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20 Dissertation Topics on Sustainability and Green Technology

Published by Carmen Troy at January 9th, 2023 , Revised On August 16, 2023

Introduction

Looking for interesting and manageable topics on sustainability and green technology for your dissertation or thesis? Well, you have come to the right place.

The subject of sustainability, green technology, and environmental friendliness has gained tremendous importance over the last years – thanks to the ever-increasing pollution, climate change, and high production costs throughout the world.

Without wasting any more of your time, here are the 20 dissertation topics ideas in this trendy field, so you choose the one that is not only intriguing but also manageable for you.

These topics have been developed by PhD writers of our team , so you can trust to use these topics for drafting your dissertation.

You may also want to start your dissertation by requesting a brief research proposal from our writers on any of these topics, which includes an introduction to the topic, research question , aim and objectives , literature review along with the proposed methodology of research to be conducted. Let us know if you need any help in getting started.

Check our dissertation examples to get an idea of how to structure your dissertation .

Review the full list of dissertation topics for 2022 here.

2022 Research Topics on Sustainability and Green Technology

Topic 1: the role of artificial intelligence (ai) and green technology in the develpment of smart and sustainable towns.

Research Aim: This study intends to find the role of artificial intelligence (AI) and green technology in developing smart and sustainable towns. It will review the concepts of smart and sustainable towns to show their importance in the modern era to reduce global warming. Then it will assess the role of AI by analyzing various machine learning and deep learning models to show how these models can help develop smart and sustainable towns. Lastly, it will review what work has already been done in this area and what should be done.

Topic 2: Impact of Research and Development (R&D) Expenditure in Green Technology on the Sustainability Outcomes of the Construction Industry- A Case of Malaysian Construction Industry

Research Aim: This study intends to analyze the impact of Research and Development (R&D) expenditure in green technology on the sustainability outcomes of the construction industry in Malaysia. It will review the current green technology used in the Malaysian construction industry and its development. Moreover, it will show how the construction industry is spending to develop new green technology and how much it requires to make it completely sustainable. It will also identify various national and international sources which can invest in this industry to make it more sustainable.

Topic 3: What are the Motivating and Demotivating Factors for Green Supply Chain Practices? An Exploratory Study Finding the Factors Affecting Green Supply Chain Practices in the UK

Research Aim: This research will identify various motivating and demotivating factors (return on green investment, production output, local and global competitiveness, political support, international support, investors support, etc.) for green supply chain practices. It will study various industries in the UK, such as construction, hotel industry, retail industry, etc., find out how the abovementioned factors affected their interest in green technology and green supply chain practices. Moreover, it will assess the work done in this area and how various institutions can motivate these industries.

Topic 4: Influence of Green Advertising on the Consumer View of Green Technology and Sustainability in the US

Research Aim: This study shows the impact of green advertising on the consumer perception of green technology and sustainability. It will assess how various components of green advertising work and how they affect the consumer perception of the need for green technology. Moreover, it will analyze different green advertising strategies used by companies in the US to influence consumer perception and how these strategies can be improved to make US consumers more interested in the products, which are a product of environment-friendly production process.

Topic 5: Green Economy a Necessity? Impact of Green Technology on Sustainable Economic Growth and Development- A Case of ASEAN Economies

Research Aim: It proposes a framework to analyze the impact of green technology on sustainable economic growth and development. It will show whether the green economy is essential for growth and development or not. It will assess various effects of green technology on the economy and ecology. And show how improving ecology can benefit human development, which can be good for long-term economic growth in the ASEAN countries. Lastly, it will analyze the current progress of these countries in creating a green economy.

Covid-19 Sustainability and Green Technology Research Topics

Topic 1: covid-19 and the need to expand sustainable energy.

Research Aim: It’s high time to expand sustainable energy during COVID-19.

Topic 2: COVID-19 and the environment

Research Aim: This study will focus on the positive and negative impacts of COVID-19 on the environment.

Topic 3: Economic expenditure on the green environment during COVID-19

Research Aim: This study will review the economic expenditure and plans on the green environment during COVID-19.

Topic 4: The green economy after COVID-19

Research Aim: This study will analyse the current issues related to green technology and predict the future of a green environment after COVID-19.

Dissertation Topics Ideas on Sustainability and Green Technology for 2021

Topic 1: research on sustainable gardens.

Research Aim: This research aims to conduct research on creating sustainable gardens and identify their benefits.

Topic 2: Sustainable outdoor designs using recycled materials

Research Aim: This research aims to identify various methods of creating sustainable outdoor designs using recycled materials and identify their benefits.

Topic 3: Pollution-free disposal and recycling of trash

Research Aim: This research aims to identify various methods to ensure pollution-free disposal and recycling of trash

Topic 4: Importance of gardening- awareness and ideas for the city, terrace/roof gardening

Research Aim: This research aims to address the importance of gardening and its awareness among the public. It will also focus on identifying cost-effective and innovative ideas for the city, terrace/roof gardening.

20 Dissertation Topics Ideas on Sustainability and Green Technology for 2020

Topic 1: examining the economic impacts of green technology.

Research Aim: The research will involve comparing the costs incurred in developing green energy and the economic benefits. The services will be saved once alternative forms of materials and energy sources are used. It will be relevant in identifying whether it is worth investing in green technology from an economic perspective. It will also help in developing supportive policies that guide green technology.

Topic 2: How do national and regional politics affect environmental sustainability?

Research Aim: This research study will analyse the role of politics in the environment. It will explore the positive or negative impacts of individual political inclinations.

Topic 3: How sustainable is the environment in the current and forthcoming eras?

Research Aim: This research will analyse global trends and their impacts on environmental trends. Developments such as increasing population, climate change, and using various materials affect the people. It will inform about how sustainability measures can be structured to align with the trends.

Topic 4: Adoption of green energy by low-end users

Research Aim: The research will be based on realising a market niche that cannot afford or are not willing to spend on an expensive product. Additionally, the embrace of some advanced technologies varies across classes, mainly based on exposure. There is also the notion that green technology can be expensive, making the stated users reluctant to use it. Accordingly, the research will focus on the factors that make the users have their respective levels of using green technology.

Topic 5: How green technology can affect organisational processes

Research Aim: This research will analyze how processes that can include procuring and sourcing, producing, sales, marketing, and delivering products, among others, can be impacted once green technology is introduced. It will help analyse cost and time effectiveness and the satisfaction of the organization’s stakeholders. It can help recommend structural changes when an organisation is considering green technology.

Topic 6: To what extent does green technology contribute to environmental sustainability?

Research Aim: notably, several factors are contributing to environmental degradation and pollution. While green technology has been identified in previous research to ensure sustainability, its contribution can be compared with the other factors. Accordingly, recommendations can be made about whether it is the absolute solution to sustainability.

Topic 7: Green technology and global environmental sustainability frameworks

Research Aim: The study will assess how the frameworks affect the use of green technology. Various global environmental practices are commonly developed. The research will suggest any amendments to the frameworks to positively correlate them with green technology. Also, the topic will evaluate how the frameworks are implemented in various regions.

Topic 8: Green technology practices in developing countries

Research Aim: The research will explore the extent to which developing countries use and promote green technology. They are characterised by having a lower economy. The priority they have on sustainability will be established.

Topic 9: How do policies affect the use of green technology in a country?

Research Aim: The research acknowledges that regulatory bodies devise policies to guide various industries. The guidelines can be supportive or suppressive in the development and use of green technology. For instance, the bodies’ incentives can encourage green technology, while factors like high taxation can discourage it. Therefore, focusing on a particular country’s policies can be insightful into the level at which the technology is incorporated.

Topic 10: Incentives for green technology and environmental sustainability

Research Aim: The study will be purposed on how green technology can be promoted among users and manufacturers. It will first identify the challenges the users can use and apply the technology. It will also evaluate the level of sensitisation about green technology that people in a region have. The various stakeholders can execute the incentives in environmental sustainability.

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More Research Titles on Sustainability and Green Technology

Topic 1: what roles do ngos have on environmental sustainability and green technology.

Research Aim: The research will establish how NGOs can be incorporated into sustainability. NGOs have distinct objectives. While some are specific to environmental conservation, others focus on aspects that indirectly affect the environment positively or negatively. The study will then suggest how the NGOs can be motivated to advance their operations and promote green technology.

Topic 2: Impactful green thinking to achieve sustainability

Research Aim: The research analyses humans’ behaviour on issues that can promote sustainability. It explores how people can change their perspective on the environment and take measures at individual and collective levels. It will recommend some habitual changes that can positively impact the environment.

Topic 3: A holistic approach to environmental sustainability

Research Aim: Sustainability comprises various factors, ranging from behavioural, resources, technological, and procedural. Most studies have focused on particular sets of characteristics. However, it can be intriguing how integrating sustainability factors can be achieved. Also, it will be realised if implementing some measures of sustainability has any correlation to others.

Topic 4: Can there be a balance between lifestyle and green technology?

Research Aim: the study will assess the relationship between current lifestyle and green technology. It will be relevant in identifying the personal understanding of green technology’s contribution and how people are ready to adjust their lifestyle to technology. It will further show how green technology affects lifestyles.

Topic 5: How do businesses perceive green energy and environmental sustainability?

Research Aim: The research aims to identify how profit-making organisations approach green technology. It will focus on whether they find it less costly and useful. Also, it will establish whether they find products that involve green technology are usually marketable. Further, it will identify the organisation’s preference for the working environment, whether in regions that promote environmental sustainability or those that do not.

Topic 6: Examining sustainability policies in developed and developing countries

Research Aim: The research will compare regulations instituted in the two sets of countries. It will also assess the extent of implementation of the policies in the countries.

Topic 7: Challenges facing green technology as one of the drivers towards sustainability

Research Aim: The research will be based on green technology recognition as a crucial attribute to environmental sustainability. Despite the assertion, the technology has not attained universal coverage as it would be more impactful. The challenges can vary from economic, social, geographical, and regulatory, and it can then be recommended that the research focuses on a particular region. The results can also be analysed to identify any general challenges in the areas.

Topic 8: What is the consumer perspective towards green production?

Research Aim: Businesses target to satisfy the needs of consumers. The study will assess whether the consumer has a force towards producers that can make the latter inclined towards using green technology. This research study will essentially focus on the consumables industry.

Topic 9: Stakeholders’ contribution to green technology

Research Aim: The research will establish all the stakeholders in green energy. It will reveal their interests and drivers towards green technology. There will be an insight into whether there is a conflict of interests between the stakeholders and how they can be resolved. It will also help identify how the stakeholders can collaborate and integrate their resources and ideas.

Topic 10: Current trends in green technology and the future of technology

Research Aim: the research will aim to overview how green energy has been advancing over time. The trend will then help in predicting the future of green technology. Besides, it will be informative about the contribution green energy has had on environmental sustainability at various levels. It will then make recommendations about the optimum technology as per the available information and developments.

Also Read: Dissertation Topics in Engineering Management

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We are aware of the problems students are likely to face when it comes to finding a suitable topic in sustainability and green technology. Therefore our expert writers are always looking forward to assisting you with your topic search.

We hope you could find a suitable topic from the 20 topic suggestions in green technology and sustainability as provided in this article. But even if you didn’t find any of these topics suitable for your needs, you can always contact us to get custom topics ideas from our expert writers.

Our team of expert writers in any field you like your work to be carried out in will facilitate you and ensure you get the grades that you are worthy of and deserve.

Important Notes:

As a student of sustainability and green technology looking to get good grades, it is essential to develop new ideas and experiment with existing sustainability and green technology theories – i.e., to add value and interest to your research topic.

Sustainability and green technology are vast and interrelated to many other academic disciplines like environmental engineering . That is why it is imperative to create a sustainability and green technology dissertation topic that is particular, sound, and solves a practical problem that may be rampant in the field.

We can’t stress how important it is to develop a logical research topic based on your fundamental research. There are several significant downfalls to getting your issue wrong; your supervisor may not be interested in working on it, the topic has no academic creditability, the research may not make logical sense, and there is a possibility that the study is not viable.

This impacts your time and efforts in writing your dissertation , as you may end up in the cycle of rejection at the initial stage of the dissertation. That is why we recommend reviewing existing research to develop a topic, taking advice from your supervisor, and even asking for help in this particular stage of your dissertation.

While developing a research topic, keeping our advice in mind will allow you to pick one of the best sustainability and green technology dissertation topics that fulfil your requirement of writing a research paper and add to the body of knowledge.

Therefore, it is recommended that when finalising your dissertation topic, you read recently published literature to identify gaps in the research that you may help fill.

