Csíki, Ottó & Rácz, Béla-Gergely, 2021. "Sustainability management in the global automotive industry: A theoretical model and survey study," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 235(C).
    17. Anca Gabriela Petrescu & Florentina Raluca Bîlcan & Marius Petrescu & Ionica Holban Oncioiu & Mirela Cătălina Türkeș & Sorinel Căpuşneanu, 2020. "Assessing the Benefits of the Sustainability Reporting Practices in the Top Romanian Companies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-31, April.
    18. Alberto Sardi & Enrico Sorano, 2019. "Dynamic Performance Management: An Approach for Managing the Common Goods," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(22), pages 1-22, November.
    19. Alamo Alexandre da Silva Batista & Antonio Carlos de Francisco, 2018. "Organizational Sustainability Practices: A Study of the Firms Listed by the Corporate Sustainability Index," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-13, January.
    20. Beatriz García-Ortega & Blanca de-Miguel-Molina & Javier Galán-Cubillo, 2019. "Examining CEOs’ Moral Reasoning in the Automotive Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(21), pages 1-24, October.
    21. Imke Rhoden & Christopher Stephen Ball & Stefan Vögele & Wilhelm Kuckshinrichs, 2023. "Minding the gap‐relating disclosure to contexts of sustainability reporting in the automotive industry," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(2), pages 846-857, March.
    22. Stefano Cianciotta & Idiano D’Adamo, 2021. "The Evolution of Sustainability: The Automotive Supply Chain Opportunity in Southern Italy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-5, September.

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