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Begreppet Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) innebär att företagen har ett ansvar för den påverkan dess verksamhet har på samhället. Ansvaret består i att identifiera problemområden och frågor som berör företagets intressenter, d.v.s. kunder, anställda, leverantörer, aktieägare samt lokalsamhällen och sedan aktivt agera på att ansvarsfullt sätt gentemot dessa. Det finns ett tydligt gap mellan teorier kring vad CSR är och bör innefatta och hur företagen använder sig av CSR som strategi i sin företagsverksamhet. Det finns ingen entydighet kring vad företagsansvar är och bör vara. Det är troligt att olika branscher, trots stora skillnader, också har gemensamma nämnare vad gäller identifierade utmaningar. Det är av intresse att kartlägga dessa skillnader och likheter i en branschöverskridande jämförelse för att kunna förstå hur företag bäst bör arbeta med sina CSR- strategier. Syftet med denna studie är främst att undersöka hur svenska företag inom olika branscher implementerar strategiskt hållbarhetsarbete i sin affärsverksamhet. Studien ämnar kartlägga hur företagen kommunicerar sitt arbete inom områdena miljö och socialt ansvarstagande, samt identifiera gemensamma faktorer och skillnader som är kopplade till implementering av strategisk CSR. Studien omfattar fyra svenska företag som är börsnoterade och ledande inom sin bransch: ABB, Electrolux, H&M och SEB. Denna studie utgörs av dels en litteraturstudie i syfte att undersöka den vetenskapliga forskningen kring CSR-området och dels har en rad intervjuer genomförts med de företag som ingår i studien. Litteraturstudien visar att den akademiska utvecklingen av CSR helt stannat av då nutida forskning inom området uteslutande hänvisar till tidigare studier. På grund av förvirringen kring begreppet CSR så har svenska företag helt valt övergå till att använda hållbarhet när de beskriver sitt strategiska arbete inom CSR. Resultatet visar att det har skett en branschspecifik anpassning av konceptet CSR både vad gäller tolkning och praktisk tillämpning. Det finns inga egentliga skillnader i hur företagen strategiskt arbetar med CSR eftersom samtliga företag i denna studie tillämpar samma riktlinjer och metoder för intressentanalys, materialitetsanalys osv. Den största skillnaden är vilka aktiviteter som strategierna resulterar i. Här ser man skillnader mellan olika branscher eftersom specifika prioriterade områden är nära kopplade till den egna verksamheten. Det är inte självklart att företag ska ta ett samhällsansvar. Det går inte heller att fastställa hur stort och vilken typ av samhällsansvar företagen bör ta utöver den egna verksamheten. Vad som däremot går att avgöra är att ett företag oundvikligt påverkas av samhället eftersom ett företag utgörs av människor. Slutsatsen är att ju större ett företag är, desto med ansvar kan och bör de ta. / The concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) means that companies have a responsibility for the impact its activities have on society. The responsibility is to identify problem areas and issues affecting the company’s stakeholders, that is, customers, employees, suppliers, shareholders, and local communities and then actively acts in a responsible manner towards them. There is a clear gap between theories about what CSR is and should include and how companies use CSR as a strategy in their business. There is no clarity about what corporate responsibility is and should be. It is likely that different industries, despite major differences, also have common denominators in terms of identified challenges. It is of interest to identify these differences and similarities in a cross- industry comparison in order to understand how companies should work with their CSR strategies. The purpose of this study is primarily to investigate how Swedish companies in various industries implement strategic sustainability work in their business. The study intends to identify how companies communicate their work in the areas of environmental and social responsibility, and to identify common factors and differences linked to the implementation of strategic CSR. The study comprises four Swedish companies that are listed and leading within their respective industry: ABB, Electrolux, H&M and SEB. This study consists of both a literature review in order to examine the scientific research in the area of CSR and also includes a series of interviews conducted with the companies. The literature review shows that the academic development of CSR as a concept has come to a standstill since modern research in the field exclusively refer to previous studies. Because of the confusion about the concept of CSR Swedish companies are using the term sustainability when they describe their strategic work in the field of CSR. The results show that there has been an industry- specific adaptation of the concept of CSR in terms of both interpretation and practical application. There are no real differences in how companies are working strategically with CSR, as all companies in this study apply to the same policies and guidelines for stakeholder analysis, materiality analysis etc. The main difference is which activities the strategies result in. Here you see the differences between different industries, since the established areas of priority are closely linked to the companies’ own operations. It is not obvious whether companies should take social responsibility. Nor is it possible to determine how much and what kind of social responsibility companies should take in excess of its own operations. However, it is possible to determine that a company is inevitably influenced by society, since a company consists of people. The conclusion is that the bigger a company is, the more responsibility can and should it take.

