Purpose: Environmental sustainability was firstly thought to be an obstacle to economic development, whereas innovation promotes it. Nowadays, the contradiction between these two terms is less and the purpose of this paper is to highlight the importance of the connection between environmental sustainability and eco-innovations as this can lead to a win to win procedure with the help of the relevant strategies that should be applicable based also on scientific evidence. Design – Methodology – Approach: This paper consists of four case studies in the sustainability and eco-innovation sector in Sweden. An abductive method is used. Emails were sent and phone calls were made to the companies. Skype and telephone interviews were conducted. Findings: The findings provide a practical contribution to the companies of how certain strategies can be implemented in businesses so as to connect environmental sustainability and eco-innovations. Moreover, the findings showed that barriers did not appear that could influence or change companies’ strategies. Research limitations / implications: This paper is only limited to one dimension of sustainability, that of the environment, besides focuses on eco-innovations that come from the gulf of the environmental sustainability. Furthermore, the thesis is limited in the strategies that businesses implement towards environmental sustainability and eco-innovations, as well as the potentials barriers that may come up. Practical Implications: The practical implications are identified to the actions / strategies that businesses follow towards environmental sustainability and eco-innovations. Originality – Value: This paper finds and fills the gap that many companies have as far as the non-comprehension of how environmental sustainability and eco-innovations are connected by the means of implementing specific strategies. Key Words: sustainability, innovation, eco-innovation, strategies for sustainability and eco-innovations, barriers. Paper: Master Thesis

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The innovation management has become a key factor for the success and continuity of organizations that can take advantage (cost reduction, increased productivity and exploring new markets), guaranteed competitive positions against the competition as a result of investment in innovation. Most importantly there is the product matter and process innovations that may improve the environmental performance of companies (Porter and VAN DER LINDE, 1995; van Bommel, 2011), since there is a high visibility (both positive and negative) in the national and international level regarding the environmental issues. This study aimed to identify the influence of the power of innovation in implementing the strategy for the sustainability of companies associated with the mining sector IBRAM. In order to analyze the power of innovation, we used the models of Van Bommell (2011) and Barbieri (2011), aiming to identify how organizations' ability to respond to pressure is influenced by the power of innovation (characteristic of innovation activity and of environmental activity). To check how the interrelationship between the pressures and incentives can influence companies in implementing the strategy for sustainability, adopting a defensive or offensive strategic posture were adopted studies Bommell Van (2011) and Orsatto (2002). The research is characterized by being a research and exploratory qualitative semi-structured interviews conducted with companies in the Brazilian mineral sector and; quantitative and descriptive, through a survey research. Data were analyzed by univariate and bivariate, correlation test of Ró Spearman, homogeneity analysis and logistic regression. Thus, by the results we observed that the pressures in enterprise environments, generally have required the companies to establish a strategic approach to sustainability. The characteristics of innovation activity and activity are environmental factors that influence the choice of strategy for sustainability. Given to that, it is observed that the business context has influenced companies to structure and adapt in relation to the process of strategy formulation in order to obtain a competitive advantage in finding the needs of the environment. The choice of the most appropriate strategy provides improved management practices for sustainable corporate innovation, reducing the impacts caused by industrial activity. Thus, it can be observed that innovation and sustainability are the key to competitive business environment. Integrating these concepts is fundamental to the creation of new products and processes aimed at minimizing impacts and ensuring environmental preservation for future generations. Based on the analyzes, we can conclude that companies are seeking to incorporate the concepts of innovation and sustainability into their corporate strategy. / A gestão da inovação tem se tornado um fator primordial para o sucesso e a continuidade das organizações, que podem obter vantagens (redução de custos, aumento da produtividade e exploração de novos mercados), garantindo posições competitivas frente à concorrência como resultado de investimentos em inovação. Mais importante ainda tem-se a questão das inovações de produto e processo que podem vir a melhorar o desempenho ambiental das empresas (PORTER e VAN DER LINDE, 1995; VAN BOMMEL, 2011), visto que há uma grande visibilidade (tanto positiva quanto negativa) nos cenários nacional e internacional no que se refere às questões ambientais. Este trabalho teve como objetivo identificar a influência do poder de inovação na implementação da estratégia para a sustentabilidade de empresas do setor mineral associadas ao IBRAM. Para analisar o poder de inovação (características de atividade da inovação e da atividade ambiental), foram utilizados os modelos de Van Bommell (2011) e de Barbieri (2011), visando identificar de que forma a capacidade das organizações de reagir às pressões é influenciada pelo poder de inovação (característica da atividade de inovação e da atividade ambiental). Para verificar de que modo a inter-relação entre as pressões e os incentivos pode influenciar as empresas na implementação da estratégia para sustentabilidade, adotando uma postura estratégica defensiva ou ofensiva, foram adotados os estudos de Van Bommell (2011) e Orsatto (2002). A pesquisa caracteriza-se por ser uma investigação de natureza qualitativa e exploratória realizada com entrevistas semi estruturadas em empresas do Setor Mineral Brasileiro e; quantitativa e descritiva, por meio de uma pesquisa survey. Os dados foram analisados por meio da análise univariada e bivariada, teste de correlação de Ró de Spearman, análise da homogeneidade e regressão logística. Com isso, por meio dos resultados foi possível verificar que as pressões nos ambientes empresariais, de modo geral, têm exigido das empresas o estabelecimento de um posicionamento estratégico em relação à sustentabilidade. As características da atividade de inovação e da atividade ambiental são aspectos que influenciam a escolha da estratégia para a sustentabilidade. A escolha da estratégia mais adequada proporciona melhoria das práticas de gestão da inovação sustentável corporativa, reduzindo os impactos provocados pela atividade industrial. Desse modo, pode-se observar que a inovação e a sustentabilidade são fundamentais no ambiente competitivo empresarial. A integração desses conceitos torna-se fundamental para a criação de novos produtos e processos visando à minimização de impactos e garantindo a preservação ambiental para as gerações futuras. Com base nas análises realizadas, pode-se concluir que as empresas buscam inserir os conceitos da inovação e da sustentabilidade em sua estratégia corporativa.

