Value mapping for sustainable business thinking

Abstract

Pressures on business to operate sustainably are increasing. This requires companies to adopt a systemic approach that seeks to integrate consideration of the three dimensions of sustainability - social, environmental, and economic - in a manner that generates shared value creation for all stakeholders including the environment and society. This is referred to as sustainable business thinking. The business model concept offers a framework for system-level innovation for sustainability and provides the conceptual linkage with the activities of the firm such as design, production, supply chains, partnerships, and distribution channels. A value mapping tool has been presented in the literature to assist in sustainable business model innovation. This study explores the use of value mapping for broader sustainable business thinking, by reflection on its use in workshop settings. A range of new applications is identified which is expected to be of interest to business practitioners, policy makers, and academic researchers.