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[pt] As corporações estão sendo cada vez mais cobradas por uma atuação ambientalmente sustentável, principalmente nos mercados mais maduros, e tratam-se de importantes atores no atingimento das metas para o controle do aquecimento global. O Brasil tem uma participação protagonista no comércio mundial de alimentos, e seu papel torna-se mais relevante ao passo que as taxas crescentes de aumento populacional colocam o mundo em alerta para as questões climáticas e de segurança alimentar. Trazendo ainda mais foco para a temática, o país possui uma das maiores biodiversidades do planeta e é detentor de grande parte da Floresta Amazônica, a maior floresta tropical do mundo e responsável por parte do equilíbrio climático do globo, ao passo que a agroindústria responde pelo consumo de mais de 78 porcento dos recursos hídricos brasileiros, ocupa em torno de 21 porcento do território nacional e é responsável por 74 porcento das emissões de gases de efeito estufa do país. Nesse contexto, fundamentado na Resource Based-View e Teoria Institucional foi construído um modelo com o objetivo de analisar o impacto dos fatores organizacionais (capacidades dinâmicas) e do ambiente institucional (sociedade, regulação e concorrência) nas estratégias de sustentabilidade ambiental e como estas estratégias impactam o desempenho de exportação das empresas da agropecuária brasileira. Na literatura há poucos estudos empíricos com foco em analisar as relações entre esses constructos e nenhum deles no âmbito da agroindústria brasileira. Ademais, buscou-se uma contribuição adicional ao analisar como o nível de maturidade em sustentabilidade ambiental dos países de destino influencia na relação entre as estratégias de sustentabilidade e o desempenho de exportação. Para o teste do modelo, foi realizado um levantamento de dados com gestores de 143 empresas exportadoras da agroindústria brasileira, através de um questionário on-line e foi utilizada a Modelagem de Equações Estruturais (PLS-SEM) para a estimativa de parâmetros. Os resultados empíricos corroboram parte das hipóteses apresentadas, revelando a significância da relação principal do estudo (estratégias de sustentabilidade e desempenho de exportação), além de apresentar o engajamento da liderança na temática da sustentabilidade como o principal fator interno da adoção deste tipo de estratégia, assim como a pressão percebida da sociedade estrangeira e da concorrência como os principais fatores externos. Contudo, a principal contribuição teórica do estudo é advinda da análise do fator de moderação. Os resultados evidenciam que no âmbito do grupo de empresas que exportam para países com uma maior maturidade na temática de sustentabilidade ambiental, a relação entre as estratégias de sustentabilidade ambiental e o desempenho de exportação foi mais expressivo do que para o grupo de empresas que exporta para países menos maduros no assunto. / [en] More and more the corporations are being charged for Environmental Sustainability performance, especially in developed markets and this indicator is essential for reaching the global warning control targets .Today Brazil has a significant share of the global food trade and has a leading hole taking into consideration the alert for climate changes and food security issues that are becoming relevant due to global population growth. Bringing even more focus on this subject, the country has one of the largest biodiversity of the planet and holds the greatest share of the Amazon, the largest rainforest in the world and responsible for part of the global climate balance, while the agroindustry is responsible for the consumption of more than 70 percent of Brazilian water resources, occupies around 21 percent of the national territory and accounts for 74 percent of the country s greenhouse gas emissions. In this context, rooted in Resource Based- View and Institutional Theory, a model was constructed for the purpose of analyzing the impact of organizational factors (dynamic capacities) and the institutional environment (society, regulation, and competition) on environmental sustainability strategies and how these strategies impact export performance of Brazilian agricultural companies. In the literature there are few empirical studies focused on analyzing the relationships between these constructs and none of them within the scope of the Brazilian agroindustry, besides that, an additional contribution was sought when analyzing how the level of maturity in environmental sustainability of the countries influences the relation between the sustainability strategies and export performance. For the model s test, a data survey was conducted with managers of 143 exporting companies from the Brazilian agroindustry, through an online questionnaire and the Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to estimate parameters. The empirical results corroborate some of the hypotheses presented, revealing the significance of the main relationship of the study (sustainability strategies and export performance) and distinguishes between the organizational factors and the external environment that most impact on the adoption of these strategies, besides to present the leadership engagement in the sustainability as the main internal factor of the adoption of this type of strategy, as well as the perceived pressure of foreign society and competition as the main external factors. However, the main theoretical contribution of the study is derived from the analysis of the moderation factor. The results show that the relationship between environmental sustainability strategies and export performance was more significant in the group of companies that export to countries with a greater maturity in the area of environmental sustainability, than in the group of companies that export to least mature countries in this theme.