O estudo analisa aspectos da comunicação institucional em sites e produtos de empresas brasileiras envolvidas na produção de livros, jornais e revistas, quanto a estratégias de sustentabilidade eventualmente existentes na cadeia de produção desses impressos, desde a fabricação do papel até a operação das gráficas, sobretudo no âmbito dos impactos ambientais. Foram estudadas as possibilidades e os limites das principais estratégias de sustentabilidade ligadas aos impactos ambientais da produção dos livros, jornais e revistas: certificação florestal (FSC e Cerflor/PEFC), certificação de sistema de gestão ambiental (ISO 14001), inventário de gases do efeito estufa e balanço social (ou relatório de sustentabilidade). A comunicação institucional sobre estratégias de sustentabilidade esteve mais presente em empresas do setor de papel e celulose do que nas empresas editoras de livros, jornais e revistas, sugerindo um debate sobre a flexibilidade dos critérios de verificação e certificação das estratégias de sustentabilidade e as eventuais justificativas da adesão e da divulgação, ou não, a essas estratégias. / The study analyses institutional communication aspects on Brazilian enterprises sites and products involved with the production of books, newspapers and magazines, concerning the strategies of sustainability eventually present in the chain of production of these forms, since the manufacture of the paper until the operation of the printing industry, specially what concerns the environmental impacts. We have studied the possibilities and the limits of the main strategies of sustainability attached to the environmental impacts on the production of books, newspapers and magazines: forest certification (FSC and Cerflor/PEFC), environmental management standard certification (ISO 14001), greenhouse gas inventory report and social balance sheet (or sustainability report). The institutional communication about the strategies of sustainability has been more present in the paper and cellulose sector than in books, newspapers and magazines publisher enterprises suggesting a debate about the flexibility criteria on the checking and certification strategies and the eventual justifications of adhesion and spread, or not, of these strategies.

O estudo analisa aspectos da comunicação institucional em sites e produtos de empresas brasileiras envolvidas na produção de livros, jornais e revistas, quanto a estratégias de sustentabilidade eventualmente existentes na cadeia de produção desses impressos, desde a fabricação do papel até a operação das gráficas, sobretudo no âmbito dos impactos ambientais. Foram estudadas as possibilidades e os limites das principais estratégias de sustentabilidade ligadas aos impactos ambientais da produção dos livros, jornais e revistas: certificação florestal (FSC e Cerflor/PEFC), certificação de sistema de gestão ambiental (ISO 14001), inventário de gases do efeito estufa e balanço social (ou relatório de sustentabilidade). A comunicação institucional sobre estratégias de sustentabilidade esteve mais presente em empresas do setor de papel e celulose do que nas empresas editoras de livros, jornais e revistas, sugerindo um debate sobre a flexibilidade dos critérios de verificação e certificação das estratégias de sustentabilidade e as eventuais justificativas da adesão e da divulgação, ou não, a essas estratégias. / The study analyses institutional communication aspects on Brazilian enterprises sites and products involved with the production of books, newspapers and magazines, concerning the strategies of sustainability eventually present in the chain of production of these forms, since the manufacture of the paper until the operation of the printing industry, specially what concerns the environmental impacts. We have studied the possibilities and the limits of the main strategies of sustainability attached to the environmental impacts on the production of books, newspapers and magazines: forest certification (FSC and Cerflor/PEFC), environmental management standard certification (ISO 14001), greenhouse gas inventory report and social balance sheet (or sustainability report). The institutional communication about the strategies of sustainability has been more present in the paper and cellulose sector than in books, newspapers and magazines publisher enterprises suggesting a debate about the flexibility criteria on the checking and certification strategies and the eventual justifications of adhesion and spread, or not, of these strategies.

