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Implementing Social Sustainability for Innovative Industrial Work Environments

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  • Agneta Sundström

    (Department of Business & Economic Studies, University of Gävle, 80176 Gävle, Sweden)

  • Zahra Ahmadi

    (Department of Business & Economic Studies, University of Gävle, 80176 Gävle, Sweden)

  • Kristina Mickelsson

    (Department of Business & Economic Studies, University of Gävle, 80176 Gävle, Sweden)

Abstract

Industrial companies are in a situation that requires them to reconsider their social sustainability agenda in order to attract new employees. Building upon interviews with CEOs and HR managers in 20 small medium enterprises (SMEs), this study aims to analyze how high-tech companies and industrial engineering companies define and implement social sustainability into business strategies and operations. Data was collected from 20 interviews and secondary information coded for categorical data analysis in SPSS Statistics 22 software. The findings show that although the companies have adopted several kinds of International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards, social sustainability is still absent from their operational activities and is considered of lower importance than environmental sustainability. Thus, the implementation of social sustainability can be considered symbolic rather substantive. The study also shows differences between the two groups of companies. The high-tech company group pays little attention to social sustainability aspects, instead focusing on product innovation development. While the industrial engineering group has some interest in social sustainability, their focus is primarily on issues linked to health and safety in order to meet increasing demands from supply chain compliance. Neglecting social aspects of sustainability, such as addressing gender equality and diversity, may cause difficulties in attracting a new workforce.

Suggested Citation

  • Agneta Sundström & Zahra Ahmadi & Kristina Mickelsson, 2019. "Implementing Social Sustainability for Innovative Industrial Work Environments," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-16, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:12:p:3402-:d:241577
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Giuditta Contini & Margherita Peruzzini, 2022. "Sustainability and Industry 4.0: Definition of a Set of Key Performance Indicators for Manufacturing Companies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-37, September.
    3. Robin Hogrefe & Sabine Bohnet-Joschko, 2023. "The Social Dimension of Corporate Sustainability: Review of an Evolving Research Field," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-22, February.
    4. Leonel Prieto & Muhammad Ruhul Amin & Arman Canatay, 2022. "Examining Social Sustainability in Organizations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-43, September.
    5. Iris Vilnai-Yavetz & Anat Rafaeli, 2021. "Workspace Integration and Sustainability: Linking the Symbolic and Social Affordances of the Workspace to Employee Wellbeing," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-22, October.
    6. Pavla Svermova & Miroslav Cernik, 2020. "Corporate Social Responsibility of Companies Producing PFOA Containing Waxes for Cross-Country Skiing," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-17, June.
    7. Caroline Nilsson & Tarina Levin & Johan Colding & Stefan Sjöberg & Stephan Barthel, 2024. "Navigating complexity with the four pillars of social sustainability," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(6), pages 5929-5947, December.

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