Abstract

Little has been published about the drivers, factors and challenges involved in the business practice of creating corporate sustainability performance within a company. This working paper describes research that employed an in-depth, grounded-theory case study approach to explore the issue within two EU-based utility companies. From the analysis of interviews, project meeting observations and a survey with in-house delivery experts, a key preliminary output of this research has been the creation of a Force-Factor Corporate Sustainability Performance Framework that categorises the main driver and inhibitor elements a dynamic, explanatory model. This can serve as a useful platform for further academic and practitioner-based research, as well as describing key levers and obstacles to establishing a progressive performance in corporate sustainability.