This book is a compelling follow-up to The Business of Sustainability (Palgrave Macmillan, 2004). How important is corporate sustainability really to society in Europe? Can it be seriously claimed that society is exerting increasing pressure on companies to change their ways? How effective are financial institutions, unions, NGOs, governments, communities, media and, not to forget, the companies themselves at influencing corporate behaviour? Based on 280 interviews and 372 questionnaires, the authors provide a differentiated and sobering analysis that cuts through the usual rhetoric of 'corporate sustainability preachers'. Find out where corporate sustainability really stands. Get to know the stakeholders in detail. This book is a key benchmark for decision-makers both in companies and stakeholder organizations.
'The contents of this book cut very effectively through a certain amount of mounting 'hype' around CSR issues by empirically exposing the realities of stakeholder strategies influencing corporate sustainability management. As such, it is an excellent and comprehensive primer for managers that wish to discover the current status of their own corporate stakeholder environment, or for business students that wish to understand the managerial complexities of aligning organizations behind sustainability strategies (including those of the corporate stakeholders themselves).' - Gilbert Lenssen, President of the European Academy of Business in Society (EABIS)
'Companies and their stakeholders have come a long way since the 1980s. This book offers an interesting empirical approach to the evolving role and influence of stakeholders in driving more sustainable business models. It will be intriguing to see how and to what extent other stakeholders will pick up on NGOs' engagement in this field and adopt a more proactive role in the future.' - James P. Leape, WWF International Director General
'This book is a major contribution to the current corporate citizenship debate. It provides a comprehensive and often sobering overview of the level of stakeholder pressure and reveals a certain positivism about this area. To a large extent, this is because companies have learnt to manage their stakeholder environment. However, the learning has to continue...' - Patrick de Smedt, Chairman of Microsoft Europe, Middle East and Africa
List of Tables
List of Figures
Acknowledgements
Foreword; H.Roels
Executive Summary: Inside the Mind of the Stakeholders; U.Steger
PART 1: STAKEHOLDERS AND CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY - AN OVERVIEW
The Hype behind Stakeholder Pressure; U.Steger
Getting into the Minds of Stakeholders: Framework and Methodology; O.Salzmann
Stakeholder Dynamics; O.Salzmann, A.Ionescu-Somers& S.Tywuschik
Stakeholders and Corporate Sustainability; U.Steger, F.Baptist, J.Prinzhorn, O.Salzmann, A.Nick& S.Tywischik
What Is it with Stakeholder Pressure?; U.Steger
PART 2: STAKEHOLDER REPORTS
Financial Institutions - Corporate Sustainability as a Significant Niche?; A.Nick
Communities and Cities: Local Players in Corporate Sustainability; O.Salzmann& J.Prinzhorn
Governments: The Challenge of Addressing Corporate Sustainability at the Macro Level; F.Baptist
NGOs: Catalysts of Corporate Sustainability; J.Prinzhorn& O.Salzmann
Consumer Organizations: Aligning Corporate Sustainability and Consumer Interest; A.Ionescu-Somers
Media: Indifferent Observers of Corporate Sustainability; S.Tywuschik
Corporate Customers and Suppliers: How Companies Influence other Companies; A.Ionescu-Somers
Unions: On the Backseat of Corporate Sustainability; O.Salzmann& J.Prinzhorn
Appendix 1: Interview Guidelines
Appendix 2: Self-completion Questionnaire
Index
ULRICH STEGER is recognized as one of the leading authorities in the area of environmental management. He is Professor of Environmental Management at IMD, Switzerland, and Director of the IMD Forum for Corporate Sustainability Management and the IMD Corporate Governance Research Initiative. He directs major partnership programmes and holds an Honorary Professorship for International Management at the Technical University, Berlin, Germany.
Description
This book is a compelling follow-up to The Business of Sustainability (Palgrave Macmillan, 2004). How important is corporate sustainability really to society in Europe? Can it be seriously claimed that society is exerting increasing pressure on companies to change their ways? How effective are financial institutions, unions, NGOs, governments, communities, media and, not to forget, the companies themselves at influencing corporate behaviour? Based on 280 interviews and 372 questionnaires, the authors provide a differentiated and sobering analysis that cuts through the usual rhetoric of 'corporate sustainability preachers'. Find out where corporate sustainability really stands. Get to know the stakeholders in detail. This book is a key benchmark for decision-makers both in companies and stakeholder organizations.
Reviews
'The contents of this book cut very effectively through a certain amount of mounting 'hype' around CSR issues by empirically exposing the realities of stakeholder strategies influencing corporate sustainability management. As such, it is an excellent and comprehensive primer for managers that wish to discover the current status of their own corporate stakeholder environment, or for business students that wish to understand the managerial complexities of aligning organizations behind sustainability strategies (including those of the corporate stakeholders themselves).' - Gilbert Lenssen, President of the European Academy of Business in Society (EABIS)
'Companies and their stakeholders have come a long way since the 1980s. This book offers an interesting empirical approach to the evolving role and influence of stakeholders in driving more sustainable business models. It will be intriguing to see how and to what extent other stakeholders will pick up on NGOs' engagement in this field and adopt a more proactive role in the future.' - James P. Leape, WWF International Director General
'This book is a major contribution to the current corporate citizenship debate. It provides a comprehensive and often sobering overview of the level of stakeholder pressure and reveals a certain positivism about this area. To a large extent, this is because companies have learnt to manage their stakeholder environment. However, the learning has to continue...' - Patrick de Smedt, Chairman of Microsoft Europe, Middle East and Africa
Contents
List of Tables
List of Figures
Acknowledgements
Foreword; H.Roels
Executive Summary: Inside the Mind of the Stakeholders; U.Steger
PART 1: STAKEHOLDERS AND CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY - AN OVERVIEW
The Hype behind Stakeholder Pressure; U.Steger
Getting into the Minds of Stakeholders: Framework and Methodology; O.Salzmann
Stakeholder Dynamics; O.Salzmann, A.Ionescu-Somers& S.Tywuschik
Stakeholders and Corporate Sustainability; U.Steger, F.Baptist, J.Prinzhorn, O.Salzmann, A.Nick& S.Tywischik
What Is it with Stakeholder Pressure?; U.Steger
PART 2: STAKEHOLDER REPORTS
Financial Institutions - Corporate Sustainability as a Significant Niche?; A.Nick
Communities and Cities: Local Players in Corporate Sustainability; O.Salzmann& J.Prinzhorn
Governments: The Challenge of Addressing Corporate Sustainability at the Macro Level; F.Baptist
NGOs: Catalysts of Corporate Sustainability; J.Prinzhorn& O.Salzmann
Consumer Organizations: Aligning Corporate Sustainability and Consumer Interest; A.Ionescu-Somers
Media: Indifferent Observers of Corporate Sustainability; S.Tywuschik
Corporate Customers and Suppliers: How Companies Influence other Companies; A.Ionescu-Somers
Unions: On the Backseat of Corporate Sustainability; O.Salzmann& J.Prinzhorn
Appendix 1: Interview Guidelines
Appendix 2: Self-completion Questionnaire
Index
Authors
ULRICH STEGER is recognized as one of the leading authorities in the area of environmental management. He is Professor of Environmental Management at IMD, Switzerland, and Director of the IMD Forum for Corporate Sustainability Management and the IMD Corporate Governance Research Initiative. He directs major partnership programmes and holds an Honorary Professorship for International Management at the Technical University, Berlin, Germany.
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