Remember- dissertation topics need to be unique, solve an identified problem, be logical, and be practically implemented. Please look at some of our sample sustainability and green technology dissertation topics to get an idea for your dissertation.

How to Structure your Dissertation on Sustainability & Green Technology

A well-structured dissertation can help students to achieve a high overall academic grade.

A Title Page
Acknowledgements
Declaration
Abstract: A summary of the research completed
Table of Contents
Introduction : This chapter includes the project rationale, research background, key research aims and objectives, and the research problems. An outline of the structure of a dissertation can also be added to this chapter.
Literature Review : This chapter presents relevant theories and frameworks by analysing published and unpublished literature on the chosen research topic to address research questions . The purpose is to highlight and discuss the selected research area’s relative weaknesses and strengths whilst identifying any research gaps. Break down the topic, and binding terms can positively impact your dissertation and your tutor.
Methodology : The data collection and analysis methods and techniques employed by the researcher are presented in the Methodology chapter, which usually includes research design , research philosophy, research limitations, code of conduct, ethical consideration, data collection methods, and data analysis strategy .
Findings and Analysis : Findings of the research are analysed in detail under the Findings and Analysis chapter. All key findings/results are outlined in this chapter without interpreting the data or drawing any conclusions. It can be useful to include graphs, charts, and tables in this chapter to identify meaningful trends and relationships.
Discussion and Conclusion : The researcher presents his interpretation of results in this chapter and states whether the research hypothesis has been verified or not. An essential aspect of this section of the paper is to link the results and evidence from the literature. Recommendations with regards to implications of the findings and directions for the future may also be provided. Finally, a summary of the overall research, along with final judgments, opinions, and comments, must be included in the form of suggestions for improvement.
References : This should be completed following your University’s requirements
Bibliography
Appendices : Any additional information, diagrams, and graphs used to complete the dissertation but not part of the dissertation should be included in the Appendices chapter. Essentially, the purpose is to expand the information/data.

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PhD thesis Ensuring Sustainable Development within a Changing Climate

Related Papers

Valerie E Foster Githinji , Todd A Crane

Drawing on ethnographic research conducted in Nsisha, a rural village located close to the shores of Lake Victoria in northwestern Tanzania, this article analyzes how climate change and variability intersect with other stressors that affect rural livelihoods, particularly HIV/AIDS. The analysis integrates theories of vulnerability from both climate and HIV/AIDS literatures to show how these intersecting stressors compound livelihood vulnerability in complex ways. Climate change and variability are linked to declining agricultural yields and an increase in food and nutrition insecurity and poor health in this region. This situation heightens poverty and susceptibility to HIV/AIDS, compromising people’s abilities to cope and adapt. Because of social dynamics, single mothers and their children are particularly affected by these compound vulnerabilities. Climate change and variability are significant contributing vulnerability factors that sustain and exacerbate asymmetrical poverty, food and nutrition insecurity, and HIV/AIDS. By describing the links between vulnerability to HIV/AIDS and climate variability, findings highlight the importance of holistic and localized approaches to adaptation, instead of trying to isolate single issues. Prioritization of multidisciplinary research focusing on the socially differentiated and gendered distribution of vulnerability specifically in regard to poverty, food and nutrition insecurity, and HIV/AIDS is recommended as a means to enrich the understanding of climate change vulnerability. Adaptation strategies should address how climatic shifts interact with generalized poverty, food and nutrition insecurity, health, and gendered vulnerability in areas most affected.

Valerie E Foster Githinji

Everyday social dynamics and cultural drivers of women’s experiences with HIV/AIDS: voices from Buhaya, Tanzania is based on ethnographic research conducted in 2005-06 in the village of Nsisha, which is located close to the shores of Lake Victoria and is approximately twelve kilometers from the town of Bukoba. Nsisha is a rural village comprised of 184 households and approximately one thousand inhabitants. Like most households in northwestern Tanzania, which is referred to as ‘Buhaya’ and refers to the homeland of the Bahaya people who form the largest ethnic group in this area, each and every household in Nsisha has been indirectly or directly affected by HIV/AIDS, meaning that either household members have been infected by HIV/AIDS, or households have absorbed children from their extended family and clan who have been orphaned by HIV/AIDS. In Buhaya, ‘vulnerability’ is shaped by a multitude of bio-physical and socio-ecological challenges which synergistically intertwine, yielding varying levels of individual struggle and abilities to cope and maintain livelihood resilience. The physical terrain of this region is marked by high rainfall, undulating ridges and overused soils which are increasingly acidic and infertile. Given that most people in the area are semi-subsistent farmers, their ability to derive food, nutrition and health security from the land is critical to their survival. The more recent events of climate variability phenomena - which are projected to endure - compound the challenges posed by the physical landscape and result in unpredictable seasonality, erratic and heavier rains and longer drought periods - which can result in increased rates of malaria, cholera, food, nutrition and health insecurity and HIV/AIDS. Buhaya is a region with a heavy disease burden which affect plants, animals, and humans and which independent of other forces, pose great threats to livelihood security, and like climate variability, lead to declines in food, nutrition, arable land and widespread and chronic poverty. High population densities combined with land shortages and soil infertility escalate and perpetuate poverty and its emanations. When these aforementioned bio-physical challenges intermix, emanations of livelihood vulnerability escalate exponentially, especially for poor people who lack needed buffers - and specifically for women and dependent children in this patriarchal society where land is primarily still bequeathed patrilineally. Given women’s subordinate position in Buhaya in general, they lack as much access to basic human needs – land, food, nutrition, health and economic security – as compared to men. The HIV/AIDS epidemic emerged in Buhaya at a time of agricultural decline and socio-cultural change. At this time, bananas – the cultural staple food crop – were being ravaged by a variety of pathogens, leading to a significant reduction in yield and a change in the daily diet. In addition, cattle husbandry was on the decline due to disease and the inability to maintain their health. Given this situation, farmers lacked the green manure essential for maintaining soil fertility, and for the ample growth of bananas, as well as other important food crops. These compounding factors lead to permutations of household poverty and food and nutrition insecurity, including the scarcity of protein and capital traditionally derived from livestock and milk. Similarly, socio-cultural chaos and change at the onset of the HIV/AIDS epidemic was punctuated by an influx of refugees from the border countries and consequently, high competition over livelihood resources, poverty imposed by the aftermath of the Kagera War and historical neglect from mainland Tanzania. While not an exhaustive list of the bio-physical and socio-ecological challenges which synergistically react in Buhaya, these common challenges affect most farmers in Buhaya. In this context, those most vulnerable and susceptible to acquiring HIV/AIDS are the poor who lack buffers to livelihood challenges, and alternatives to their impoverished situation. The status of one’s age, dependency, health, marital and socio-economic status intermix, affecting their ability to buffer against widespread challenges. Due to socio-cultural and physiological reasons, women - and consequently their dependent children - are by far the most vulnerable to the cycle of poverty, HIV/AIDS and their manifestations, and the situation can repeat generationally. In whole, the tiers of research and the in-depth questions asked and detailed answers recorded yield four different cross-sectional analyses of the ‘ecology’ of poverty and HIV/AIDS in Buhaya: (1) one which cuts across social stratification within the community, arguing who has more social capital and how this affects their vulnerability; (2) a second which focuses primarily on food and agricultural issues, and more specifically – bananas; (3) a third cross sectional category which centers on climate factors; (4) and a fourth and final category for this thesis which cuts across age categories and focuses on the social variation of widowhood. This dissertation is comprised of six subsequent sections; an Introduction chapter which lays out the thinking behind the design of the research topic, field research methods used, and general thematic analyses which emerge; which is followed by four thematic chapters, and ends with the General Concluding Discussion. The four chapters appear as follows: (1) Gendered vulnerability in an ecology of poverty and AIDS in northwestern Tanzania; (2) Ethno-cognitive connections between HIV/AIDS and banana plants in the Bahaya agricultural society of northwestern Tanzania; (3) Compound vulnerabilities: the intersection of climate variability and HIV/AIDS in northwestern Tanzania; (4) Widowhood in Buhaya, Tanzania: livelihood challenges, strategies for coping and resilience. The General Concluding Discussion closes, highlighting how each chapter is a specific emanation of the thesis topic, and how collectively, they combine to comprehensively illustrate the everyday challenges women in Buhaya, Tanzania experience in regard to surviving and coping in the face of patriarchy, poverty and HIV/AIDS. As will be illustrated, this thesis argues that within a context of poverty and HIV/AIDS, multiple factors synergize, causing widespread poverty, and the threats and lived realities of land, food, nutrition and health insecurity, and to persistent and bequeathed cycles of entrapment. While poverty and its emanations are ubiquitous in Buhaya, a detailed focus on case studies reveals that while people are poor and suffering, they are still employing the strategies that they can and the resources that they can garner to buffer against livelihood challenges, and attempt to get ahead. I have chosen to focus on case studies because the detailed realities of people’s lives provide the best understanding to revealing where people are falling short, and how their lives can be buffered and improved. As the chapters and case studies collectively show, in an ‘ecology of poverty and HIV/AIDS’, those that suffer the most are those least equipped to deal with the poverty and marginalization bestowed on them by patriarchal and patrilineal customs and social stratification; the threats of agricultural decline and food insecurity; the negative effects wrought by climate variability; and ultimately, age and the social variation of widowhood. These four themes of socio-ecological vulnerability, as argued in this thesis, combine to perpetuate vulnerability to HIV/AIDS, poverty and its bequeathed manifestations and cycles.

Alfred Opere , Richard Kangalawe

Clare Stott

The Fifth Assessment Report of Working Group II of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change was released in 2014. It examines the impacts of climate change, inherent vulnerabilities and adaptation responses across the globe. The Least Developed Countries (LDCs) are identified as being particularly vulnerable to climate change due to economic and capacity barriers. This paper examines the LDCs within the IPCC report to highlight how climatic impacts, vulnerabilities and adaptation are portrayed for these countries. It illuminates a need for a greater focus on the LDCs by the IPCC and for further research concentrated on the LDCs in general, in order to enhance the state of knowledge on LDCs and appropriately guide related policy.

liknaw kassa

Lutz Meyer-Ohlendorf

Water, Air, & Soil …

Ana Iglesias

Davison Muchadenyika

Climatic Change

Alfred Opere , D. Olago , Richard Kangalawe , Gilbert Ouma

UTAFITI Journal

Samwel J Kabote

Abstract Compared to other regions in the world, agricultural performance in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has for many decades been deteriorating. Theoretically, it has been argued that rapid population growth could be responsible for not only deteriorating agricultural performance but also to environmental degradation. On the other hand, the Asian Green Revolution of 1960s has been reported as a success story in terms of transforming agriculture and improving food security in the context of increasing population in countries such as China and India. This article reviews the Malthusian theoretical ideas and their relevance to agricultural transformation in the African context and sub-Saharan Africa in particular. It further discusses empirical evidence emanating from sub-Saharan Africa in relation to agricultural productivity, population growth and the integrity of the environment. Based on ensuing discussions, the agricultural sector in SSA needs to be transformed, and theoretical arguments that negate the Malthusian stance are really relevant in this sub-continent. It is further stressed that replicating the Asian Green Revolution will not work perfectly in SSA because of variations in context based on policy, institutional, and structural arrangements. Therefore, transforming agriculture in this sub-continent is not an easy and straight forward task; rather, its success will depend on the interplay between policy interventions, integrating the agricultural sector with other sectors of the economy, active participation of different stakeholders, as well as government mediations. Keywords: agriculture transformation, Green Revolution, population growth, environmental degradation

Environmental Sustainability and Sustainable Growth: A Global Outlook

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Graduate group, grant number, copyright date, distributor, related resources, contributor.

This thesis examines the concept of environmental sustainability with a focus on global efforts to achieve this. The purpose of this capstone is to assess efforts made to curb the impact of environmental degradation on the society by some developed and developing countries such as Switzerland, United States of America and China. Excessive emphasis on environmental sustainability using some policies could hurt the economic activities of a country through loss of jobs and societal mishaps while on the other hand too much emphasis on economic growth could result into health risks, global warming and environmental degradation within the society. This thesis further discusses the need to strive towards a balance between environmental sustainability and economic growth. Sustainable environment and growth can only be achieved through the integration of policies that connect the environment, the economy and the society. Also, the paper analyzes a number of strategic initiatives adopted by some developed countries that other countries can adopt to achieve the balance between environmental sustainability and growth through the integration of policies that connect the environment, society and economy. And from the analyses, I conclude by outlining efforts that should be explored at the global level in order to achieve this desired balance.

