Driving sustainable thinking in Portugal

: a semi-systematic review and the cases of Super Bock, Exponor, and ACP

Abstract

A company's actions need evaluation, not only to comprehend its short-term results but also to sustain future decisions. Measuring enables higher quality conclusions to be drawn. Therefore, based on data, companies can make more suitable decisions. The same applies to sustainability. Companies should evaluate their business sustainability to conserve resources, implement eco-friendly practices, and provide ethical labour. Businesses should further report the findings, acting transparently and taking accountability. But firstly, it is essential to understand what they ought to measure. However, the discussion regarding the measurement of sustainability is ongoing. The complexity of this concept is often daunting, and smaller companies with limited resources might even put sustainability aside. We must encourage sustainable thinking as a first step to achieving sustainable development. Our research objective is to explore sustainability, its dimensions, how these interact, and which indicators are most appropriate to measure sustainability and drive sustainable thinking in Portugal. This research relies upon a semi-systematic literature review methodology, followed by in-depth interviews with managers actively involved in sustainability. We conclude that sustainability has mainly been understood as a concept of three dimensions by authors and experts alike. However, other authors include a fourth dimension to the sustainability assessment that has been discussed for some time now. Furthermore, our findings indicate that indicators from the social and environmental dimensions are the most agreed-upon. This research provides managers with means to comprehend sustainability and its assessment while connecting it to the SDG.

Date of Award	18 Jul 2024
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Carla Martins (Supervisor)