The relationship between corporate sustainability and corporate culture

: identification of the core corporate values that drive sustainability in business

Abstract

In this article, the role of corporate culture and more specifically corporate value models in guiding consultancies within their sustainable business approach is explored. The research examined how certain corporate values are implemented and realized to achieve the company's sustainability goals. It also discussed how the two leading consulting firms, BCG and McKinsey, align their business practices with their values and promote sustainable development. Through an in­depth content analysis of ESG, Social Responsibility and Sustainability Reports, combining qualitative and quantitative methodologies, significant insights about the role of corporate culture and value structures in the sustainable business strategies were discovered. Accordingly, consulting firms don't strictly follow only one competing value model to achieve their corporate sustainability vision. The analysis discovered that the consultancies' corporate sustainability initiatives are deeply rooted in the Human Relations Value Model and the Open Systems Value Model. This is driven by fundamental and guiding corporate sustainability initiatives such as diverse and inclusive development and recruitment, delivering long­term social impact to communities, and actively reducing emissions and contributing to climate change. By this means, the relevance of sustainable leadership was outlined and a framework for the interrelationship of corporate sustainabilityand corporate culture was established. The analyzed consulting companies define themselves as value­driven people businesses who work on the management level to establish CS­driven change processes with clients and thus proactively shape the market.

Date of Award	27 Jan 2023
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Marta Bicho (Supervisor)