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Date range for data collection (start date), date range for data collection (end date), digital object identifier, series name and number, volume number, issue number, publisher doi, journal issue, recommended citation, usage statistics.

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Management and Sustainability Dissertation

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ENVR591, MSUS591

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A systematic literature review on corporate sustainability: contributions, barriers, innovations and future possibilities

Published: 14 January 2023
Volume 26 , pages 3045–3079, ( 2024 )

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Ualison Rébula de Oliveira ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-8097-4889 1 ,
Rodolfo Pombo Menezes 1 &
Vicente Aprigliano Fernandes 2

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This paper aims to understand the current research scenario through published studies on corporate sustainability, emphasizing the environmental approach. Methodologically, this research develops a systematic literature review based on papers published in the Web of Science database in the last ten years. As a result, there was an upward evolution of research on the searched topic, with one hundred fifteen publications in the last three years compared to one hundred six documents published in the previous seven years. It is also observed that studies published at the beginning of the time frame between 2011 and 2020 were more concerned with the adoption of corporate sustainability, while the most recent research focuses on new approaches and methodologies for its implementation. And, with regard to its implementation, one of the main barriers is the incorrect perception of senior managers that the results from corporate sustainability must be more linked to the economic than to the environmental and social spheres. As relevant aspects, this study observed that new technologies, currently led by the 5th generation mobile network (5G) and Fourth Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0), can contribute to the insertion of corporate sustainability in the industrial context. It also noted that, despite being recent, COVID-19 was considered by several researchers as an event to be considered in terms of corporate sustainability.

International Corporate Sustainability Barometer: Introduction and Structure

Introduction: The Sustainable Development Goals and the Future of Corporate Sustainability

Integration of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria: their impacts on corporate sustainability performance

Anrafel de Souza Barbosa, Maria Cristina Basilio Crispim da Silva, … Vinícius Fernandes de Souza

Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.

1 Introduction

The term “sustainable” has been used since 1978 by the United Nations as a synonym for ecological development. However, with the popularization of other terms in this context, such as sustainability and sustainable development, there was a large number of definitions proposed for both (Johnston et al., 2007 ), reaching, for example, the number of 70 only for sustainable development (Lozano, 2008 ). Discussions continued with the dissemination of the term through the Brundtland Commission Report in 1985 and at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, which took place in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. In the business context, some variations and definitions were used, among them are the “triple bottom line” (TBL) theory, suggested by Elkington ( 1998 ), which consists of the balance in equal harmony between the social, environmental and economic aspects of the companies.

As noted above, adoption by a culture concerned with the macroenvironment is not new. Corporate Social Responsibility has addressed the issue for more than 50 years (Bowen, 1953 ). This way of thinking also has several definitions, but there is an understanding regarding the responsibilities that corporations apply in addition to what the legislation requires them to practice (McWilliams et al., 2006a ; 2006b ). Besides, there are several points in common between Corporate Social Responsibility and corporate sustainability (CS), however CS can be defined as the application of sustainable development at the micro-level, that is, at the corporate level, through a short-term concern related to the economic and environmental aspects and long-term regarding the social performance of the company (Steurer et al., 2005 ).

Throughout our research, we observed the existence of several literature reviews on corporate sustainability that sought (and were able) to organize the state of the art of the topic, consolidating the individual efforts of several researchers in a single document. However, we also identified some gaps, namely: (i) the methodological characteristics of the publications, broken down into context, application area and research methods used; (ii) the main research clusters on corporate sustainability, which took into account current aspects, such as COVID-19; (iii) the main contributions of corporate sustainability to organizations, segmented into improving the organization's performance and reputation, partnerships between the organization and stakeholders, improving the organization's environmental management and, finally, improving the organization's human resources; (iv) the main barriers that organizations must overcome in order to adopt corporate sustainability; (v) the main guidelines that organizations must follow to overcome barriers and, thus, be able to implement corporate sustainability, and; (vi) the main innovative approaches in corporate sustainability.

In view of so many aspects, the main objective of this research is to identify, analyze and organize information on corporate sustainability that will help us fill the gaps presented. Through a Systematic Literature Review (SLR), the intention is to analyze the evolution of CS within the scholar community in the last ten years, with particular attention on the contributions of the topic to organizations, the limitations and guidelines for the adoption of CS, besides the innovations implemented in the focused period analysis. With the proposed mapping of publications in the last ten years, it will also be possible to observe the main research clusters and recommendations of future research that have been completed, as well as the promising areas within this field of action and study.

The present research is relevant for at least three aspects: (i) corporate sustainability has become a matter of growing international concern (Zhang et al., 2020 ), being considered as a fundamental solution for the creation of a prosperous future (Ikram et al., 2020 ); (ii) eco-efficiency and society should be prioritized to improve corporate sustainability performance, with a focus on encouraging environmental innovation (Xia et al., 2020 )—our research addresses issues related to innovation in the area of corporate sustainability, including the COVID-19 pandemic as one of the research clusters to be considered; (iii) the progress of organizations towards sustainable development has been slow (Baumgartner & Rauter, 2017 ), indicating the need for more concrete guidelines that allow companies to achieve corporate sustainability—our research raises barriers that hinder the adoption of corporate sustainability and presents guidelines for the adoption of corporate sustainability by organizations. Several other justifications for carrying out this research could be included here, but we will end with the one we consider most relevant: filling each of the gaps pointed out in the previous paragraphs of this introduction.

Finally, it is observed that the theme of corporate sustainability can be approached from the social, environmental and economic perspectives; which, in turn, unfold into the most diverse categories, such as environment, management and business, ethics, finance, economics, engineering, among others. In this sense, due to the broadness of the theme, the research was delimited from the environmental perspective. More details on this delimitation can be found in Sect. 3 (materials and methods). Besides, in addition to this introduction, the present research is organized into five other sections, as follows: the next section will address a theoretical review on SC and the main findings in literature review works on this topic; Sect. 3 contemplates the research methodology; Sect. 4 addresses the SLR; Sect. 5 presents the agenda and directions for future research; Finally, Sect. 6 describes the conclusions of the study, followed by bibliographic references.

2 Review of corporate sustainability

CS can be defined as the adaptation of economic, environmental and social factors to the activities and mechanisms of corporate decision-making, together with principles of corporate governance and risk management applied to these issues (Vardari et al., 2020 ), seeking sustainable development while minimizing risk and increasing the value of a company, including shareholder value (Lee, 2019 ). It results from a complementary and connected relationship between the organizational capacities that affect its strategic dimension and the socio-environmental practices that contribute to its operational dimension (Mohammadi et al., 2018 ).

The application logic emphasizes the thinking of the TBL (Triple Bottom Line), which brings together people, planet and profit, within the scope of its business plan. The objective of CS is that a company can positively and simultaneously impact economic growth, social equity and human development, benefiting in terms of risk management and competitive advantage (Cho et al., 2018 ). It is an approach that creates long-term value through the integration of financial and non-financial indicators (Rustam et al., 2019 ).

For its implementation, it is of fundamental importance that organizations incorporate sustainability strategies in their business models, from changes in their governance, in the short term related to the economic and environmental aspects and, in the long term related to the social performance of the company, having focus on results that contribute to a continuous improvement (Ashrafi et al., 2018 ).

In addition to internal issues, CS is seen as paramount to comply with government regulations in the pursuit of economic benefits and improve the company's image, thus restricting external pressures from suppliers, customers, investors and NGOs (Ashrafi et al., 2018 ), being developed from economic development policies and government approaches, through the adoption of policies and regulations in support of sustainable development (Mishra et al., 2020 ).

It is possible to create social value by contributing to the development and well-being of society by carrying out and supporting social initiatives and projects for poverty alleviation, human and child development, equity and social and gender justice (Ray & Chaudhuri, 2018 ). In an analysis of the 20 main materials published in the area Vildasen et al. ( 2017 ) observed that 3 explicitly dealt with the economic-environmental context, 7 with the social-economic and 10 with the socio-environmental-economic context, confirming the link between the areas in the definition described above.

2.1 Corporate sustainability approach

Although corporate performance can be evaluated separately, from the social, environmental, economic and responsibility perspectives, it is interesting that Montiel ( 2008 ) and Bansal and Song ( 2017 ) observed a tendency to converge these elements into an integrated evaluation from the corporate sustainability approach. Also, it is noticed that academic research still diverges from the practice of firms in terms of corporate sustainability (Montiel & Delgado-Ceballos, 2014 ), possibly because of the complexity that corporate sustainability measurements have gained over time from the scholars' perspective. This can be evidenced, for example, in Wagner ( 2010 ), in which the author shows that innovation does not necessarily relate to corporate sustainability in the presented case study. However, it is important to highlight that as higher requirements are expected from clients and firms that operate at different geographical scales, the academic community is highlighting the need to improve corporate sustainability in theoretical, methodologic and operational terms, in order for companies to deliver more integrated results on corporate performance from a sustainable perspective (Baumgartner, 2014 ; Wagner, 2005 ), and therefore be aligned with the global 21st-century challenges in terms of corporate performance and sustainability.

Endiana et al. ( 2020 ) affirm that the accounting sector of a company can promote environmental conservation through environmental costs, and at the same time, improve performance when implementing a Corporate Sustainability Management System (CSMS). Mainly, Endiana et al. ( 2020 ) evidence that allocating appropriate environmental costs through CSMS can effectively improve the company's financial performance. Besides, it is believed that a proper application of CSMS, with the disclosure of environmental activities and costs (e.g., of a land, materials, energy, etc.), can enhance customer loyalty. From the employees’ perspective, Chang et al. ( 2020 ) analyzes the effect of green product psychological ownership on their behavior and performance. Specifically, Chang et al. ( 2020 ) evidence that it is important to establish a solid Green Shared Vision to avoid green confusion, related to the environmental characteristics of a company's products or services, and improve employees' economic performance. From a methodological concern Kafa et al. ( 2020 ) evidences the need for companies to build supply chain management processes that consider the adequate criteria to achieve corporate sustainability.

In a similar approach to Chang et al. ( 2020 ), Mazur and Walczyna ( 2020 ) indicate that it is relevant that the sustainable management of human resources (SMHR) is adequately implemented when the company has a solid view of its corporate sustainability perspective, with particular attention on meeting the firm´s needs without compromising the ability to meet future stakeholders´ needs. Also, Mazur and Walczyna ( 2020 ) indicate that the SMHR should support the company's sustainable development strategy, promote fair treatment and well-being of employees, support environmentally-friendly practices within the organization, and other functions.

From a broader perspective, Kantabutra and Punnakitikashem ( 2020 ) believe that a sum of practices, such as long-term orientation, gradual expansion, risk management, employee priority, innovation within others, leads to an improvement in corporate sustainability performance, because they will impact on the rational use of resources, better working conditions for employees, the longevity of the company and its operations.

Xia et al ( 2020 ) highlight practices that can improve the corporate sustainability performance of a company, in terms of socio-environmental, socio-economical, and eco-efficiency aspects. Specifically, these practices are related to encouraging environmental innovation, redesigning consumers' offer, raising support for institutions and policy measures, and organizing synergetic involvement among stakeholders. In this same direction, Crisóstomo et al. ( 2020 ) identify determinants for corporate sustainability performance. Within these determinants, there are: ownership concentration; companies from environmentally risky sectors; profitability; the firm's size; growth opportunities; and dept.

Considering the global concern that companies should align their corporate sustainability goals to international requirements, Zhang et al. ( 2020 ) propose using indicators from the global reporting initiative (GRI) for the corporate sustainability disclosure of firms. However, Zhang et al. ( 2020 ) assure that there are still challenges because firms in different countries may have a different understanding of corporate sustainability compared to international guidelines, such as those established in the GRI.

Also, Weber and Chowdury ( 2020 ) point out the relevance of evaluating corporate sustainability by separating indicators into four groups: social sustainability, environmental sustainability, green products; and services. With a more in-depth approach, Ikram et al. ( 2020 ) believe that more categories are needed in order to value specific aspects of the firms, such as social sustainability. In specific, Ikram et al. ( 2020 ) proposes nine categories: Corporate Governance; Product Responsibility; Transparency and Communication; Economic; Environmental; Social; Natural Environment and Climate Vulnerability; Energy Consumption; and Pandemic COVID-19 impact. The proposed diverse categories to evaluate corporate sustainability is aligned with the current needs of companies to achieve “real” sustainability, because the traditional triple bottom line of sustainability is not sufficient and may even lead to a business-as-usual perspective, as mentioned by Milne and Gray ( 2013 ).

