This qualitative case study seeks to explore and understand how managers work with and perceive the sustainability engagement of a large multinational corporation. The analytical framework used was based on the techniques and procedures of grounded theory as described by Corbin and Strauss (2008), following the key concepts of theoretical sampling and constant comparison of findings. The findings of this study show that engaging in sustainability is a complex process where clear targets and communication is perceived to be crucial for the sustainability performance of the corporation. However, if sustainability is driven by business and becomes a natural part of the everyday work of managers it is perceived as profitability work and a ticket to play. By describing the work, stories, and perceptions of managers working in a corporation, the findings of this study can contribute to contemporary research on sustainability that is often normative in its nature, only telling corporations what to do, but not how this can be done and how it can be perceived. This study also helps inform practitioners, managers as other stakeholders, of how a sustainability engagement affects everyday work.

The relationship between Gender Equality (GE) and Sustainability has been analysed for many years, with plenty of studies choosing the angle of the businesses environment to cut in. In addition, SMEs, as the predominant form of enterprise worldwide, are the primary source of employment in most countries. With that in mind, this research scrutinised internal and external drivers to Sustainability Engagement (SE) in Gotland SMEs from a Gender perspective, which presents a probable positive association between GE and SE in SMEs. The study mainly focuses on five female managers’ perceptions of GE and SE, supported by 16 responses to questionnaires. Under the Capabilities Approach (CA) and Dynamic Capabilities theoretical framework, we analyse the specific women managers’ Individual Dynamic Capabilities (IDC) and corporate Dynamic Capabilities, which proves that external and internal factors positively affect corporate SE. The study also introduces a particular psychological model of Social Desirability and Social Approval to delve deeper into female managers sensing mechanisms.