IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/zbw/iubhbm/335031.html

Sustainability controlling: Who will be in charge?

Author

Listed:
  • Schulke, Arne

Abstract

Sustainability Management refers to the integration of environmental and social objectives into corporate management systems. It extends traditional management to encompass CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) and ESG aspects (Environment, Social, Governance) to plan, steer and control overall business success more holistically. It constitutes an area of growing research focus both in the Germanic community as well as globally. With regards to Controlling, two apparently conflicting findings in literature are that 1) Sustainability Controlling is a crucial way to support this growing trend, and yet, 2) Controlling organizations play a subordinate role in overall Sustainability Management efforts. The discussion paper draws on German and international literature to present evidence on the status quo of Sustainability Controlling. Based on this, a framework for the likely development of the organizational responsibility for Sustainability Controlling within organizations is laid out, with a focus on the information provision function of Controlling.

Suggested Citation

  • Schulke, Arne, 2025. "Sustainability controlling: Who will be in charge?," IU Discussion Papers - Business & Management 16 (Dezember 2025), IU International University of Applied Sciences.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:iubhbm:335031
    DOI: 10.56250/4095
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/335031/1/1948988585.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.56250/4095?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Biswaraj Ghosh & Christian Herzig & Musa Mangena, 2019. "Controlling for sustainability strategies: findings from research and directions for the future," Journal of Management Control: Zeitschrift für Planung und Unternehmenssteuerung, Springer, vol. 30(1), pages 5-24, April.
    2. Egbert Willekes & Koos Wagensveld & Jan Jonker, 2022. "The Role of the Accounting and Control Professional in Monitoring and Controlling Sustainable Value," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-23, November.
    3. Carsten Gandenberger, 2009. "CSR im Spannungsfeld zwischen oekonomischen und sozialen Zielen: Ein kritischer Blick auf den Umgang mit ,social issues‘ in der Wertschoepfungskette der Bekleidungsbranche (CSR and the Conflict Between Economic and Social Objectives: A Critical View ," Zeitschrift für Wirtschafts- und Unternehmensethik - Journal for Business, Economics & Ethics, Rainer Hampp Verlag, vol. 10(3), pages 304-321.
    4. Laura Broccardo & Sara Giovanna Mauro, 2024. "The path towards sustainability: The role of internal stakeholders and management accounting in a dialogic perspective," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(3), pages 2496-2513, May.
    5. Ilenia Ascani & Roberta Ciccola & Maria Serena Chiucchi, 2021. "A Structured Literature Review about the Role of Management Accountants in Sustainability Accounting and Reporting," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-25, February.
    6. Mehdi Amini & Carol C. Bienstock & John A. Narcum, 2018. "Status of corporate sustainability: a content analysis of Fortune 500 companies," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(8), pages 1450-1461, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Valeriu Brabete & Mirela Sichigea & Daniel Cîrciumaru & Daniel Goagără, 2024. "Bibliometric Mapping of the Relationships Between Accounting, Professional Accountants, and Sustainability Issues," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(21), pages 1-34, October.
    2. Che Fatimah Che Kasim & Haslinda Yusoff & Fadzlina Mohd Fahmi, 2024. "Systematic Literature Review (SLR) on the Roles of Accountants and Challenges Towards Sustainability Accounting and Reporting," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 8(11), pages 796-808, November.
    3. Anca Antoaneta Vărzaru & Claudiu George Bocean & Maria Magdalena Criveanu & Adrian-Florin Budică-Iacob & Daniela Victoria Popescu, 2023. "Assessing the Contribution of Managerial Accounting in Sustainable Organizational Development in the Healthcare Industry," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-16, February.
    4. Massimiliano Celli & Simona Arduini & Tommaso Beck, 2024. "Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and His Future Application Scenario for Italian SMEs," International Journal of Business and Management, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 19(4), pages 1-44, July.
    5. Elizabeth Ekren & Maria E. Tomasso & Melinda M. Villagran, 2024. "Resilience as a Concept for Convergence Across Health, Systems, and Well-Being: An AI-Augmented Mapping of 50 Years of Resilience Research," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(23), pages 1-32, November.