In complement to this, it is relevant to issue how different perspectives on sustainability by managers can influence on decision-making, whether they are more radical or moderate. About this, Hahn et al. ( 2014 ) assure that the team setting of a company should be diverse in terms of views on problem–solution and sustainability issues. Authors affirm that if teams are dominated by business case-minded (more focused on economic objectives) or paradoxical types (with higher awareness on environmental and social issues), they may be less successful in achieving a significant corporate sustainability performace, while a mixed team may be better in these terms.

Interestingly, Baumgartner and Rauter ( 2017 ) argue that to achieve expected corporate sustainability standards, it is important to explore how management can contribute to creating value for businesses, society and nature. Mainly, the authors defend that performance could be improved through strategic management, specifically looking at its three dimensions: strategy process, strategy content, and strategy context. Thus, this may strengthen the relationship between strategic management and the sustainable development of a company.

2.2 Main findings in literature review papers on corporate sustainability

In terms of literature review papers on corporate sustainability, there are more than a dozen relevant articles, each with its own focus. Precisely for this reason, it is worth giving a brief description of some of them, as follows.

Goyal et al. ( 2013 ) developed a descriptive analysis of papers published between 1992 and 2011 on corporate sustainability performance. The data collected is from the following database: Emerald Full Text; EBSCOS; Elsevier’s Science Direct; JSTOR; Taylor & Francis; and Springer-Verlag. The search keywords used by Goyal et al. ( 2013 ) were “corporate sustainability performance”, “green”, “triple bottom line”, “environment performance”, and “CSR”. In total, 101 papers were selected for the quantitative descriptive analysis. In this literature review, the authors identify that there is a trend toward evaluating corporate sustainability from an integrated perspective, in which social, environmental and economic issues are jointly considered.

With a focus on integrating corporate sustainability and strategic management, Engert et al. ( 2016 ) reviewed 114 articles through descriptive and content analysis methods published until 2014. As key search terms, authors used: strategic; strategy; strategies; management; corporate sustainability; sustainability; environmental; green; eco; ecological; social; socially; ethical; responsible; and responsibility. The databases for this review were Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar. This review shows that there has been an increasing number of publications on the explored research field over the years, that more interdisciplinary work on corporate sustainability is appearing and that there is still a need for more empirical research.

From a conflictive perspective, Van der Byl and Slawinski ( 2015 ) undertake an extensive literature and content review to assess tensions of corporate sustainability regarding achieving a balance between economic, social, and environmental aspects. Authors selected 149 papers from 2003 to 2014 from top-tier management and strategy journals that focused on corporate sustainability and tensions related to four approaches: win–win; trade-off; integrative; and paradox. This review identified that while the win–win approach seeks to reconcile social or environmental issues with economic goals, the trade-off puts these issues into conflict. On the other hand, the integrative approach aims to achieve solutions that balance the dimensions of sustainability and the paradox approach seeks to understand the nature of tensions in regard to achieving corporate sustainability, besides looking into innovative and creative solutions.

Under the argument that there is not much application of theories of firm on corporate sustainability, Lozano ( 2015 ) review the most used theories and how they can contribute to corporate sustainability. Authors do not undertake a specific process to choose literature, and focus on what they believe is the adequate literature to be reviewed on this topic under an interpretative perspective. Results show that each theory is limited to addressing a particular dimension of corporate sustainability, however it is also argued that there could be a sustainability oriented theory of firm that could gather elements of each theory in order to be aligned with and contribute to corporate sustainability.

Diez-Cañamero et al. ( 2020 ) argue that there are no specific instruments that can support an alignment of companies to achieve similarly corporate sustainability. Therefore, the authors identify common indexes, ranking and ratings of corporate sustainability systems to organize a common proposition that could support corporate sustainability development on a larger scale. The documents reviewed in this study were articles and reports that specially applied corporate sustainability systems within 2010 and 2019. The authors did not specify particular keywords or database systems to search documents but focused on specific websites and reports. The authors conclude that the different approaches to measuring corporate sustainability cause a biased view of sustainability, leading to a diminished importance of sustainable development.

With a focus on corporate sustainability and organizational capabilities, da Cunha Bezerra et al. ( 2020 ) proposes a framework based on a systematic literature review under a descriptive approach. The papers reviewed by the authors were found in the web of science database, considering those that were published until February of 2019. The keywords used for the search are related to capabilities, sustainability social performance and social responsibility. Papers were filtered based on the literature review's focus, which led to the consideration of 88 articles. The results of da Cunha Bezerra et al. ( 2020 ) indicate that corporate sustainability is closely related to business strategy and the development of specific organizational capabilities.

Arguing that there is a gap between policy and implementation regarding corporate sustainability, Ahmed et al. ( 2021 ), through a systematic literature review, explores factors that make implementing corporate sustainability policies difficult. With this aim, Ahmed et al. ( 2021 ) selected 107 papers published between 1950 and 2020 in six major editorial groups: Wiley; Taylor and Francis; Emeral; Springer; Sage; and Elsevier. The keywords for the search were: policy; small and medium enterprise; sustainability; Corporate Social Responsibility; corporate sustainability; corporate ethics; corporate philanthropy; corporate citizenship; and corporate sustainability responsibility. Results of this review show that adequate policymaking on corporate sustainability is closely related to several business approaches such as the grassroots approach, environmental impact assessment, integrated sustainability assessment, evidence-based practice approach, and systematic approach.

Schaltegger et al. ( 2022 ) highlight the importance of understanding the role of management accounting on corporate sustainability. Within this context, the authors undertake a systematic literature review on sustainability management accounting, based on content analysis. In this review, the 62 papers selected were articles published until 2019 focusing on environmental, social and sustainability accounting found in five databases: EBSCO Host-Business Source Premier (BSP); JSTOR; ScienceDirect; Scopus and Web of Science. This study identifies that the literature shows a timid relationship between the micro-level of sustainable management accounting with a company’s meso and macro organizational levels, which means that there are still challenges with regard to extending sustainable management accounting beyond organizational barriers.

Based on the diverse existing challenges for companies to balance economic, social and environmental goals, Luo et al. ( 2020 ) conducted a systematic literature review on corporate sustainability paradox management. The 141 papers selected were published in high ranking journals dedicated to management and sustainability until December 2019. The authors undertaken a content analysis of the selected papers and concluded that environmental and cognitive factors create tensions to adopt sustainable solutions; proactive strategies are more present in studies related to corporate sustainability and result more effective in the short- and long-term sustainable goals of a company; and strategies to manage corporate sustainability paradoxes deals with complex business scenarios, on the multi-level and multi-stage approach.

From a human resources perspective, Kainzbauer et al. ( 2021 ) conducted a bibliometric analysis to understand how sustainable human resource management contributes to corporate sustainability. This review selected 807 Scopus-indexed papers from 1982 and 2021 on sustainability in human resource management. The review identified three research development areas: green human resource management; Corporate Social Responsibility; and sustainable human resource management. However, the authors highlight that recently, more importance has been given to environmental issues, leading to the need to generate more contributions to human and social aspects of sustainability.

Analyzing the findings of the research in this subsection, it is observed that they are complementary and have different focuses, despite all of them being methodologically guided by a literature review. In this perspective of complementarity, our work will address the following issues on corporate sustainability: (i) historical evolution over the years; (ii) methodological features; (iii) citation networks and research clusters; (iv) contributions to organizations; (v) Barriers to the adoption by organizations; (vi) guidelines for the adoption by organizations; (vii) innovations; (viii) agenda and future research directions. To this end, we will continue with the methodological approach described and detailed in the next section.

3 Materials and methods

Methodologically, this research was supported by a SLR. Its function is to organize the knowledge disseminated over the last ten years (between 2011 and 2020) on the topic of corporate sustainability, thus increasing the visibility of this subject (Meredith, 1993 ) and contributing to the topic's investigative process (Easterby-Smith et al., 2002 ), in addition to providing a historical perspective and the consolidation efforts in this area of knowledge.

According to Gough et al. ( 2012 ), SLR is a structured, transparent and reproducible method, characterized by being an objective, replicable approach that, according to Badi and Murtagh ( 2019 ), can provide a comprehensive knowledge of scientific research published in a given field of study. The aim of a literature review is to identify gaps in the literature (Tranfield et al., 2003 ), as well as to address existing limitations on a given topic (De Oliveira et al., 2018 ). For Wee and Banister ( 2016 ), a literature review should gather the research material in a structured way, adding value by discussing relevant aspects and raising promising paths for future research, based on key and emerging topics (Seuring et al., 2005 ).

In general, SLR begins with clarifying the scope of the research (Agi et al., 2020 ), followed by the objective of the review (Agi et al., 2020 ; Tranfield et al., 2003 ), with a well-defined strategy for data search (Agi et al., 2020 ; De Oliveira et al., 2018 ; Tranfield et al., 2003 ), and collection of research material (Agi et al., 2020 ; De Oliveira et al., 2018 ; Tranfield et al., 2003 ). For Tseng et al. ( 2019 ), SLR has four stages, which, in short, involve the identification of data, the screening of initial data, the determination of eligibility and, finally, the inclusion of data.

Taking into account the notes covered in the previous paragraphs, this SLR followed the steps presented in Fig. 1 , as a structured research protocol.

Structured research protocol for the SLR

In order to focus on the research, the first step started from clarifying its scope and also its objective, which are duly pointed out in the introduction section of this research.

The second step consisted in choosing the database for the research, which in this case was the Web of Science (WoS). Considered one of the main databases in terms of content volume (Abrizah et al., 2013 ), the platform had more than 38 million publications in its collection for more than a decade (Vieira & Gomes, 2009 ). Such information reinforces the reach (De Oliveira et al., 2021 ) and, mainly, the amount of content (Machado & De Oliveira, 2021 ) in this database. Another important point is the quality and numbers of scientific journals published in the WoS (Chadegani et al., 2013 ).

The third stage of the research identified all articles published from January 1, 2011 until December 31, 2020, and the search was carried out through the "advanced research" tool on WoS. As a search argument, the term “Corporate Sustainability” was used in the title and the term “Environmental” was used in the topic section, simultaneously, using the Boolean logic “AND”. As a limitation of this step, it is found that the papers that did not use any of the research arguments in the title, abstract or keywords at least once, did not have their work related to the present study. The number of manuscripts found in this stage was two hundred twenty-one.

The fourth step involved downloading all papers that met the research conditions outlined in the previous step. This material was stored in a folder for later reading of their titles and abstracts. In the fifth and sixth stages, the titles and abstracts were read so that a sorting of the materials could be made, thus discarding papers not related to the topic and inserting in a spreadsheet relevant data from the remaining papers for future reading. Of the 221 initially downloaded articles, 48 were discarded at this stage because they were not directly related to the topic.

Following the technical procedures, the seventh stage addressed the organization of the material eligible for the SRL on CS, and, in the eighth and final stage, the eligible material was read in its entirety, from which the understanding about the CS topic was elaborated over the last 10 years, providing a view of the current scenario, its evolution in the period, as well as opportunities for future research and developments in the field. At this stage, another 17 articles were discarded, leaving 156 articles that were duly cited and referenced in the present research. Figure 2 summarizes this section, segmenting the steps into two macro processes, one for data collection and the other for data analysis.

Summarized methodological scheme for performing the SLR

4 Results of the systematic literature review

In this section, the main results will be presented, starting with the details of the definition found in the collected materials.

4.1 Historical evolution of corporate sustainability over the years

There was a quantitative evolution in relation to the papers published over the last 10 years on CS. From Fig. 3 , it is possible to observe an increasing number of publications in this topic, particularly in English-language journals.

Historical evolution of the quantity of materials published on CS

There has been a growing increase in published content, especially over the past four years. It is important to note that the number of materials collected for 2020 covers the entire year, i.e., until December 31, 2020.

Research on CS has undergone variations in terms of objectives, contexts and areas studied. Table 1 shows the historical evolution of the research objectives over the years.

Even with variations over the researched decade, it is noted that the adoption and evaluation of sustainable practices in companies, as well as issues related to the management of CS linked to human resources, received greater attention when compared to other objectives, as shown in Fig. 4 .

Main objectives and themes related to the researched materials

Complementing this analysis of the historical evolution of CS, one could not fail to address the journals that contributed most to research advances in the area of CS. From the data tabulation, it was possible to perform the mapping shown in Table 2 .

From its analysis, it is important to highlight that the journals mentioned in Table 2 have become a reference for obtaining materials on this topic.