Background: As a company it is more important than ever to consider the environmental sustainability aspect within the whole supply chain and all the stakeholders. Studies show that people's concerns about environmental sustainability increases and will continue to grow in the future. The wet dyeing process is the part of the textile production that consists of liquor and contains three main steps which are pretreatment, coloration and finishing. This process is presented as the most water, energy and chemicals consuming process within the textile industry and because of that, it is important to investigate it to be able to improve the environmental sustainability.  Purpose: The purpose of the thesis is to increase the understanding of IKEA’s suppliers' current usage of water, energy and chemicals within the wet dyeing process. Followed by an identification of opportunities for improvements in the wet dyeing process, aiming to become more environmentally sustainable.  Method: Through interviews with two suppliers, information regarding IKEA’s current wet dyeing processes will be collected. After that, data from relevant theoretical sources will be collected to analyze possible improvements of methods and colorants that can be relevant for IKEA as well as other companies within the textile industry to implement.  Conclusion: For research question 1, the researchers reach the conclusion that IKEA’s supplier number one has a more environmentally sustainable wet dyeing process compared to the second supplier.. A conclusion is nevertheless drawn that improvements within both suppliers wet dyeing processes should be considered to become more environmentally sustainable. For research question 2, the researchers come to the conclusion that Spray dyeing is the best alternative method to implement for improving environmental sustainability within the wet dyeing process. The researchers also recommend companies to actively become a part of the development of bacterial colorants, the future of coloration.

The pharmaceutical sector is important for human health due to the increasing demand for medical products but is also a pollution and waste intensive industry. There is an urgent need for the industry to review its environmental footprints and simultaneously consider the industrial transformation called Industry 4.0. This is especially true for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). To achieve these objectives, it is presumed that artificial intelligence (AI) will have an important role.  This thesis sets out to identify barriers that pharmaceutical SMEs may encounter when implementing AI to improve environmental efforts. Furthermore, due to the lack of efficient tools the Green Performance Map is analyzed to see if additional value in the design phase and running of a production system can be obtained. Semi-structured interviews were conducted as this thesis is a case study and follows an inductive process. Other qualitative data and literature were used to investigate the research questions. The results indicate that organizational, resource, regulatory and knowledge specific factors can create barriers. Furthermore, there are indications that the Green Performance Map will be useful in both the design phase and running of a production system, this is however dependent on the resources. / Läkemedelssektorn är viktig för människans hälsa på grund av den ökade efterfrågan av medicinska produkter men bidrar även till stora mängder avfall och föroreningar. Det finns ett akut behov att industrin granskar sina miljöavtryck och samtidigt överväger den industriella omvandlingen som kallas Industri 4.0. Detta gäller särskilt för små och medelstora företag. För att uppnå dessa mål kan Artificiell Intelligens (AI) komma att ha en betydelsefull roll.  Detta examensarbete syftar till att identifiera de hinder som små och medelstora läkemedelsföretag kan stöta på när de implementerar AI för att förbättra sitt miljöarbete. På grund av brist på effektiva verktyg analyseras dessutom Green Performance Map för att se om ett mervärde i designfasen och under driften av produktionssystemet kan erhållas. Semistrukturerade intervjuer genomfördes då examensarbetet är en fallstudie och följer en induktiv process. Kvalitativa data och litteratur användes för att undersöka forskningsfrågorna. Resultatet indikerar att organisatoriska, resurs-, reglerings- och kunskapsspecifika faktorer kan skapa barriärer. Dessutom, finns det indikatorer på att Green Performance Map kommer vara användbart både i designfasen och när produktionssystemet är i drift, detta är dock beroende på nivån av resurser.

