Organizational Culture and the Success of Corporate Sustainability Initiatives: An Empirical Analysis using the Competing Values Framework

Abstract

In response to the threats posed by climate change, water scarcity and other emerging environmental issues, corporations have prioritized sustainability as a core business issue. Many companies have learned that sustainability represents a distinct competitive opportunity, but not all companies are successfully addressing these opportunities and challenges. A review of existing literature points to organizational culture as an important driver behind the success of sustainability initiatives, yet little empirical research has been done to describe the relationship between company culture and sustainability. This study uses the Competing Values Framework (CVF) to understand the relationship between company culture and sustainability initiative success across 23 companies. The study finds that culture does indeed matter in corporate sustainability success and points towards additional dimensions for companies to consider when planning and implementing such initiatives.