4.2 Methodological features on corporate sustainability

In the reading phase of the selected material, it was found that the research could be divided into 8 contexts, as shown in Table 3 .

From the definition of the context, the grouping of materials began according to their main application area. Table 4 organizes these areas.

Concluding the segmentation, it was found that the research methods used have 3 predominant divisions: (i) empirical studies (Gomez-Bezares et al., 2019 ; Jones et al., 2015 ; Mishra et al., 2020 ; Baumgartner & Rauter, 2017 ; Ahern, 2015 ); (ii) mathematical modeling using diverse techniques (Yang et al., 2017a , 2017b ; Aras et al., 2018 ; Weber, 2017 ; Kucukbay & Surucu, 2019 ; Hu et al., 2011 ; Zillur et al., 2015 ) and; (iii) literature review (Amini & Bienstock, 2014 ; Goyal et al., 2013 ; Kourula et al., 2017 ; Vildasen et al., 2017 ).

Based on these three characteristics (context, area and method), publications on CS were stratified according to Fig. 5 .

Map of the SLR (2011–2020)

4.3 Citation networks and research clusters on corporate sustainability

For the purpose of visualizing and analyzing citation networks in the papers that comprised the study material of this research, we used the CitNetExplorer software, which focuses on the topic of field‐normalized citation impact indicators.

The CitNetExplorer software analyzed 1756 citation links, derived from references cited by papers on CS published on WoS, in the period from 2011 to 2020. Figures 6 and 7 , which were generated from this software, have the following parameters:

Each circle represents a publication;

Publications are labeled by the last name of the first author;

To avoid overlapping labels, some labels may not be displayed;

The horizontal location of a publication is determined by its citations relations with other publications;

The vertical location of a publication is determined by its publication year;

The curved lines represent citation relations;

Citations point in upward direction;

The cited publication is always located above the citing publication.

Network of citations for publications on CS and their connections—extracted from CitNetExplorer

Publications on CS originated from Dyllick and Hockerts ( 2002 )—extracted from CitNetExplorer

Figure 6 allows the visualization of most frequently cited publications (select based on their Citation Score) and their connections (links). It is interesting to note that countless publications from past decades have been used to compose the theoretical framework of the publications of the last ten years on CS, with a significant part of these publications maintaining a citation relationship (see curved lines) with current publications.

In the center of Fig. 6 , we can see the Dyllick’s seminal paper publication, “Beyond the business case for corporate sustainability”, that among the publications that directly address the topic CS is the one with the highest Citation Score index. From Fig. 7 , we can see the unfolding of the work of Dyllick and Hockerts ( 2002 ) in several other publications, expanding the visual information of the previous figure.

Although Figs. 6 and 7 allow the visualization of the most relevant citation networks and their relationship with other citations over time, it is not possible to extract from these figures what are the main areas of investigation, how these areas are related, or even what are the most active research areas. Thus, in order to answer these questions, the CiteSpace software was used. According to Chen ( 2006 ), CiteSpace is software designed to generate an “X-ray” of an area of knowledge represented by a set of bibliographic records from relevant publications. Figure 8 , which illustrates the most active areas of research on CS in the past ten years, was developed by CiteSpace.

Main research clusters on CS in the period from 2011 to 2020

Clusters are numbered in descending order of cluster size, starting with the largest cluster #0, the second largest #1, and so on. In this case, the largest area (#0 sustainability governance characteristics) has the largest number of members' references, being, therefore, the subject that has had the most activity in the last decade.

Of these clusters, one that draws attention is the seventh (#6 including covid-19 insight), which is understandable because the world has reached a critical point of volatility due to the emergence of COVID-19 (Karnama & Vinuesa, 2020 ), which would thus justify the growing interest of the scientific community in research that includes aspects of the 2020 Pandemic.

In Fig. 8 , the total time span is from 2011 to 2020 and the clusters show the most important traces of related research activities. Each dot represents a node in the network, which are the citations. And the lines that connect the nodes are co-citations links. The colors of these lines are designed to show when a connection was made for the first time. Color coding makes it easy to identify which part of the network is old (lilac shade) and which is recent (yellow shade).

4.4 Contributions of corporate sustainability to organizations

A large part of the CS contributions are linked to the improvement in environmental management related to areas close to the organizations, where the increments may be related to cultivation and preservation in high standard environments, continuous control of environmental pollution, protection for threatened plants and animals, implementation of successful environmental protection programs, optimal use of resources and anticipation of possible problems related to the environment (Vardari et al., 2020 ). CS improves business performance and reputation, reducing or eliminating risks and linking operations to results that can improve the common good (Wilshusen & MacDonald, 2017 ).

However, its implementation only has the power to become a rich source of competitiveness if the opportunities related to sustainable development are properly identified (Baumgartner, 2014 ). Integrating CS into the company's strategy is more than a responsibility, being essential that each business recognizes the need to be socially, environmentally and financially sustainable in order to survive over time (Ashrafi et al., 2018 ).

The adoption of CS contributes to eco-innovation, responsible leadership, sustainable and organizational culture (Paraschiv et al., 2012 ), as well as the need to adopt certifications such as ISO 14001 to accelerate the company's commitment to sustainable issues (Maletic et al., 2015 ; Ramos et al., 2013 ). It was also observed the establishment of partnerships between companies and NGOs that defend the environmental cause, generating improvements, legitimacy and value for both parties (Daddi et al., 2019 ; Joensuu et al., 2015 ).

In addition to the environmental context, there were several contents regarding the financial aspect triggered by sustainable practices, such as the improvement in the relationship with investors (Garcia-Sanchez et al., 2019 ; Serafeim, 2020 ), long-term returns in times of financial crisis (Gomez-Bezares et al., 2016 ), creating long-term value for business owners through the exploitation of opportunities and risk management (Kocmanova et al., 2017 ), environmental and social governance activities positively affecting economic performance (Budsaratragoon & Jitmaneeroj, 2019 ) and image improvement before the entire market (Schrobback & Meath, 2020 ).

It was found that both early adopters of CS and late adopters benefit greatly. The pioneer receives all payment from stakeholders in the sustainability market, since it is the only operator. In contrast, late adopters gain an advantage as they benefit from cumulative side effects in an explored and expanded market (Usar et al., 2019 ). Foreign ownership positively impacts the level of adoption of CS, as the pressure exerted ends up being greater culminating in a need for constant training of the workforce (Pechancova et al., 2019 ).

In the internal environment, experiences with CS encourage managers to devote more attention to environmental and social problems (Grewatsch & Kleindienst, 2018 ), as well as the leading role of leadership in their application (Tomsic et al., 2015 ), in addition to promote employee involvement (Horisch et al., 2019 ; Pellegrini et al., 2018 ). The establishment of gender diversity on the company's board, for example, has a significant positive impact on the financial performance of the business (Zahid et al., 2020 ).

The public sector realized the importance of such knowledge and drives progress in sustainability through state-led projects with the development of concepts and legislation, as in the case of China (Liu & Yan, 2018 ). More specifically related to that country's financial sector, green credit policies have increased the CS of banks and/or helped to create a more stable and successful sector (Weber, 2017 ).

Figure 9 presents, in a summarized form, the main contributions of CS, divided into 4 axes:

Contributions of CS to organizations

4.5 Barriers to the adoption of corporate sustainability by organizations

As presented in the previous section, the application of CS is seen as fundamental in organizations of all types and sectors, but there are several obstacles to its implementation.

Among the difficulties imposed, barriers related to the adoption of sustainable practices by employees were mentioned in several studies. Some examples are, the inability to motivate managers with highschool education level (Henry et al., 2019 ), the internal difficulty with managers and other employees (Ashrafi et al., 2019 ; Pechancova et al., 2019 ), the lack of internal understanding (Stahl et al., 2020 ), the lack of human resources management (Sadatsafavi & Walewski, 2013 ) and the wage gap (Gomez-Bezares et al., 2019 ).

The lack of guidance on CS is another barrier in its implementation (Ahern, 2015 ; Baumgartner & Rauter, 2017 ; Deng et al., 2017 ), as well as the different internal perceptions about this topic that can cause difficulty in its dissemination (Nyuur et al., 2020 ). The lack of understanding on the subject also occurs in the process of selecting appropriate economic, environmental and social indicators for measuring sustainability, which has several methodological structures and a wide range of assumptions (Nikolaou et al., 2019 ).

CS needs to be anchored in the economic, environmental and social sphere, but the sources and indicators used, normally, focus only on economic factors, resulting in the mistaken recognition that sustainability is an optional contribution, rather than something present in the company's culture. (Schneider & Meins, 2012 ). Another important point is that just “institutional pressure” is not enough to improve the sustainable performance. The allocation of financial and human resources is also necessary for the practices to be effectively completed (Mishra et al., 2020 ).

Another relevant aspect refers to the communication of the companies' sustainable activities, which usually occurs through the sustainability report. As there is no specific standard for the dissemination of results, erroneous or incomplete disclosure of data to specialists, partners and investors becomes common (Barkemeyer et al., 2015 ; Garcia-Sanchez et al., 2019 ; Klettner et al., 2014 ; Lee, 2019 ).

According to Bae et al. ( 2018 ), another barrier involves difficulties related to the family management mode, very common in different parts of the world, in which the family benefit is seen as superior to the negative effects generated for society and other interested parties. Modifying traditional issues and balancing business performance with sustainable issues is seen as a paradox (Daddi et al., 2019 ).

The outsourcing of supply chains in various sectors, which occurred mainly in the last two decades, to developing countries and with considerable cultural differences in relation to the matrix, are attempts to react due to increased competition and shorter product cycles. This decentralization makes it difficult to control operations, in which they may contain slave labor and the use of products that are degrading to the environment (Lueg et al., 2015 ). The fashion industry clearly illustrates the barriers presented. In addition to being one of the most polluting globally, it has professionals with low level of qualification, education and easily replaceable, also causing labor barriers (Feng & Ngai, 2020 ).

In different sectors and businesses, there are tensions between the various stakeholders (Vildasen & Havenvid, 2018 ) with respect to searching for a joint sustainability perspective. When it comes to suppliers and sub-suppliers, there is a considerable range of factors critical to the success of sustainable actions: trust between the focal company, direct supplier and sub-supplier; buyer power of the focal company and the supplier; the long-term committed relationship between direct supplier and sub-supplier; direct supplier involvement; value perceived by the direct supplier and sub-supplier; subcontractor's ability to meet requested sustainability standards; and cultural and geographical distance between supply chain partners (Grimm et al., 2018 ). Figure 10 illustrates barriers that hinder the adoption of CS:

Barriers faced for the adoption of corporate sustainability

4.6 Guidelines for the adoption of corporate sustainability by organizations

It was found that the search for certifications is a relevant path for the adoption of CS, as they contain basic guidelines for obtaining the titles (Ramos et al., 2013 ), mainly in sectors with high environmental impact (Ashrafi et al., 2019 ). However, organizations need to see it beyond a mere certification with an environmental focus and clearly address the social aspect (Maletic et al., 2015 ). NGOs are important actors for implementing CS in an effective, planned and positive way (Lee, 2019 , Joensuu et al., 2015 ).

The dissemination of sustainable culture from the creation of the position of "Chief Sustainability Officer" (CSO) within organizations is a viable way for its implementation to occur (Henry et al., 2019 ). If the manager has extensive previous experience in sustainability issues, the results tend to be positive in the long term (Peters et al., 2019 ).

As an alternative or complement to the creation of a specific position, investment in training for the existing workforce, the use of local labor, and the improvement of internal processes are factors that assist performance, in addition to promoting a broad and sustainable philosophy (Lloret, 2016 ). Companies can use the leadership of their team members to create a favorable and collaborative environment for the innovation process linked to sustainability, offering employees training, rewards and a system for monitoring innovation performance (Lampikoski et al., 2014 ; Pellegrini et al., 2018 ; Tomsic et al., 2015 ; Yang et al., 2017a , 2017b ). The emphasis on human development and training in the workplace should focus on environmental practices and the exercise of power to transform pollution prevention thinking to promote sustainable actions (Feng & Ngai, 2020 ).

Investment in the Research & Development sector also plays an important role, as it promotes innovative products and modern technologies that improve the efficiency of the entire organization, including the sustainable aspect (Zillur et al., 2015 ). In the same vein, a better and adequate design of the facilities contributes to the internal development of resources and the extension of organizational capacities (Sadatsafavi & Walewski, 2013 ).