The pharmaceutical sector is important for human health due to the increasing demand for medical products but is also a pollution and waste intensive industry. There is an urgent need for the industry to review its environmental footprints and simultaneously consider the industrial transformation called Industry 4.0. This is especially true for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). To achieve these objectives, it is presumed that artificial intelligence (AI) will have an important role.  This thesis sets out to identify barriers that pharmaceutical SMEs may encounter when implementing AI to improve environmental efforts. Furthermore, due to the lack of efficient tools the Green Performance Map is analyzed to see if additional value in the design phase and running of a production system can be obtained. Semi-structured interviews were conducted as this thesis is a case study and follows an inductive process. Other qualitative data and literature were used to investigate the research questions. The results indicate that organizational, resource, regulatory and knowledge specific factors can create barriers. Furthermore, there are indications that the Green Performance Map will be useful in both the design phase and running of a production system, this is however dependent on the resources. / Läkemedelssektorn är viktig för människans hälsa på grund av den ökade efterfrågan av medicinska produkter men bidrar även till stora mängder avfall och föroreningar. Det finns ett akut behov att industrin granskar sina miljöavtryck och samtidigt överväger den industriella omvandlingen som kallas Industri 4.0. Detta gäller särskilt för små och medelstora företag. För att uppnå dessa mål kan Artificiell Intelligens (AI) komma att ha en betydelsefull roll.  Detta examensarbete syftar till att identifiera de hinder som små och medelstora läkemedelsföretag kan stöta på när de implementerar AI för att förbättra sitt miljöarbete. På grund av brist på effektiva verktyg analyseras dessutom Green Performance Map för att se om ett mervärde i designfasen och under driften av produktionssystemet kan erhållas. Semistrukturerade intervjuer genomfördes då examensarbetet är en fallstudie och följer en induktiv process. Kvalitativa data och litteratur användes för att undersöka forskningsfrågorna. Resultatet indikerar att organisatoriska, resurs-, reglerings- och kunskapsspecifika faktorer kan skapa barriärer. Dessutom, finns det indikatorer på att Green Performance Map kommer vara användbart både i designfasen och när produktionssystemet är i drift, detta är dock beroende på nivån av resurser.

I norra Storstockholm produceras och distribueras dricksvatten av kommunalförbundet Norrvatten. Under värmeböljan sommaren år 2018 ökade dricksvattenförbrukningen bland medlemskommunerna till en sådan hög nivå att Norrvattens tillgängliga kapacitet för dricksvattenproduktion riskerade att inte räcka till. En bidragande orsak till detta, antogs vara att en stor del av den ökade vattenförbrukningen gick till bevattning och fyllande av pooler. Det är ett behov som Norrvattens verksamhet inte är dimensionerad för att hantera. I takt med dagens växande befolkning i Norrvattens medlemskommuner och en hotande global uppvärmning, förväntas risken för kapacitetsbrist tillta. Således var syftet med detta arbete att studera hur behov av vatten för bevattning och fyllande av pooler kan tillgodoses på ett långsiktigt hållbart sätt bland Norrvattens medlemskommuner utifrån de tre hållbarhetsdimensionerna. Med hjälp av litteraturstudier, intervjuer och beräkningsmodeller identifierades alternativa lösningar och effektiviseringsmöjligheter gällande tillgodoseendet av vattenbehov för bevattning och poolfyllning. Dessutom genomfördes en stickprovsundersökning med syftet att studera socioekonomiska faktorer, vid eventuell implementering av de identifierade alternativa lösningarna och effektiviseringsmöjligheterna i Norrvattens medlemskommuner. Därefter applicerades en kvantitativ analys på det erhållna dataunderlaget med väldefinierade statistiska metoder för konfidensintervall och hypotesprövningar på signifikansnivån 5 %. Resultatet visade flertalet alternativa lösningar och effektiviseringsmöjligheter var passande att implementera för att tillgodose behov av vatten för bevattning och fyllande av pooler bland Norrvattens medlemskommuner. Det berodde på en stor välvilja gentemot såväl miljön som Norrvattens verksamhet. Mer konkret identifierades en utbredd vilja att förändra konsumtionsbeteenden gällande vattenanvändning för bevattning och fyllande av pooler. Som en följd fanns också en villighet att betala mindre summor för alternativa lösningar och effektiviseringsmöjligheter för att tillgodose sådana vattenbehov. Dock påvisades även en utbredd motvillighet till kraftiga ökningar i priser och kostnader för knippade med vattentjänster, varpå mer kostsamma alternativa lösningar uteslöts som långsiktigt hållbara utifrån socioekonomiska hållbarhetsperspektiv. Därmed rekommenderades Norrvatten att fortsätta planera för utbyggnation av sin produktionskapacitet, eftersom de identifierade alternativa lösningarna och effektiviseringsmöjligheterna inte ansågs tillräckliga för att nollställa behov av dricksvatten producerat av Norrvatten för bevattning och fyllande av pooler. Samtidigt drogs slutsatsen att behovet av utbyggd kapacitet skulle kunna reduceras vid implementering av de identifierade lösningarna och effektiviseringsmöjligheterna. Dock kunde inte det reducerade behovet beskrivas i kvantitativa termer med den applicerade arbetsmetodiken. Således rekommenderades Norrvatten att i framtiden arbeten genomföra en kartläggning av detta, i syfte att erhålla värdefullt beslutsunderlag kring storlek på utbyggd produktionskapacitet. / In the northern part of Greater Stockholm, drinking water is produced and distributed by the municipal association Norrvatten. During the height of the summer 2018, drinking water consumption among the member municipalities increased to such an extent that the available production capacity was nearly insufficient. This was assumed to be due to major increases in drinking water consumption for garden irrigation and filling of pools, which are water needs that the production capacity is not dimensioned to handle. Furthermore, the risk of production capacity shortage is assumed to increase in the near future due to population growth and global warming. The purpose of this thesis was to examine possible approaches to supply the need for water for garden irrigation and filling of pools among the member municipalities of Norrvatten in a long-term sustainable