The current global economic paradigm, centred on growth, is a significant barrier in the transition towards a sustainable society. Business-as-Usual companies operating within this paradigm are perceived to prosper at the expense of society and environment which is not viable on a finite planet. The need to rethink the purpose of business is inevitable as maximising shareholder value, has been deemed insufficient to create asustainable society. This study aimed to explore: how business models can be used to create value that supports Strategic Sustainable Development. Previous research proposed that the concept of Business Models for Sustainability helps business place sustainability at the core of all consideration. A qualitative research was chosen for which we employed the Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development and combined a literature review with an investigation of three expert groups to answer our research question. Our findings showed that, compared to other value forms, system value is the most appropriate concept for businesses striving towards sustainable development. Based on our findings, six themes emerged that businesses need to address to accelerate the speed of change towards sustainability. To make a relevant contribution to the intended audience,a prototype has been developed based on our findings.

Efforts to reduce negative impacts from consumption and production include voluntary market-based initiatives. Examples are the concept of eco-labelling and the concept of green procurement. These have emerged as policy instruments with great potentials to steer product innovation and purchasing decisions in a sustainable direction. This potential has been recognized by the United Nations, the European Union, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and national governments through, e.g., various programmes and schemes. The aim of this thesis is to assess current criteria development processes within eco-labelling and green procurement from a strategic sustainability perspective and to describe possible improvement potentials from such a perspective to make these instruments more supportive of sustainable product and service innovation. A previously published framework for strategic sustainable development, including a definition of sustainability and generic guidelines to inform strategies towards sustainability, is adapted and used for this purpose. Criteria development processes in two Swedish eco-labelling programmes and at a governmental expert body for green procurement are studied. This includes interviews with criteria developers, studies of process documents and a case study at the governmental expert body for green procurement in which two criteria development processes were shadowed. The result reveals several strengths but also gaps and thus potentials for improvement. The criteria development processes and the resulting criteria mostly concern the current market supply and a selection of current environmental impacts outside the context of long-term objectives. Neither sustainability nor any other clearly defined long-term objective is agreed upon, and the criteria are not structured to support procurers, suppliers and product developers in a systematic and strategic stepwise approach towards sustainability. Recommended improvements include a more thorough sustainability assessment, communication of clearer objectives, broader competence in the criteria development groups and more emphasis on the dialogue and interaction between key actors. This includes an extended view on both the product concept and actors involved. Based on this, a new criteria development prototype is suggested, which aims at widening the scope from some currently known product impacts to the remaining gap to sustainability. During its further development and implementation, the criteria development prototype will be tested in successive iterations of action research together with experienced practitioners within eco-labelling and green procurement.

Although sustainable development is becoming a strategic priority for some organizations, many do not apply it as a business strategy like traditional objectives. Sustainability requires a calculated and streamlined approach, specifically, a clear vision of success and a comprehensive plan to achieve success. Intrawest Corporation is currently looking at integrating sustainable development into their practices in both their real estate and resort divisions. Whistler Blackcomb, implemented several environmental and community-based initiatives but has yet to take a company-wide approach to sustainable development. In this study, Whistler Blackcomb and Intrawest’s sustainability initiatives were evaluated based on a scientific definition of sustainability. The paper explores how a resort destination company can strategically integrate sustainability into their business operations. The objective is to highlight Whistler Blackcomb and Intrawest as case studies to understand how a company can gauge their awareness, identify challenges and opportunities, and move towards being a more environmentally excellent, socially just and economically viable company. / <p>Carmen Turner Carmen.Turner@teckcominco.com Archie Kasnet archie@greenland-enterprises.com</p>