The Sustainability Report is one of the most used tools for communicating sustainable practices, which can go unnoticed internally and externally. Its range of information can attract attention from the market and investors (Garcia-Sanchez et al., 2019 ). In this type of document, companies can publish their corporate responsibility policy with strategic drivers, structure for monitoring and implementation, methods for receiving contributions from interested parties and requirements in which executives present true views (Klettner et al., 2014 ). Communication can incorporate other aspects of innovation, economic competitiveness, third-party involvement and education initiatives (Ramos et al., 2013 ).

The design of an open and low-barrier system encourages stakeholder to have confidence in resolving conflicting interests. From this understanding, it is possible to reach a common and beneficial point for those involved (Afreen & Kumar, 2016 ). According to Sukitsch et al. ( 2015 ) its practical implementation can be carried out respecting several factors such as: sustainability drivers; sustainability strategies; sustainability issues; integration into the main business; organizational areas in question; motivators for a sustainable business scenario; stakeholder involvement; and methods for sustainability management and measurement/evaluation.

Involving direct suppliers in building sustainable policies is paramount, as they are points of contact with sub-suppliers that will impact the construction of a final product (Grimm et al., 2016 ). Considering relationships and assessing suppliers' commitment to subcontractors is essential for the success of focus companies, as alignment of perceptions about sustainability among the various supply chain partners is necessary (Grimm et al., 2018 ), even if it generates costs for the final company (Smith, 2013 ).

Finally, Lozano ( 2015 ) highlights that, internally, leadership and the business case are the most important motivators to catalyze CS, while the most relevant external drivers are related to the reputation, demands and expectations of customers and regulation/legislation.

4.7 Innovations on corporate sustainability

In addition to the guidelines, the analyzed documents detailed innovative approaches to review the adoption and measurement of this topic. Table 5 highlights the main ones:

Innovations in segmented markets were also observed, such as exploring the sustainability performance of Chinese banks (Weber, 2017 ), creating an index to measure CS in the cruise industry (Bonilla-Priego et al., 2014 ), the proposition of 5 radical models to examine the sustainability rate of Japanese industrial sectors (Sueyoshi & Goto, 2014 ), identification of 87 sustainability-related indicators for the fashion industry (Kozlowski et al., 2015 ), a tool for analyzing the dimensions of sustainability in Ecuadorian cooperatives (Alcivar et al., 2020 ), sustainable innovation model for energy companies (de Almeida & de Melo, 2017 ), an analytical scheme for the generation and capture of the value of Mexican companies (Lloret, 2016 ), analysis of materiality for companies related to water technology (Calabrese et al., 2019 ) and its adoption by Italian companies in the wine sector (Annunziata et al., 2018 ).

Adding to the list of the previous paragraph, other topics were found, among them the addition of social media to the decision-making analysis process (Tseng, 2017 ), the use of innovation games as a roadmap for the development of value creation strategies (Lampikoski et al., 2014 ), the configuration of behaviors with the provision of incentives to employees in conjunction with human resource management tools (Sadatsafavi & Walewski, 2013 ) and the classification of the types of trade-offs found through a hierarchical structure (Haffar & Searcy, 2017 ).

To conclude this section, the most recent innovation observed on CS refers to the inclusion of COVID-19 as a new attribute of sustainable business practices. Ikram et al. ( 2020 ), believing that after the COVID-19 pandemic, organizations will be sensitized to achieve a more sustainable business environment, developed an indicator structure that has 45 sustainability subcriteria, classified according to the nine main categories (Corporate Governance, Transparency and Communication, Product Responsibility, Environment, Social, Economy, Natural Environment and Climate Change, Energy Consumption and Economy and Pandemic). COVID-19 is even included as one of the research clusters on CS, as shown in Fig. 8 (see Sect. 4.3 ).

5 Agenda and future research directions

This section will discuss the recommendations of future research that were observed in the papers included in the SLR, emphasizing CS pathways that remain open.

5.1 Recommendations for future research that remain open

In the field of Human Resources, the possible connection between sustainability and wage disparity, recommended by Gomez-Bezares et al. ( 2019 ), remains without new materials. Zahid et al. ( 2020 ) studied about gender diversity in business boards in Malaysia, but found the need for a broader discussion and in different realities. In the case of Lozano et al. ( 2017 ), the study happened by segmenting managers' understanding of the complexities and multidimensional issue of CS in Japan, where the authors recommended the development of research to analyze experiences on this topic in the West and East, verifying what can be translated into other territories and cultures.

Liu and Yan ( 2018 ) argued about the need to focus on sustainability projects and failed attempts, so that complementary theoretical views can be confronted with those that were successful in their implementation. New studies are suggested to understand where and when to spend on more sustainable policies, especially in the context of bringing more benefits to shareholders. Tarquinio et al. ( 2018 ) propose the future creation of a system of indicators to summarize the overall performance of the businesses, with the aim of providing a valuable view of the information in sustainability reports.

The macro-environmental issue also has open studies, mainly in climate change and global warming, topics suggested by Linnenluecke and Griffiths ( 2013 ), as well as the use of Smart Technologies to assist CS (Hack & Berg, 2014 ; Saunila et al., 2019 ). Table 6 includes the main recommendations found in the analyzed materials:

5.2 Recommendations of relevant future research

Through the insertion of new technologies in the industrial context, at a time led by 5G together with Industry 4.0, there are several possibilities for their insertion in the context of CS. According to Seele ( 2017 ), it will be possible to predict most of the problems related to sustainability and not just analyze what has already been published. The opportunity for studies in this area is relevant, as the use of Big Data as a complementary element to traditional approaches has gained relevance in recent years (Bala et al., 2015 ; Weber, 2017 ; Serafeim, 2020 ).

Studies related to consumer perception regarding CS are lacking, since the analyzed materials contribute to internal understanding, whether with employees or suppliers. The study by Stolz and Bautista ( 2015 ) addresses the external perception, but related to audiences belonging to a segmented age group and location, as well as the material by Tomsic et al. ( 2015 ), which also analyzes the economic issues of small and medium-sized companies. With the growing concern about sustainable development, it is an opportunity to understand what consumers see of value when choosing certain brands, checking if the sustainable issue is taken into account, as suggested by Jones et al. ( 2017 ).

It was found in the review that issues related to Human Resources are predominant for the application of CS (Gomez-Bezares et al., 2019 ; Lueg et al., 2015 ; Zahid et al., 2020 ). Therefore studies that help better forms of engagement, diversity, perception, reward and leadership of employees will bring valuable information for the adoption of sustainable practices, inserting them into the organization's culture. People must understand the new business values clearly, with respect to the sustainable concerns, so that, based on their interpretation, they practice in their daily lives.

There are also difficulties reported in the analysis of Sustainability Reports, many of them incompatible with what was expected by partners and investors, which demonstrate the gaps and the possibility of improving this essential instrument of communication and accountability of sustainable practices (Barkemeyer et al., 2015 ; Jones et al., 2017 ; Manning et al., 2019 ; Mishra et al., 2020 ; Mohammadi et al., 2018 ). Its total or partial standardization can generate an even greater contribution to the company's value and, consequently, brand positioning in highly competitive markets.

Another critical gap to be investigated is related to the circular economy suggested by Daddi et al. ( 2019 ) in other sectors besides the production of paper, fashion and leather because such a topic becomes increasingly relevant not only in relation to suppliers but also to the society in general and to NGOs linked to the environment, as the authors themselves cite.

6 Conclusion

To achieve the objectives of the present research, 221 articles were selected, downloaded and analyzed. These articles have corporate sustainability as their central theme, with a significant part of the material focused on environmental issues. As a time frame, we worked with articles published in the last ten years, where it was possible to observe a growth in researchers' interest in this topic year after year. In 2011, for example, we had only five articles published (see Fig. 3 ), while in 2020 we had 43 articles. Analyzing year by year, there is an average annual growth rate of publications around 27%.

Although a large part of the research contributions on CS is linked to improvement in environmental management (cultivation and preservation in high-standard environments, continuous control of environmental pollution, protection for threatened plants and animals, implementation of successful environmental protection programs, optimal use of resources and anticipation of possible problems related to the environment), many other relevant approaches were observed, such as improving performance and business reputation, interaction with producers and stakeholders, financial performance, bioeconomics, improvement in the human resources with content related to gender diversity, employee involvement and leadership and, finally, the implementation of CS in sectors that are still unexplored. Specifically, regarding the improvement in business performance and reputation, there is a search for certifications, improvement in risk management, foreign ownership and relations with investors and partnerships with interested parties, of which NGOs, suppliers and the government are present.

Regarding the sector (business segment/type of business) where these papers were applied, the diversity of application areas is impressive, of which stand out those of agri-food, banks, consumers, ocean cruises, aquaculture, oil, energy, manufacturing, fashion, ports, technology, among many others. Concerning methodological procedures, these surveys were, in the vast majority of times, conducted by case studies, interviews, structured and semi-structured surveys and mathematical modeling.

As opportunities on this topic, it was possible to understand the main barriers faced for the adoption of CS linked to the management area, whether in the allocation of financial resources or flawed indicators; the human resources area, with difficulties in its adoption by employees, lack of management or lack of internal understanding; to the topic itself, in the absence of its understanding or lack of guidance. As a counterpoint, to overcome these barriers, numerous recommendations were observed, of which the investment in the Research & Development sector stands out, the implementation of an efficient communication process through the Sustainability Report and the dissemination of sustainable culture from the creation of the position of “Chief Sustainability Officer” (CSO). Alternatively, to creating the CSO role, companies can use the leadership of their team members to create a favorable and collaborative environment for the innovation process linked to sustainability.

With regard to innovations on CS, it was observed, in these ten years of research, the creation of an index for the cruise industry, the identification of 87 indicators for the fashion industry and the inclusion of COVID-19 as a new attribute of sustainable business practices. Even though COVID-19 is a very recent event, there is scientific research involving CS, and is even one of the main research clusters in the analyzed period (seventh cluster, as shown in Fig. 8 ). The first cluster is “sustainability governance characteristics”, with a greater number of references, being, consequently, the subject that had more activity in the last decade.

We suggest that all opportunities on CS reported in Sect. 5.2 of this paper are taken into account concerning future research possibilities. But, if we had to select only one, we would suggest further research on problems related to Sustainability Reports. Many studies have pointed out the lack of standardization of these documents, communication failures in accountability for sustainable practices and information incompatible with what was expected by partners and investors. In this direction, instigating questions on this topic could be: what would be the measurable gain that “adequate” Sustainability Reports could bring to CS? Or, in percentage terms (or any other measure that is more appropriate), how much would a Sustainability Report inspire stakeholders to make positive decisions on this matter? Or, yet, what would be an “adequate” Sustainability Report?

As a limitation, the present research considered only articles published on the Web of Science database. In addition, the search arguments used (“Corporate Sustainability” in the title field, “Environmental” in the topic field and the Boolean logic “AND”) directed the systematic review of the literature to the environmental bias. This direction is likely to be a limitation for other researchers interested in other approaches, such as financial and economic ones. Thus, for future works of a systematic review of the literature on corporate sustainability, it is recommended to work with other databases, such as SCOPUS and with other directions than the environmental one.

To conclude, it is emphasized that this article is recommended for researchers and academics who intend to start or update their knowledge in CS, since the SLR developed here can provide a comprehensive view of the studies on this topic.

Data availability

Not applicable for this research.

Code availability

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de Oliveira, U.R., Menezes, R.P. & Fernandes, V.A. A systematic literature review on corporate sustainability: contributions, barriers, innovations and future possibilities. Environ Dev Sustain 26 , 3045–3079 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-023-02933-7

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Search for dissertations about: "thesis on environmental sustainability"

Showing result 1 - 5 of 670 swedish dissertations containing the words thesis on environmental sustainability .

