Embedding Sustainable Entrepreneurship in Companies: The Eternal Internal Challenge

Abstract

Since the late 1980s, a major focus of executives responsible for sustainability strategy rollout in companies has been on “finding the business case” for sustainability and on convincing mainstream managers to exploit that case as much as possible internally and externally. Research has proven that the stronger the business case, and the more value drivers it builds upon, the stronger the internal and external appeal of associated projects, and the more robust the internal alignment within corporate organizations (Steger 2004). However, research has also shown that the “right” values, and corporate mind- and skill sets go a long way to supporting this process through the recruitment and creation of sustainability entrepreneurs that change behavioral patterns within firms.