Sustainability Management: A Systems Approach

Consumer demand for sustainable business practices has never been greater. Sustainability Management uses a systems thinking approach to illustrate the interdependencies among ecosystems, societies, organizations, and individuals. Authors Ana Cristina Siqueira, Cristina Neesham, Nancy E. Landrum, and Patricia Kanashiro explain why sustainability presents risks and opportunities for businesses, how sustainability can be a source of competitive advantage, and the business impact on the environment and society. This timely new text examines some of today’s most pressing issues including social justice, racial equity, human rights, and climate crisis. Case Studies tied to UN Sustainable Development Goals spotlight innovative sustainable strategies from companies around the world.

Table of Contents:
Preface Acknowledgments About The Authors Chapter 1: Introduction to Sustainability Management: Theory What is Sustainability Management? A Systems Approach to Sustainability Management Summary Discussion Questions Chapter 2: Introduction to Sustainability Management: Practice Challenges to Global Sustainability Opportunities for Global Sustainability Summary Discussion Questions Chapter 3: Institutions and Sustainability Management Institutional Theory and Sustainability Management Businesses and Institutions Reasons Why Businesses Comply with Institutional Pressures Strategic Responses to Institutional Pressures Greenwashing and Beyond Summary Discussion Questions Chapter 4: Stakeholders and Sustainability Management Stakeholder Theory Stakeholder Management Responsibilities to Stakeholders Stakeholder Engagement Summary Discussion Questions Chapter 5: Resources, Capabilities, and Strategies for Sustainability Shared Value and Sustainability Integrating Sustainability into the Overall Corporate Strategy Resource-Based View and Sustainability Adaptability, Consumer Benefits, and Sustainability Prioritizing Actions by Coordinating Ecosystems Summary Discussion Questions Chapter 6: Innovation and Entrepreneurship for Sustainability Creativity, Innovation, and Entrepreneurial Ingenuity for Sustainability Entrepreneurship in the Circular Economy Voluntary Ethical Standards and Sustainable Entrepreneurial Ingenuity Business Models and Sustainability Technology for Sustainability Goals Summary Discussion Questions Appendix: The Socially Responsible Business Model Chapter 7: Formulating Corporate Strategies: Alliances and Global Supply Chains Alliances and Partnerships Mergers and Acquisitions Global Supply Chains and International Alliances Host versus Home Countries Corporate Strategies Summary Discussion Questions Chapter 8: Implementing Environmental, Social, and Governance Strategies Agency Theory: The Role of Monitoring and Incentives in Sustainability Management Monitoring Sustainability Performance: Greening the Boardroom Incentives for Sustainability: Greening the Executive Compensation Shareholder Activism for Sustainability management The Special Case of the Chief Sustainability Officer Summary Discussion Questions Chapter 9: Monitoring and Measuring Environmental, Social, and Governance Performance The Origins of ESG Sustainability, ESG, and Related Concepts ESG Ratings, Criteria, and Metrics ESG Metrics, Standards, and Frameworks ESG Challenges Summary Discussion Questions Chapter 10: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Context of Sustainability Diversity, equity, and inclusion as part of Corporate Social Responsibility Racial Diversity in Organizations Gender Inclusion and Corporate Social Responsibility New Technologies and Ethics The Strategic Role of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Summary Discussion Questions Chapter 11: Sustainability Reporting Frameworks and Standards History of Companies Transparency and Accountability Materiality as a Guiding Principle for Financial and Non-Financial Disclosures Benefits and Challenges of Sustainability Disclosure Best Practices and Trends in Sustainability Reporting Summary Discussion Questions CASE 1: hiLyte and the Commercialization of Sustainable Technology1 CASE 2: The Mae Fah Luang Foundation: Circular Strategy in Coffee Production1 CASE 3: FabricAID: Circular Economy in the Fashion Industry CASE 4: Farm Animal Welfare Reporting: Using Investor Benchmarks to Change Corporate Behaviour CASE 5: Occidental of Colombia and Indigenous People’s Rights: The Right to Free, Prior, and Informed Consent CASE 6: Polestar 0 Project: Introducing a Climate-Neutral Vehicle CASE 7: Christian Dior Couture: Luxury Fashion, Feminism and SDG5 CASE 8: Bhoomi Diapers: Creating Eco-Friendly Products CASE 9: Taos Ski Valley: A Systems Perspective on Sustainability Strategy CASE 10: Vegadona: User-Generated Content For Vegans CASE 11: Thread International: Attempting a Takeback Program and Its Sustainability Challenges CASE 12: Machu Picchu, a Carbon-Neutral World Wonder CASE 13: Loyola University Chicago: Becoming a Leader of Environmental Sustainability CASE 14: Tesla, the Global Electric Vehicle Industry, and the Future of Patented Technologies Glossary