1. A Life Cycle Approach to Environmental Sustainability in Aggregate Production Systems

Author : Christina Lee ; Chalmers tekniska högskola ; [] Keywords : TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER ; ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY ; TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER ; ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY ; TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER ; ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY ; NATURVETENSKAP ; NATURAL SCIENCES ; Aggregates ; Gravel ; Sand ; LCA ; Production Systems ; Sustainability ; Life Cycle Assessment ; Environmental Management ; EPDs ; Quarries ; Tool Development ; Environmental Impact ; Environmental Product Declarations ; Construction Products ;

Abstract : Rock materials, such as sand, gravel, and crushed rock, serve as the foundation of our society. Known collectively as aggregates, these materials are essential for building foundations, concrete, and roads, making them the second most extracted material globally after water. READ MORE

2. On Sustainability of Biomass for Energy and the Governance Thereof

Author : Oskar Englund ; Virginia Dale ; Chalmers tekniska högskola ; [] Keywords : LANTBRUKSVETENSKAPER ; AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES ; LANTBRUKSVETENSKAPER ; AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES ; TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER ; ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY ; SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP ; SOCIAL SCIENCES ; SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP ; SOCIAL SCIENCES ; TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER ; ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY ; NATURVETENSKAP ; NATURAL SCIENCES ; NATURVETENSKAP ; NATURAL SCIENCES ; sustainability ; land use ; spatial modelling ; biomass production ; certification ; environmental legislation ; biomass resources ; ecosystem services ; Bioenergy ; GIS ; biodiversity ; governance ;

Abstract : Due to concerns about climate change, energy security, and resource scarcity, non- renewable resources are increasingly being displaced by biomass. As with most human activities, the production of biobased products can be associated with negative impacts. Primarily, this relates to the biomass supply systems, i.e. READ MORE

3. Exploring cross-resource impacts of urban sustainability measures : an urban climate-land-energy-water nexus analysis

Author : Rebecka Ericsdotter Engström ; Viktoria Martin ; Georgia Destouni ; Vladimir Cvetkovic ; Mark I. Howells ; Nazmiye Ozkan ; KTH ; [] Keywords : TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER ; ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY ; TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER ; ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY ; NATURVETENSKAP ; NATURAL SCIENCES ; NATURVETENSKAP ; NATURAL SCIENCES ; TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER ; ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY ; urban sustainability ; CLEW nexus ; water-energy nexus ; nature-based solutions ; SDG spillovers ; Energy Technology ; Energiteknik ;

Abstract : In an increasingly urban world, cities' global resource uses grow. Two fundamental resources for making cities liveable are water and energy. These resources are also closely interlinked – systems that convert and deliver energy to cities require water, and urban water systems use energy. READ MORE

4. Impact of Digitalisation on Environmental Sustainability in Manufacturing Systems

Author : Xiaoxia Chen ; Chalmers tekniska högskola ; [] Keywords : TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER ; ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY ; TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER ; ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY ; TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER ; ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY ; digitalisation ; environmental impact ; Industry 4.0 ; manufacturing ; sustainability ;

Abstract : Manufacturing companies are striving to improve productivity and reduce the environmental impacts of their activities. Meanwhile, digitalisation plays an important role in increasing productivity and has a profound impact on the environment of manufacturing systems. READ MORE

5. Towards empirically grounded guidance for resource efficiency: Applying, developing and synthesising environmental assessments

Author : Daniel Böckin ; Chalmers tekniska högskola ; [] Keywords : TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER ; ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY ; TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER ; ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY ; TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER ; ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY ; NATURVETENSKAP ; NATURAL SCIENCES ; Circular Business Models ; guidelines ; business models ; synthesis ; Life Cycle Assessment ; decoupling ; resource efficiency ; 3D-printing ; Circular Economy ; waste hierarchy ;

Abstract : Numerous solutions have been proposed to mitigate environmental damage, including resource efficiency and the vision of circular economy. Suggested solutions are often formulated as guidelines and heuristics like in the EU waste hierarchy, so-called R-hierarchies for resource efficiency and various guidelines for circular business models. READ MORE

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Are universities connected to local sustainability? A new study suggests yes...and no.

A new study finds that universities scoring strongly on measures of sustainability are associated with innovation and economic growth in their surrounding communities. However, the study did not find similar connections between university sustainability performance and environmental sustainability in their home communities.

"Society is facing a slew of global challenges, and we wanted to assess the extent to which higher education is contributing to the sort of transformative change needed to address these challenges," says Christopher Galik, co-author of the study and a professor of public administration at North Carolina State University. "For this study, we started at the local level, exploring whether there was any association between university sustainability performance and sustainability in their surrounding communities."

To explore the issue, researchers looked at data from 105 metropolitan areas in the United States, which are collectively home to 427 higher education institutions. Specifically, the researchers drew on data from two sources, the U.S. Cities Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Index and the QS Sustainability Universities Ranking.

The SDG Index aggregates dozens of metrics related to a municipality's sustainability efforts, covering issues such as climate action, energy efficiency and water use. The QS Sustainability Universities Ranking evaluates university efforts related to environmental sustainability as well as efforts aimed at addressing social concerns, such as global partnerships, community engagement and the health and well-being of students, faculty and staff.

The researchers wanted to see whether there was any relationship between universities that scored well on the QS Sustainability Universities Ranking and the municipalities that scored well on the SDGs.

"Sustainability is complicated -- it has lots of different components," says Ha Vien, first author of the paper and a Ph.D. student at North Carolina State University. "And we found that universities are associated with progress on some of those measures, but not others."

The good news is that there was a very strong correlation between universities that score well on sustainability and communities that score well on innovation, reducing poverty, creating economic opportunities and reducing inequality.

"The bad news is that universities that perform strongly on sustainability measures are also associated with a decline in responsible consumption and production -- measured here as increased air pollution and release of toxic chemicals -- in their surrounding areas," Vien says. "There was also little or no correlation between universities that scored well on environmental sustainability and the environmental sustainability scores of their communities."

"This is an observational study, so it's impossible to determine causation," Galik says. "However, the evidence suggests two things. First, universities continue to be strongly associated with innovation and economic development. But second, the idea that universities can contribute to broader sustainable transformations doesn't seem to be realized yet, at least on a large scale."

"It took significant time and effort for universities to become the economic drivers that we see today," Vien says. "Looking into the future, climate change will continue to be a defining challenge for the foreseeable future. Our findings highlight that there are still a lot of opportunities for higher education to make more of a difference in surrounding communities."

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Materials provided by North Carolina State University . Original written by Matt Shipman. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

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Ha Vien, Christopher S. Galik. Individual and interlinked SDGs: higher education institutions and metro area sustainability performance . International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education , 2024; DOI: 10.1108/IJSHE-06-2023-0231

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Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Urban sustainability'

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Liebold, Sebastian, and Patrick Thost. "Urban Sustainability." Universitätsbibliothek Chemnitz, 2017. http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bsz:ch1-qucosa-224892.

Tam, Wing-man Connie, and 譚詠文. "Urban renewal and urban sustainability." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 1999. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B43894033.

Tam, Wing-man Connie. "Urban renewal and urban sustainability." Hong Kong : University of Hong Kong, 1999. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record.jsp?B21041386.

Årevall, Agnieszka Janicka. "Urban Agriculture : Sustainability Multiplier." Thesis, Blekinge Tekniska Högskola, Sektionen för planering och mediedesign, 2013. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:bth-2043.

Moschella, Miloslavich Paola. "Peri-urbanization and land management sustainability in Peruvian cities." Thesis, Strasbourg, 2018. http://www.theses.fr/2018STRAH013/document.

Farreny, Gaya Ramon. "Working on strategies towards urban sustainability." Doctoral thesis, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10803/48533.

Athanassiou, Evangelia. "A contextual approach to urban sustainability." Thesis, University of Edinburgh, 1999. http://hdl.handle.net/1842/22410.

García-Caro, Briceño Daniela. "Vertical Farming Sustainability and Urban Implications." Thesis, Uppsala universitet, Institutionen för geovetenskaper, 2018. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-364788.

Fenton, Paul. "Sustainability · Strategy · Space – exploring influences on governing for urban sustainability in municipalities." Doctoral thesis, Linköpings universitet, Industriell miljöteknik, 2016. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-129544.

Cooksey, Christy. "The Impacts of Urban Sustainability on Economic Prosperity: Sustainability in the Spotlight." Thesis, University of North Texas, 2020. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1752361/.

Azevedo, Kyle Kellogg. "Modeling sustainability in complex urban transportation systems." Thesis, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/1853/37289.

Driffort, Thibaut, Oscar Ogenblad, and Luís Sousa Lara. "Move! Bringing Urban Public Transportation towards Sustainability." Thesis, Blekinge Tekniska Högskola, Sektionen för ingenjörsvetenskap, 2013. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:bth-3846.

Isaacs, John Patrick. "Sustainability assessment and visualisation in urban environments." Thesis, University of Abertay Dundee, 2011. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.650532.

Weingaertner, Carina. "Identifying Strategic Initiatives to Promote Urban Sustainability." Doctoral thesis, KTH, Miljöstrategisk analys (flyttat 20130630), 2010. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-27625.

QC 20101216

Austin, Jared J. "Policing the Riverfront: Urban Revanchism as Sustainability." Scholar Commons, 2018. http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/7122.

Baicu, Mihai-Catalin. "Social Sustainability in EU-Based Urban Regeneration." Thesis, Malmö universitet, Malmö högskola, Institutionen för Urbana Studier (US), 2021. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:mau:diva-43203.

Rapai, Cody J. "Form of social sustainability." This title; PDF viewer required. Home page for entire collection, 2010. http://archives.udmercy.edu:8080/dspace/handle/10429/9.

Perkins-High, Lily. "Can sustainability be local? : an examination of neighborhood sustainability assessment in Denver, Colorado." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/105057.

Brits, Andre. "An Urban Sustainability Assessment Framework: Supporting Public Deliberation around Sustainability of Specific Contexts." Thesis, Griffith University, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/10072/366961.

Cersosimo, Igor <1974&gt. "The advanced urban metabolism model as a tool for urban sustainability assessment." Doctoral thesis, Università Ca' Foscari Venezia, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10579/893.

Dossa, Zahir (Zahir A. ). "A positive approach to sustainability." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/81639.

Nomura, Wataru. "Sustainability of green space maintenance." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/67232.

Taschereau, Denise M. "Urban social sustainability, opportunities for Southeast False Creek." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 1999. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk1/tape10/PQDD_0028/MQ51484.pdf.

Takayanagi, Mimi 1970. "Urban transportation policies toward sustainability of mega-cities." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2002. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/8131.

Nemati, Sam. "Beyond Sustainability through Regenerative Architecture : Regenerative Urban Landscapes." Thesis, Umeå universitet, Arkitekthögskolan vid Umeå universitet, 2020. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-171838.

Bagstad, Kenneth. "Ecological Economic Applications for Urban and Regional Sustainability." ScholarWorks @ UVM, 2009. http://scholarworks.uvm.edu/graddis/14.

Bagstad, Kenneth Joseph. "Ecological economic applications for urban and regional sustainability /." Full text available, 2009. http://library.uvm.edu/dspace/bitstream/123456789/207/1/Bagstad%20Thesis.pdf.

Roggenbuck, Abbey. "Urban agriculture, urban planning and urban development in the contemporary African city: a case study of the Lukhanyo Hub Project." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/29284.

Jung, Yoonhee. "Urban Sustainability in Transformation: A Case Study of Seoul." Diss., Temple University Libraries, 2018. http://cdm16002.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p245801coll10/id/601024.

Odeh, Khuloud, Annita Seckinger, and Carina Forsman-Knecht. "Connected Urban Development (CUD) Initiative as an Approach towards Sustainability in Urban Areas." Thesis, Blekinge Tekniska Högskola, Avdelningen för maskinteknik, 2009. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:bth-3127.

Carina Forsman-Knecht S. Bellevuevägen 2 371 61 Lyckeby E-mail: [email protected] US +1 435 503 8460 Sweden +46 (0)733 629951 Skype: cinaknecht Annita Seckinger 10620 Barnwood Lane Potomac Maryland 20854 email: [email protected] Khuloud Odeh address: 2501 Calvert St. NW Apt. 401, Washington, DC, 20008, USA phones: home +1-202-332-1103, mobile:+1 301-768-1886 email: [email protected]

Mokrushina, Ksenia. "Sustainability transformations in Olympic host cities." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/73706.

Skinner, Lara Renee. "Is it just sustainability? The political-economy of urban sustainability, economic development and social justice." Thesis, University of Oregon, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/1794/10922.

Leung, Pui-ching Hilda. "Planning for urban sustainability : promoting integrated transit-oriented development /." View the Table of Contents & Abstract, 2005. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record/B35081211.

Stratmann, Judith, Laura Weiss Ferreiro, and Rumy Narayan. "Towards Sustainability – Analysis of Collaborative Behaviour in Urban Cohousing –." Thesis, Blekinge Tekniska Högskola, Sektionen för ingenjörsvetenskap, 2013. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:bth-2842.

Erixon, Josef, and Tina Bosnjak. "Planning for sustainability : sustainable ideas for an urban environment." Thesis, Blekinge Tekniska Högskola, Sektionen för teknokultur, humaniora och samhällsbyggnad, 2008. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:bth-5591.