Several environmental issues are incrementing systematically, and many of them are linked to manufacturing activities. To mitigate these issues, it is necessary to develop sustainability solutions in the early stages of the innovation process, where there is room for creativity and innovation. The integration of sustainability at the strategic level of the company, where the essential decisions, the strategic plan, and the portfolio are developed, might ensure the implementation of sustainability aspects in products and services. Many companies develop product portfolios to organize and offer services, products, technologies and operations following the company strategy and targets. The portfolio components are assessed and selected using evaluation criteria. The most common criteria include: cost, quality, risk, revenue, time and market position. Usually sustainability is not included in the portfolio evaluation criteria. The aim of this research is to obtain a better understanding of how sustainability can be integrated in the product portfolio development of manufacturing companies. The main research targets are to: 1) define sustainability product portfolio based on a comprehension of the academic and industry perspectives, 2) identify how companies currently implement sustainability in their portfolio, 3) determine which evaluation criteria and tools are used for portfolio development and 4) how the product portfolio is developed, implemented and managed. A systematic literature review was performed to understand the state of the art about sustainability product portfolio. The literature review results supported the development of semi-structure interviews with companies and field experts. The interviews outcome provided a better understanding of the industry perspective. Afterwards, a workshop helped to understand what aspects are more significant for the portfolio evaluation criteria. Finally, a strategic sustainability assessment tool SLCA 2.0 was used to assess a technology product portfolio of a specific industry case. The results from the studies created a foundation to: a) determine the state of art of the sustainability product portfolio field and its relevance for integration and implementation of sustainability in the early stages of the product innovation process, b) define the concept of sustainability product portfolio, c) have a better understanding of the setting and the application of the portfolio evaluation criteria and how to include sustainability in the evaluation, d) identify key factors to integrate and implement sustainability in the product portfolio, e) apply and test a tool for assessing a technology portfolio from a sustainability perspective and f) create a prototype of a model to develop  the product portfolio with a strategic sustainability perspective. This research provides a knowledge foundation of how sustainability can be integrated in product portfolio. In future research a model will be developed to support companies of how to include a strategic sustainability perspective into their product portfolio to enhance development of more sustainable solutions. / <p>Contact the author to receive a pdf of the full thesis (papers included): dcv@bth.se or telephone +46455385569</p>

Das Leitbild einer nachhaltigen Entwicklung ist seit den frühen 90er Jahren zum Schlagwort für Lösungsansätze auf allen räumlichen Ebenen und für zahlreiche Institutionen und Handlungsfelder geworden. Darüber, was sich hinter dem Leitbild tatsächlich verbirgt, herrscht allerdings weder unter den Wissenschaftlern noch unter den Politikern und Vertretern gesellschaftlicher Gruppen Einigkeit. Eine genaue Operationalisierung in Politik und Planung steht noch in den Anfängen. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wird aufbauend auf politikwissenschaftlichen Erkenntnissen ein Verfahrensschema für eine schrittweise handlungsfeld- und lokalspezifische Konkretisierung von Nachhaltigkeit aufgezeigt und exemplarisch am Beispiel des Berliner Stadtverkehrs angewandt. Diesem Verfahrensschema entsprechend wird das Nachhaltigkeitskonzept zunächst auf Basis einer breiten Literaturauswertung analysiert. Dabei werden so genannte konsensuale und kontroverse Konzeptelemente unterschieden und eine eigene Position erarbeitet, die die konsensualen Konzeptelemente als obligatorisch für nachhaltige Planungsverfahren herausstellt. Im Hinblick auf die kontroversen Konzeptelemente werden begründete Prämissen darlegt. Eine wesentliche Grundlage für die Konkretisierung von Nachhaltigkeit im Verkehr und die Ableitung von Nachhaltigkeitsindikatoren für den Berliner Stadtverkehr bildet die Analyse von fünf nationalen und internationalen verkehrsbezogenen Nachhaltigkeitsstudien. Dabei wird ein weites Spektrum von Ansichten, Wissen und Erfahrungen zusammengeführt und verglichen; erfolgversprechende sowie problematische Ansätze werden aufgezeigt. Im Sinne einer "strategischen Nachhaltigkeitsplanung" erfolgt eine hierarchisierte Zielbildung mit Monitoringbausteinen. Diese wissenschaftliche Zielentwicklung (die immer auch Werturteile beinhaltet, da sie sich an den normativen Prinzipien der Nachhaltigkeit orientiert) sollte im Rahmen eines zweistufigen Prozesses einer politisch-partizipativen Zielentwicklung vorausgehen; sie liefert die erforderlichen Grundlagen für den lokalen Diskussions- und Entscheidungsprozess. Damit soll auch angedeutet werden, dass Nachhaltigkeit als ein iterativer Such- und Lernprozess zu verstehen ist. / Since the early 1990s the concept of sustainable development has been widely used in many areas and at all spatial levels. Nevertheless there is still no common understanding among scientists of what sustainable development actually means or how to define the concept and to deal with it in politics and planning. Based on findings by political scientists, the present thesis proposes a scheme for an incremental implementation of sustainable development - exemplified for urban transport in Berlin. Sustainable development is first analysed by a thorough literature survey which results in a distinction between consensual and controversial elements of the sustainability concept. The consensual elements are adopted and own views with regard to the controversial elements are specified for the following elaboration. In order to concretise sustainability in the transport area and to find indicators for sustainability in the transport sector of Berlin, five national and international studies are analysed. In terms of "strategic sustainability planning" a hierarchical definition of goals is presented with building blocks of a sustainability monitoring system. Within a participatory process on the regional level the results could be used in the Local Agenda 21 process and the on-going transport planning processes in Berlin.