About the Author :
Ana Cristina O. Siqueira (PhD, University of Cambridge) is Professor of Management, and Director of the Center for Socially Responsible Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the Cotsakos College of Business, William Paterson University. Her articles have appeared in premier publications such as Journal of Business Ethics, Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, and Journal of Business Venturing. She received Social Entrepreneurship Special Interest Group Awards for Excellence in Practice and Service in 2022 and for Excellence in Scholarship in 2024 from the United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship. She also received a 2024 Publication of the Year Award by B Academics, a global community working to advance research on socially and environmentally responsible businesses. She is an Editorial Board Member at Entrepreneurship Theory & Practice and Associated Editor at the Journal of Business Venturing Insights. Cristina Neesham (PhD, University of Melbourne) is Professor of Business Ethics and Sustainability, and Associate Dean Ethics-Responsibility- Sustainability (ERS), at the Newcastle University Business School, Newcastle University, United Kingdom. Cristina’s research has been published in Business Ethics Quarterly, Accounting Auditing & Accountability Journal, Business & Society, Journal of Business Ethics, Organization Theory, International Journal of Human Resource Management, and International Journal of Project Management, among others. Her work focuses on theories of value in sustainable business models, and on applying digital technology ethics and responsible innovation to address global sustainability problems. Her teaching and curriculum development promotes education for sustainability principles. Cristina is co-Editor-in-Chief of the Springer Handbook of Philosophy of Management and the Philosophy of Management journal, and Associate Editor of Business Ethics, Environment & Responsibility. Nancy E. Landrum (PhD, New Mexico State University) is Professor of Sustainable Business Transformation at Munich Business School in Germany and a Visiting Professor of Sustainability Management at Les Roches Global Hospitality Education in Switzerland. Her work is in sustainability management, biomimicry, strong sustainability, ecological economics, and the circular economy. Dr. Landrum is co-author of Sustainable Business: An Executive’s Primer, co-founder of the Sustainable Business Network of Central Arkansas, Principal at Sustainable Business Design Consulting, and founder of the Sustainability Training Institute. Her research has appeared in Business Strategy and the Environment, Organization & Environment, International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, and other top peer-reviewed journals. She received awards for sustainability research, teaching, and service, including Eco-Hero in the state of Arkansas. She was a Fulbright Specialist in Malaysia, a Fulbright Scholar in Portugal, and has been a visiting scholar in Finland, China, England, Netherlands, and Germany. Her consulting work has included a broad range of businesses from a Fortune 100 company to a nonprofit organization in Uganda Africa. She has been quoted in the Washington Post, New York Times, Bloomberg’s Businessweek, Financial Times, and The Hill.  Patricia Kanashiro (PhD, George Washington University) is an Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Southern California and leads sustainability management practice at one of the largest consulting firms in the world. Previously, she was a tenured Associate Professor at Loyola University Maryland and served in sustainability roles at ABN AMRO Bank, Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS), and the United Nations - International Labor Organization (ILO). Dr. Kanashiro has co-authored sustainability books, including Business Ethics - Best Practices for Designing and Managing Ethical Organizations (3rd edition, SAGE Publications), Personal Sustainability Practices and Handbook of Multi-Level Climate Actions. Her research was published in the Academy of Management Learning Education and Financial Times Top 50 Journals including Journal of Business Ethics. Dr. Kanashiro has been interviewed or quoted by the Financial Times, Washington Post, Baltimore Sun, and Fox News. She received an Outstanding Service Award from the Organization and the National Environment (ONE) division of the Academy of Management. She was awarded a two-year Fulbright scholarship to pursue graduate studies in the U.S. and remains committed to promoting her Latinx heritage through board volunteering. She is a sansei (third generation from Japan), grew up in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and now lives in Bethesda, MD with her husband Elliot, boys Daniel and Rafa, and dog Caju.