Most theories that attempt to describe the relationship between corporate sustainability strategies and a company’s triple bottom line also make the assumption that there is insufficient evidence to produce generalizable conclusions. This study contributes to the overall body of knowledge, as there is a lack of significant generalizable knowledge on corporate sustainability strategies and a company’s triple bottom line. To provide a methodologically more rigorous review, we performed a meta-analysis on 18 scholarly articles from top-tier academic journals containing 64 experimental treatments that measured an observed (not self-reported) behavioural outcome, which yielded a sample size of 23,871 observations. Most studies combined multiple treatments, which preclude definitive conclusions on the most effective treatments. The findings suggest that there is a positive medium to strong relationship between sustainability-oriented strategies, for both reactive and proactive behaviours (Dyllick et al., 1997; Gminder et al., 2002), and a company’s “triple bottom line.” Furthermore, regardless of the firm type (e.g., multinational corporation or local establishment, emerging economy firm or developed nation business), proactive sustainability-oriented strategies tend to have a higher payoff than firms that adopt reactive sustainability-oriented strategies. This meta-analysis establishes a greater degree of certainty with respect to corporate sustainability strategies and a firm’s triple bottom line relationship than currently assumed by many business scholars. To conclude, the sustainability concept has significantly expanded the scope of measuring organizational performance according to economic, social, and environmental components (Robins, 2006), which are collectively described as the “triple bottom line.” Organizations have determined that specific products and processes can have serious environmental and social implications beyond providing typical economic benefits (Sarkis, 2001). Based on the results of this study, companies should develop more diversified sustainability strategies that will help them to identify and capture value (McMullen, 2001). The results demonstrate that sustainability can provide companies with a strategic advantage, which is vital for the organization’s long-term viability and success (Orlitzky et al., 2003). This study also examines the balance between reasonable return on investment and long-term organizational viability, which greatly impacts organizational decision-makers that contend with numerous stakeholder issues, pressure from environmental agencies, and increased social consciousness that affects workers, consumers, and communities. It supports the conclusion that being proactive in responding to these conflicting pressures and barriers helps organizations to achieve higher levels of performance.

Most theories that attempt to describe the relationship between corporate sustainability strategies and a company’s triple bottom line also make the assumption that there is insufficient evidence to produce generalizable conclusions. This study contributes to the overall body of knowledge, as there is a lack of significant generalizable knowledge on corporate sustainability strategies and a company’s triple bottom line. To provide a methodologically more rigorous review, we performed a meta-analysis on 18 scholarly articles from top-tier academic journals containing 64 experimental treatments that measured an observed (not self-reported) behavioural outcome, which yielded a sample size of 23,871 observations. Most studies combined multiple treatments, which preclude definitive conclusions on the most effective treatments. The findings suggest that there is a positive medium to strong relationship between sustainability-oriented strategies, for both reactive and proactive behaviours (Dyllick et al., 1997; Gminder et al., 2002), and a company’s “triple bottom line.” Furthermore, regardless of the firm type (e.g., multinational corporation or local establishment, emerging economy firm or developed nation business), proactive sustainability-oriented strategies tend to have a higher payoff than firms that adopt reactive sustainability-oriented strategies. This meta-analysis establishes a greater degree of certainty with respect to corporate sustainability strategies and a firm’s triple bottom line relationship than currently assumed by many business scholars. To conclude, the sustainability concept has significantly expanded the scope of measuring organizational performance according to economic, social, and environmental components (Robins, 2006), which are collectively described as the “triple bottom line.” Organizations have determined that specific products and processes can have serious environmental and social implications beyond providing typical economic benefits (Sarkis, 2001). Based on the results of this study, companies should develop more diversified sustainability strategies that will help them to identify and capture value (McMullen, 2001). The results demonstrate that sustainability can provide companies with a strategic advantage, which is vital for the organization’s long-term viability and success (Orlitzky et al., 2003). This study also examines the balance between reasonable return on investment and long-term organizational viability, which greatly impacts organizational decision-makers that contend with numerous stakeholder issues, pressure from environmental agencies, and increased social consciousness that affects workers, consumers, and communities. It supports the conclusion that being proactive in responding to these conflicting pressures and barriers helps organizations to achieve higher levels of performance.