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The Nature of the Relationship Between Corporate Identity and Corporate Sustainability: Evidence from The Retail Industry

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  • Simões, Cláudia
  • Sebastiani, Roberta

Abstract

This article addresses the nature of the interface between corporate sustainability and corporate identity at both the strategic and instrumental levels. We developed an empirical qualitative study in two countries in Southern Europe addressing retailers who are actively engaged in pursuing corporate-sustainability strategies. Data sources include in-depth interviews, observations, and physical artifacts of identity (digital and printed documents). Findings reveal that, at a strategic level, corporate sustainability is embedded in corporate identity reflecting the company’s strategy. Companies also instrumentally use corporate identity to operationalize corporate sustainability strategies. Organizations show different patterns in the way they bridge corporate sustainability and identity. The contributions of this article are threefold: it reports the symbiotic relationship between corporate sustainability and corporate identity; it scrutinizes how corporate sustainability and corporate identity are integrated at the strategic and operational levels; and it establishes distinct patterns at the interface of corporate sustainability and corporate identity.

Suggested Citation

  • Simões, Cláudia & Sebastiani, Roberta, 2017. "The Nature of the Relationship Between Corporate Identity and Corporate Sustainability: Evidence from The Retail Industry," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 27(3), pages 423-453, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:buetqu:v:27:y:2017:i:03:p:423-453_00
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    Cited by:

    1. Nana Zhang & Liang Mei, 2020. "Sustainable Development in the Service Industry: Managerial Learning and Management Improvement of Chinese Retailers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-17, February.
    2. Wang, Xing-Xin & He, Ai-Zhong, 2022. "The impact of retailers’ sustainable development on consumer advocacy: A chain mediation model investigation," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    3. Tourky, Marwa & Alwi, Sharifah Faridah Syed & Kitchen, Philip & Melewar, T.C. & Shaalan, Ahmed, 2020. "New conceptualization and measurement of corporate identity: Evidence from UK food and beverage industry," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 595-606.
    4. Shantanu Dutta & Supriya Katti & B. V. Phani & Pengcheng Zhu, 2022. "Corporate social responsibility spending as a building block for sustainable corporate ethical identity: Lessons from Indian business groups," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 43(3), pages 696-717, April.
    5. Elg, Ulf & Welinder, Axel, 2022. "Sustainabilty and retail marketing: Corporate, product and store perspectives," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    6. Tourky, Marwa & Kitchen, Philip & Shaalan, Ahmed, 2020. "The role of corporate identity in CSR implementation: An integrative framework," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 694-706.
    7. Norheim-Hansen, Anne, 2023. "Green supplier development: What’s in it for you, the buyer?," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 66(1), pages 101-107.
    8. Iliana Loor Alcívar & Francisco González Santa Cruz & Nelly Moreira Mero & Amalia Hidalgo-Fernández, 2020. "Study of Corporate Sustainability Dimensions in the Cooperatives of Ecuador," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-12, January.

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