At the end of 2008, triple innova conducted a client study benchmarking corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability management.

The study “Sustainability Management: Trends and Best Practices” highlights the current debate about the relevance of sustainability for the management of a company. It shows that successful sustainability management is not simply an add-on to the business strategy, but rather that it supports the overall success of the company if comprehensively linked to the core business. Comprehensive sustainability management successfully contrasts corporate risks and opportunities, as well as stakeholder concerns, with corporate strengths and weaknesses to focus CSR and business activities on the key issues.
Based on this state-of-the-art approach to sustainability management, the management styles and CSR activities of six companies from different sectors were analysed. Representing different levels of CSR management style and engagement, the companies include Holcim, Volkswagen, Karmann, EnBW, Deutsche Telekom, and Henkel.

The study covers the following issues:

• Materiality and scope of sustainability management
• Internal stakeholders and organisation of sustainability management
• Involvement of external stakeholders and public participation

The results emphasise that successful sustainability management - closely linked to relevant core business areas - is a process that can be gradually improved and adjusted to ever-changing circumstances. As this process evolves it increasingly covers innovations and business areas that were initially not regarded as strategic CSR domains. In short: sustainability management deepens the integration of businesses in societal and environmental relations and extends the basis for economic performance.

Depending on its strategic importance the administrative responsibility for CSR is positioned on a higher management level of an organisation. By using standards it is implemented in processes on different levels. Communication processes that run top down as well as bottom up are shown to have a positive influence on both the effectiveness of management activities and the participation of employees.

External communication generally addresses relevant internal and external stakeholders, as well as the interested general public. This reflects the overall importance of reputation and responsible behaviour for companies. Different stakeholders, such as employees, may serve as multipliers for information. Companies increasingly use sustainability reports to pool and prioritise information and direct information and communication flows. Additionally, the company view is determined by exchanges with external stakeholders or by the gathering of expert knowledge that, at the same time, assists companies in broadening their knowledge base for future decisions.

The collaboration with differing partners or initiatives evolves to become a central element of sustainability management. Partnerships often enable companies to tackle greater challenges, which would otherwise exceed a single company’s influence and resources, but whose impacts would have direct business implications. Global challenges form a significant driver for companies to engage in sustainability activities. The issues that are addressed by all the surveyed companies include climate and demographic change as well as energy efficiency.