manner with regard to the three sustainable dimensions. Based on literature studies, interviews and theoretical models, alternative solutions and efficiency opportunities of supplying water needs for garden irrigation and filling of pools was identified. A sample survey was also conducted with the aim of studying socio-economic factors regarding a potential implementation of the identified alternative solutions and efficiency opportunities among the member municipalities. Subsequently, quantitative analysis was applied to the obtained data with well-defined statistical methods for confidence intervals and hypothesis tests at the significancelevel of 5 %. The result illustrated implementable alternative solutions and efficiency opportunities of supplyingwater needs for garden irrigation and filling of pools. It was due to a large benevolence towards the environment and Norrvatten’s operations. More specifically, a widespread willingness to change consumption behaviours regarding water utilization for garden irrigation and filling of pools was identified. As a consequence, there was also a great willingness to pay smaller sums for alternative solutions and efficiency opportunities of supplying such water needs. However, a widespread reluctance to larger costs associated with water services was also identified, whereby costly alternative solutions were excluded as long-term sustainable from a socio-economic perspective. Due to this, Norrvatten was recommended to continue planning for an expansion of its production capacity, with regard to the conclusion that the identified alternative solutions and efficiency opportunities were not considered sufficient to completely reduce the need for drinking water produced by Norrvatten for garden irrigation and filling of pools. Nevertheless, it was also concluded that the need for expanded capacity could be reduced when implementing the identified solutions and efficiency opportunities. However, the reduced need could not be described in quantitative terms with the chosen methodology. Because of that reason, Norrvatten was recommended to examine this further in future projects considering that it would provide a valuable basis for operation decisions regarding expanded production capacity.

Det har konstaterats både i globala och nationella styrdokument att skolan har en viktig roll i att undervisa för hållbar utveckling. Förenta Nationernas (FN) globala hållbarhetsmål, delmål 4.7 handlar exempelvis om att säkerställa att alla elever förvärvar kunskaper och färdigheter för att främja hållbar utveckling. Komplexiteten som hållbar utveckling innefattar kan däremot leda till att lärare finner det svårt att närma sig ämnet praktiskt i undervisningen. Även styrdokuments oprecisa karaktär utgör en risk att hållbar utveckling inte undervisas på ett sätt som optimerar elevers lärande om ämnet, vilket i sin tur kan minska deras möjligheter att ta hållbara beslut. Nuvarande forskning visar hur olika ämneslärare förstår och undervisar om hållbarhet i helhet men få studier har inriktat sig på ett specifikt skolämne och undersökt hur varje enskild dimension av hållbar utveckling får plats. Därför har denna studien fokuserat på hur miljömässig hållbarhet inkluderas i geografi och samhällskunskap. Syftet med studien var att få förståelse för hur den miljömässiga dimensionen av hållbar utveckling behandlas inom samhällsorienterade ämnen på gymnasiet samt hur undervisningssätt hos lärare inom samhällsorienterade ämnen resonerar med principer inom lärande för hållbar utveckling (LHU). Studien baserades på en kvalitativ metod, där åtta gymnasielärare intervjuades i Skåne, Sverige. En induktiv tematisk analys användes för att analysera intervjuerna. Resultatet av studien visade att samhällskunskap och geografi har olika ämnesinnehåll och undervisningsmetoder kopplade till miljömässig hållbarhet och LHU. Miljömässig hållbarhet hade en mer primär roll i geografiämnet, jämfört med i samhällskunskapen där det inkluderades ur ett mer sekundärt perspektiv. Resultatet visade även hur kompetensutveckling inom LHU är en utvecklingsmöjlighet för att lärare ska få större förståelse och genom det större intresse att använda LHU men också inkludera miljömässig hållbarhet i deras undervisning. Dessa utvecklingsmöjligheter måste dock ske från en högre nivå än lärarna själva men lärarna har också en roll i att kommunicera dessa behov. / Schools have been identified in both global and national policy documents as having an important role in educating about sustainable development. For example, the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4.7 aims to ensure that all students acquire the knowledge and skills to promote sustainable development. However, the complexity of sustainable development can lead teachers to find it difficult to approach the subject in their teaching. The imprecise nature of policy documents also poses a risk that sustainable development is not taught in a way that optimizes students' learning about the topic, which in turn may reduce their ability to make sustainable decisions. Current research shows how different subject teachers understand and teach sustainability as a whole, but few studies have focused on a specific school subject and examined how each individual dimension of sustainable development is addressed. Therefore this study focused on how environmental sustainability is included in geography and civics. The aim of the study was to gain an understanding of how the environmental dimension of sustainable development is treated in social studies at upper secondary school and how the teaching methods of social studies teachers resonate with the principles of education for sustainable development (ESD). The study was based on a qualitative method, where eight upper secondary school teachers were interviewed in Skåne, Sweden. An inductive thematic analysis was used to analyze the interviews. The results of the study showed that civics and geography have different subject content and teaching methods related to environmental sustainability and ESD. Environmental sustainability had a more primary role in the geography subject, compared to civics where it was included more indirectly. The results also showed how professional development in ESD is a development opportunity for teachers to gain greater understanding and through that greater interest in using ESD but also including environmental sustainability in their teaching. However, these development opportunities must come from a higher level than the teachers themselves, but the teachers also have a role in communicating these needs.