Forests are key providers of terrestrial ecosystem services such as climate regulation, water purification, natural pest control, habitats for biodiversity, as well as different forms of wood based materials and food. Nevertheless forests are dangerously exposed to great pressures from various kinds of societal activities. This report examines the importance of forests for the (i) maintenance of life supporting functions of the biosphere as well as for (ii) providing a flexible resource base for the satisfying of human needs on more and more sustainability-driven markets. How can Swedish forestry be managed such that those two essential roles of forests become mutually supportive? The report also relates the results to three relevant and well-citied protocols for the subject: the Sustainable Development Goals in UN’s Agenda 2030, the Swedish Environmental Quality Objectives, and the Swedish National Forest Program. The approach applied Maxwell’s process design for qualitative research. Data have been collected from literature search and interviews of experts and the analytical instrument for modeling of data was the Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development (FSSD). The report concludes: Sustainable development for forestry relies on a paradigm shift in civilization’s perception of forestry to a practice where planning departures from envisioning a future where natural forest functions to sustain higher life forms and civilization are safeguarded and prioritized before other usages of forestland, and where diversity is enhanced in terms of tree age and species to foster more resilient and high-quality timber forests. When the above points are achieved, the higher diversity of more resilient forests should also have potential to supply markets with various kinds of resources offered to more and more sustainability driven markets. Furthermore, this development of society’s forest use increases the chances for civilization to be sustainable also with relatively smaller forest areas put aside for no forestry at all. In such a situation forestry and society have prioritized forest products and usages with long life spans before such with short. A future sustainable Swedish forest sector has recognized the above, and drawn an essential conclusion from it: the interdependency of forests with society’s overall sustainability performance calls for a cooperative approach that departures from an understanding of basic sustainability principles that are shared across sectors and disciplines. The Sustainable Development Goals, the Swedish Environmental Objectives and the Swedish National Forest Program all fail to take the above broad- systems perspective when it comes to proposing measures for the future, including how to advise further research to explore what the sustainable Swedish forestry could entail. The study arrives at pointing out an overall approach to analyses, planning and further research in those regards, rather than evaluating details on the path towards sustainable forestry. / Skogen är en nyckelresurs i den landbaserade naturen som förser samhället med ekosystemtjänster såsom klimatreglering, vattenrening, naturlig skadedjursbekämpning, habitat för biologisk mångfald, likväl som olika former av träfiberbaserade material och mat. Samtidigt är skogen hotad av kraftigt tryck från olika aktiviteter i samhället. Den här rapporten undersöker skogens betydelse för (i) upprätthållande av biosfärens livsuppehållande funktioner, samt som (ii) flexibel resurs när det gäller att förse mänskliga behov på alltmer hållbarhetsdrivna marknader. Hur bör skogen skötas så att dessa två roller stödjer varandra? Rapporten relaterar också resultaten till tre relevanta och vanligt citerade protokoll: hållbarhetsmålen i FNs Agenda 2030, de svenska miljömålen och det svenska nationella skogsprogrammet. Forskningen har strukturerats med hjälp av Maxwells process-design för kvalitativ forskning. Data har samlats in genom litteraturstudier och från intervjuer med experter. Modellering av data har gjorts genom att använda ramverket för strategisk hållbar utveckling (FSSD) som analysinstrument. Rapporten kommer fram till att: Hållbar utveckling för skogsbruket är beroende av ett paradigmskifte. En skogsskötsel där (i) planering utgår från att föreställa sig en framtid där skogens funktioner för högre liv på jorden är säkrade och satta före annan användning av skogsmark, och (ii) mångfald är främjad gällande trädens ålder och antalet arter så att mer resilienta skogar kan bidra med högkvalitativt timmer. När skogen förvaltas på det sättet så bör de mer diversa och resilienta skogarna ha möjlighet att förse marknader med olika resurser som kan visa sig vara viktiga på alltmer hållbarhetsdrivna marknader. Vidare borde denna utveckling av samhälles skogsanvändning öka chanserna för civilisationen att bli hållbar med relativt mindre ytor reserverade för att skyddas mot skogsbruk. Med en sådan förvaltning har skogsägare och samhället i stort prioriterat produkter och användningsområden med långa livslängder före sådana med korta livslängder. En framtida hållbar svensk skogssektor har insett allt ovanstående och dragit en väsentlig slutsats från det: beroendet mellan skogen och samhällets övergripande hållbarhetsarbete kräver samarbete utgående från grundläggande hållbarhetsprinciper som delas över sektors- och disciplingränser. Hållbarhetsmålen i Agenda 2030, de svenska miljömålen och det svenska nationella skogsprogrammet saknas alla ett tillräckligt brett systemperspektiv när det gäller att föreslå åtgärder för framtiden, inklusive att ge rekommendationer för framtida forskning om hållbart svenskt skogsbruk. Studien pekar snarare ut en övergripande inriktning för analyser, planering och forskning om hållbart svenskt skogsbruk, än utvärderar de exakta stegen på vägen dit.