    6. Sergey Evgenievich Barykin & Anna Viktorovna Strimovskaya & Sergey Mikhailovich Sergeev & Larisa Nikolaevna Borisoglebskaya & Natalia Dedyukhina & Igor Sklyarov & Julia Sklyarova & Lilya Saychenko, 2023. "Smart City Logistics on the Basis of Digital Tools for ESG Goals Achievement," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-20, March.
    7. Bosiljka Srebro & Bojan Mavrenski & Vesna Bogojević Arsić & Snežana Knežević & Marko Milašinović & Jovan Travica, 2021. "Bankruptcy Risk Prediction in Ensuring the Sustainable Operation of Agriculture Companies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-17, July.
    8. Aliu, Shekerta & Traxler, Albert Anton & Greiling, Dorothea, 2025. "How do European Union electric utilities contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals? Empirical insights on reporting and management control practices," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 96(C).
    9. Anette Hallin & Tina Karrbom‐Gustavsson & Peter Dobers, 2021. "Transition towards and of sustainability—Understanding sustainability as performative," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(4), pages 1948-1957, May.
    10. Imaobong Judith Nnam & Sylvia Nnenna Eneh & Amara Priscilia Ozoji & Mabel Ngozi Nwekwo & Geoffrey Ndubuisi Udefi & Marian Mukosolu Okobo & Onyekachi David Chukwunwike, 2025. "Integrating Sustainability in Accounting Curricular of Higher Education Institutions: Analyzing Universities in an Emerging Economy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(13), pages 1-15, June.
    11. Rauter, Romana & Globocnik, Dietfried & Baumgartner, Rupert J., 2023. "The role of organizational controls to advance sustainability innovation performance," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 128(C).
    12. Mohammed Muneerali Thottoli & Md. Aminul Islam & Farid Ahammad Sobhani & Shafiqur Rahman & Md. Sharif Hassan, 2022. "Auditing and Sustainability Accounting: A Global Examination Using the Scopus Database," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-14, December.
    13. Nerantzidis, Michail & Tampakoudis, Ioannis & She, Chaoyuan, 2024. "Social media in accounting research: A review and future research agenda," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    14. Samuel Roscoe & Nachiappan Subramanian & Charbel J.C. Jabbour & Tao Chong, 2019. "Green human resource management and the enablers of green organisational culture: Enhancing a firm's environmental performance for sustainable development," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(5), pages 737-749, July.
    15. Alessandra Buonasera & Guido Noto & Carlo Vermiglio, 2024. "Performance management systems for sustainability in SMEs: An interventionist approach," MANAGEMENT CONTROL, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2024(3), pages 39-59.
    16. Leanne Johnstone, 2021. "Facilitating sustainability control in SMEs through the implementation of an environmental management system," Journal of Management Control: Zeitschrift für Planung und Unternehmenssteuerung, Springer, vol. 32(4), pages 559-605, December.
    17. Egbert Willekes & Koos Wagensveld & Jan Jonker, 2022. "The Role of the Accounting and Control Professional in Monitoring and Controlling Sustainable Value," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-23, November.
    18. Tatyana Khudyakova & Andrey Shmidt & Svetlana Shmidt, 2019. "Implementation of controlling technologies as a method to increase sustainability of the enterprise activities," Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Issues, VsI Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Center, vol. 7(2), pages 1185-1196, December.
    19. Walid Cheffi & Ahmed Abdel-Maksoud & Muhammad Omer Farooq, 2021. "CSR initiatives, organizational performance and the mediating role of integrating CSR into management control systems: Testing an inclusive model within SMEs in an emerging economy," Journal of Management Control: Zeitschrift für Planung und Unternehmenssteuerung, Springer, vol. 32(3), pages 333-367, September.
    20. Vanini, Ute & Bochert, Saskia, 2024. "Integration of sustainability issues into management accounting textbooks," Journal of Accounting Education, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    JEL classification:

    • M10 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - General
    • M11 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - Production Management
    • M19 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - Other
    • M40 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Accounting - - - General

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:zbw:iubhbm:335031. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.iu.de/forschung/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.