Balancing profit and sustainability

: managing tensions in the implementation of corporate sustainability practices exploring tensions among firms offering management consulting

Abstract

In this study, I aim to investigate the tensions that arise during the implementation of corporate sustainability practices in firms offering management consulting and the strategies that these firms adopt to manage these tensions. I conducted a comparative case study on six German firms providing management consulting services, drawing on Hahn et al.'s (2015) framework for tension management in corporate sustainability. These companies strive to integrate corporate sustainability into their internal operations and strategies. The study findings suggest that all companies experienced tensions among the social, environmental, and economic factors that span across the dimensions of level, change, and context. Furthermore, all companies emphasized the use of acceptance and resolution strategies to manage these tensions. The results indicate that acknowledging tensions and implementing the identified strategies within organizations can assist in managing complex sustainability challenges. Therefore, this research serves as a source of potential strategies for addressing tensions in corporate sustainability within firms offering management consulting.

Date of Award	29 Jun 2023
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Laure Leglise (Supervisor)