Most research in green IT tend to focus on the practices of large IT vendors and companies. There is therefore a need to examine the beliefs and actual behaviour of IT users about green IT, as it significantly impact of energy consumption and computer design on the broader society. The main question to be answered was ―Are IT users generally concerned with regards to green IT issues?‖. Therefore the main purpose of this study was thus to evaluate the beliefs and actual behaviour of IT users regarding green IT in South Africa through a survey that was completed by university students and lecturers. The paucity of available research on this subject pertaining to South Africa justifies the importance of conducting this study. A hypothesised research model based on the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) was used to evaluate the main factors contributing to green IT awareness in an empirical study. A mixed research method was used as the paradigm which combines aspects from both interpretive and positivist research approaches. A questionnaire was used to collect data from university students and lecturers. The data was captured and analysed for convergent validity. The reliability of measurement items was tested using Cronbach‘s alpha. Structural Equation Modelling was used to model latent variables under conditions of non-normality. Subjective norm was the main factor contributing to intended belief and actual behaviour / School of Computing / M.A. (Computer Science)

Sustainability practices produce programs and services that meet current needs while preserving the environment and natural resources for the future. City parks and recreation departments are facing budget shortfalls and increasing expectations from customers. Governments are now embracing sustainability practices to create financial savings while also fostering relations with customers. The purpose of this single case study was twofold: (1) to examine the effectiveness of one city department’s strategies in outsourcing its environmental sustainability program through a performance contract with Ameresco; and (2) to examine the perceptions of key department employees about the effectiveness of the sustainability initiative. A snowball sample of 14 employees, stratified by employee class (upper administrative, middle management and, line staff) was drawn from the City of Knoxville, Tennessee’s parks and recreation department. Qualitative data generated from semi-structured interviews was coded and thematized to analyze the perceptions of the employees included in the sample about the agency’s sustainability practices. Additionally, financial archival data from utility bills (N = 96) were analyzed over the implementation phase of the contract to determine if cost savings were realized. Key findings of the study included: (1) financial savings were realized across key operating areas as a result of the contract with Ameresco; (2) employees identified positive feelings towards investment in environmental initiatives; (3) sustainability can be obtained through the implementation of an environmental sustainability performance contract; and (4) sustainable practices can further increase efficiency of facilities operation. The results of this study may be generalized to cities of similar size and governmental structure.

Public spending of many states makes a significant contribution to the Gross Domestic Product of countries, which are the main consumers of the national economies. For this reason, the purchasing power is an opportunity to influence the market by promoting production and consumption of sustainable and friendly goods to the environment.In this sense, this article discusses the system of Sustainable Public Procurements as a way to promote Sustainable Consumption and Production patterns and, thus, reach sustainable development for a green economy. / El gasto público de muchos Estados contribuye de manera significativa en el Producto Bruto Interno de los países, siendo normalmente los principales consumidores de las economías nacionales; razón por la que dicho poder de adquisición constituye una oportunidad para influir en el mercado, fomentando la producción y el consumo de bienes sostenibles y amigables con el ambiente. En ese sentido, el artículo aborda el mecanismo de las Compras Públicas Sostenibles como una herramienta para promover patrones de Consumo y Producción Sostenibles y, consecuentemente, lograr el desarrollo sostenible en el marco del concepto de una economía verde.