Radford, Alison J. "Urban park: an example of place, sustainability and participation." Adelaide, 1995. http://web4.library.adelaide.edu.au/theses/09ENV/09envr128.pdf.

Brandt, Julia, and Linnéa Svensson. "Approaching urban sustainability : - a minor field study in India." Thesis, Tekniska Högskolan, Högskolan i Jönköping, JTH, Byggnadsteknik, 2013. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hj:diva-22079.

Leung, Pui-ching Hilda, and 梁佩貞. "Planning for urban sustainability: promoting integrated transit-oriented development." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2005. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B45014140.

Liao, Hanwen. "A framework for evaluating Olympic urban development for sustainability." Thesis, University of Sheffield, 2006. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.427245.

Chiriboga, Christian Alejandro. "TREE HEALTH, CARBON SEQUESTRATION, AND SUSTAINABILITY OF URBAN FORESTS." The Ohio State University, 2013. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1366342199.

Kolosz, Ben William. "Assessing the sustainability performance of inter-urban intelligent transport." Thesis, University of Leeds, 2013. http://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/5502/.

McBrien, Brandon James. "Properties 4 Purpose: Social Sustainability and the Urban Fabric." Thesis, The University of Arizona, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/245085.

Leandro, Luca <1989&gt. "Sustainability and efficiency in urban mobility: an international comparison." Master's Degree Thesis, Università Ca' Foscari Venezia, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10579/3721.

Walker, Judith. "City Core Neighbourhoods Designed for Sustainability." Thesis, University of Waterloo, 1993. http://hdl.handle.net/10012/984.

Rowland, Jennifer. "Conceptualizing Urban Green Space within Municipal Sustainability Plans| Parks, Tree Canopy, and Urban Gardens." Thesis, The George Washington University, 2014. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=1556725.

As the concept of sustainability gains prominence in the U.S., municipal governments have begun adopting official sustainability plans to outline their goals for a sustainable future. However, with an absence of national guidelines or a streamlined definition of sustainability, these plans contain infinitely diverse goals, policies and motivations. One aspect of sustainability which has a diverse array of benefits and challenges is urban green space. This research uses content analysis and coding of municipal sustainability plans to gain insight into how U.S. cities conceptualize urban green space in the forms of parks, tree canopy and urban gardens and in the greater context of sustainability. This thesis specifically looks at the creation of municipal sustainability plans, how cities organize green space, how cities value green spaces, the kinds of green space goals and benchmarks that cities set, and the inclusion of equity in the realm of green spaces. The 20 case study cities have shown green spaces are an important component of sustainability planning and are conceptualized and included in varying and unique ways. The way a plan is created, the people involved or excluded from the plan creation process and the agreements or groups that cities join can impact how cities envision sustainability and how they conceptualize green space within the plan. The concepts of sustainability and green space appear to be best articulated and operationalized in the context of many voices, viewpoints and opinions. In the categorization of green space, this research found that only a few cities had headings specific to green space, but instead associated it primarily with other aspects of the natural environment. This research also found that the language used to describe green space is broad and varied. Standardization or concrete definitions of these terms may make plans more accessible. Cities discussed environmental, economic and social benefits of green spaces in their plans. Overall, cities valued environmental benefits the most and the majority of benefits identified in the plans are anthropocentric in nature. Some of the best practice green space goals identified within the plans were the inclusion of green corridors, native vegetation, increasing the tree canopy, changing zoning codes to include urban agriculture and goals related to equity and access. Overall, both the goal setting and measurement processes of urban green space serve as beneficial ways for cities to achieve their broader sustainability goals. However, these goals cannot be fully realized when their distribution and access are unequal across the city and when decisions are made without the input of local residents. This research found that there is a gulf between equity being mentioned in a plan, and the depth to which it is explored in the context of green space, leaving room for cities to improve their incorporation of equity in their planning for green spaces. This research has shown that cities conceptualize green spaces in a variety of ways and while there are several successes, there is also a lot of room for improvement in both green space planning and sustainability planning.

Boyle, Luke. "Urban facilities management as a systemic process to achieve urban sustainability in South Africa." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/20677.

Anesie, Laura Noemi. "Urban Mining in Malmö - An Investigative Study to Identify the Potential of Urban Mining." Thesis, Malmö universitet, Fakulteten för kultur och samhälle (KS), 2018. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:mau:diva-23943.

Fortes, Melissa Belato. "Mobilidade e adensamento urbano: aplicação de indicadores em estudo de caso no Distrito da Barra Funda, São Paulo." Universidade de São Paulo, 2012. http://www.teses.usp.br/teses/disponiveis/16/16132/tde-14022013-155810/.

Tcacencu, Sanda. "Social Sustainability in a Local Context." Thesis, KTH, Samhällsplanering och miljö, 2018. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-239879.

Blaney, Weston Douglas. "An Institute for Urban Agriculture: Architecture, Ecology and Urban Habitat." Thesis, Virginia Tech, 2002. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/35895.

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(PDF) SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGES OF ELECTRONIC THESES AND DISSERTATIONS
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Factors Required for Small Business Sustainability in Nigeria.pdf
(PDF) ENHANCING THE SUSTAINABILITY CONTENT OF A CIVIL ENGINEERING
Sustainability Principles Essay
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Sustainability Dissertations
Upgrading an Old Residential Building for Energy Performance and Sustainability. Dissertation Examples. The intent of this dissertation is to provide a homeowner with the breakdown of the advantages and disadvantages of both a retrofit and a new build upgrade when considering the energy performance and sustainability of a residential property ...
20 Dissertation Topics on Sustainability and Green Technology
Dissertation Topics Ideas on Sustainability and Green Technology for 2021. Topic 1: Research on sustainable gardens. Topic 2: Sustainable outdoor designs using recycled materials. Topic 3: Pollution-free disposal and recycling of trash. Topic 4: Importance of gardening- awareness and ideas for the city, terrace/roof gardening.
THESIS
THESIS was originally created by TSC starting in 2009 and launched as The Sustainability Index in 2014. In 2019, TSC partnered with SupplyShift to create our current iteration of THESIS, powered by SupplyShift's cutting edge platform and informed by TSC's deep roots in higher education, including ASU and Wageningen University + Research.
PDF MSc Environmental Sustainability Dissertation Titles 2016-1998
MSc Environmental Sustainability, Dissertation Titles 2016-1998. 17. Year Author Title. 2000 Riddell, Scott Sustainable development: Participation and the Loch Poll hydro - electricity generating scheme on the North Loc hinver estate, Assynt, Scotland 2000 Shaw, Suzy The applicability of photovoltaics in development: A case study of rural ...
Sustainability Dissertation Topics
Step 1: Choose your topic. Take a look at the sustainability research topics list to see if they interest you. If you require data on energy, travel, procurement, UCL's sustainability engagement programmes or water please email Sustainable UCL to request this. If you have alternative research topic ideas for a sustainable living lab ...
PDF THE DRIVE FOR SUSTAINABILITY
The thesis concludes that whilst the private sector can play a positive role in making sustainable development more effective, it will be difficult to achieve or less effective, if actors are engaged for geo-political or self-centred reasons rather than altruistic and development-
Achieving Sustainability in Global Supply Chains
and social sustainability within their global supply chains. Gouda and Saranga (2018) contended that firms have been adopting various kinds of environmental and social sustainability practices in recent times to reduce their carbon footprints and to improve their image on the social front. The adoption of environmentally-friendly practices in
Sustainability and Sustainable Development Research around the World
Abstract and Figures. This paper reviews the existing research on sustainability and sustainable development around the world. It begins by defining the sustainability and sustainable development ...
PDF Sustainability Dissertation Topics
Sustainability Dissertation Topics Our Sustainability Strategy is centred on 3 signature campaigns 'Positive limate', 'The Loop' and 'Wild loomsbury'. They provide an initial focus for bringing together our teaching, research and ... sustainability information they want to know about, to inform point of sale purchasing choices in ...
MSc Sustainability dissertations
MSc Sustainability dissertations . Our MSc Sustainability students write dissertations for their major projects on an expansive range of topics, from environmental law to the gamification of behavioural change, risk management to fast fashion. Some have even been published as articles in peer reviewed journals. We've included a selection here as examples of our students' work.
A Dissertation on Sustainability Competence: Directions for Nursing
This dissertation explores sustainability competence in nursing education through three specific aims: 1) to describe sustainability competence among a sample of undergraduate and graduate nursing students; 2) to examine whether sustainability competence increases with additional years of nursing education; and 3) to evaluate a sustainability ...
PhD thesis Ensuring Sustainable Development within a Changing Climate
This dissertation is comprised of six subsequent sections; an Introduction chapter which lays out the thinking behind the design of the research topic, field research methods used, and general thematic analyses which emerge; which is followed by four thematic chapters, and ends with the General Concluding Discussion. ...
PDF SUSTAINABILITY YOUR THESIS ON HOW TO WRITE
about writing about sustainability in my thesis - given that my programme focusses on security. Some people thought that sustainability was too far removed from the core topics of crisis and security management. However, it is important to realise that sustainability questions are multifaceted andrequie an interdisciplinar approach.
Strategies for Small Business Sustainability
sustainability planning, and sustainability factors use. The results of this study may contribute to positive social change by providing information to entrepreneurs about successful strategies for small business sustainability, which can lead to business owners, employees, and communities living and working in a human-oriented, prosperous, and
(PDF) Master Thesis The sustainable economy models- The need to
Master Thesis The sustainable economy models- The need to integrate strong sustainability into the business strategies August 2020 DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.31720.90888
Environmental Sustainability and Sustainable Growth: A Global Outlook
This thesis examines the concept of environmental sustainability with a focus on global efforts to achieve this. The purpose of this capstone is to assess efforts made to curb the impact of environmental degradation on the society by some developed and developing countries such as Switzerland, United States of America and China. Excessive emphasis on environmental sustainability using some ...
Management and Sustainability Dissertation :: University of Waikato
The University of Waikato is driving innovation for societal progress and global sustainability, linking knowledge with industry for a better world. Go to this section . Research institutes, centres and groups . Research institutes; ... Management and Sustainability Dissertation. 2024. Change year. 2023; 2022; 2021; 2020; 2019; 2018; 30. 500 ...
PDF Amina Mohamed Buallay
Second: Publications Associated with the Main Theme of the Thesis (Sustainability Reporting) Published: • Buallay, A., & Al-Ajmi, J. (2019). The role of audit committee attributes in corporate sustainability reporting: Evidence from banks in the Gulf Cooperation Council. Journal of Applied Accounting Research.
Sustainability Strategies for Small Business Organizations
Walden University 2021 Abstract. Sustainability Strategies for Small Business Organizations. by. Tajudeen Olatunji. MBA, Seton Hill University, 2006. Doctoral Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment. of the Requirements for the Degree of. Doctor of Business Administration. Walden University.
A systematic literature review on corporate sustainability
This paper aims to understand the current research scenario through published studies on corporate sustainability, emphasizing the environmental approach. Methodologically, this research develops a systematic literature review based on papers published in the Web of Science database in the last ten years. As a result, there was an upward evolution of research on the searched topic, with one ...
Dissertations / Theses: 'Corporate sustainability'
In this dissertation, there is an in-depth analysis of sustainability concept, sustainability reporting, in particular related to GRI Guidelines, and an empirical analysis about the relationship between GRI sustainability indices and corporate financial data, utilising a sample of about 45 companies listed in Fortune 500.
Dissertations / Theses: 'Cultural and Social Sustainability ...
Additionally, this paper analyses how managers can support employee engagement with sustainability. The thesis conducts a literature review to set the theoretical foundations; it further resorts to semi-structured interviews and document analysis conducted in a Swedish public company, which has begun to integrate sustainability into its culture.
Dissertations.se: THESIS ON ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
Search for dissertations about: "thesis on environmental sustainability" Showing result 1 - 5 of 666 swedish dissertations containing the words thesis on environmental sustainability. 1. A Life Cycle Approach to Environmental Sustainability in Aggregate Production Systems. Author : Christina Lee; Chalmers tekniska högskola; []
Are universities connected to local sustainability? A new study
A new study finds that universities scoring strongly on measures of sustainability are associated with innovation and economic growth in their surrounding communities. However, the study did not ...
Dissertations / Theses: 'Urban sustainability'
Video (online) Consult the top 50 dissertations / theses for your research on the topic 'Urban sustainability.'. Next to every source in the list of references, there is an 'Add to bibliography' button. Press on it, and we will generate automatically the bibliographic reference to the chosen work in the citation style you need: APA, MLA ...