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Sustainability Efforts and Importance of Change Management
Topic Information
Dear Colleagues,
Change management and sustainability are intertwined. Successfully integrating sustainability into an organization's operations requires a structured approach to managing the changes that come with adopting more environmentally and socially responsible practices.
Sustainability efforts not only benefit the environment and societies but can also lead to increased efficiency and reduced costs and can improve the reputation of corporations. But sustainability efforts of corporations, whether private, public or third sector, can be significantly affected by change management strategies. How change is managed can therefore have a significant impact on sustainability initiatives within corporations. Sustainability refers to the practice of meeting current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. This involves finding ways to responsibly operate environmentally, socially, and economically. Change management refers to a structured approach a corporation uses to transition individuals, teams, and the corporation as a whole from a current state to a desired future state. This can involve changes in processes, technologies, structures, and even cultures. The Topic will address a systemic approach to understanding and, more importantly, describe specific actions undertaken when implementing sustainability efforts.
This Topic will focus on the joint efforts of business and policymaking as enablers of preparing and leading changes. It will draw upon key thinkers in business, public policy, and social scientists to analyze concrete situations and approaches for successful sustainability efforts. The objectives are to highlight specific issues, explain their significance, and demonstrate how managing changes have positive and potentially negative consequences, along with thoughts on implementing change and highlighting the types of changes necessary for change management.
We encourage the submission of contributions that explore the relationship between sustainability and change management in a corporate context. Studies are welcome whether they focus on the public or private sector. Submissions may fit under one of the following broad themes, which are meant to be indicative and not exhaustive. We are open to theoretical and empirical papers, using qualitative or quantitative research methods, which address topics such as:
- Cultural Shift: Improving sustainability often requires a shift in organizational culture and mindset. Change management methodologies help facilitate this shift by involving employees, aligning values, and promoting a sense of ownership and commitment to sustainability goals, such as the SDGs.
- Behavioral Change: Sustainable practices usually require changes in behavior and daily operations. Change management strategies help employees understand the reasons behind these changes, address resistance, and provide the necessary training and support to adopt new behaviors.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Sustainability initiatives often involve various stakeholders, both internal (employees, managers) and external (customers, suppliers, communities). Change management techniques can be used to engage these stakeholders effectively, ensuring their support and participation in sustainability efforts.
- Communication: Effective communication is crucial for change management and sustainability. Clear communication helps employees understand the need for sustainable practices, the benefits, and how their individual efforts contribute to larger goals.
- Adaptation to Regulations: Sustainability practices are influenced by regulations and industry standards, which can change over time. Change management strategies assist organizations in adapting to these changing requirements effectively.
- Innovation and Technology Adoption: Sustainability often involves adopting new technologies and innovative practices. Change management helps organizations navigate the challenges of adopting these new tools and methods.
- Long-Term Integration: Sustainability is a long-term endeavor. Change management ensures that sustainable practices are not just short-term projects but are integrated into the organization's core values and operations.
- Measuring and Monitoring: Change management methodologies emphasize setting measurable goals and monitoring progress. This aligns with sustainability efforts, requiring tracking and reporting on environmental and social performance.
- Risk Management: Sustainability risks, such as supply chain disruptions due to environmental factors, can be managed through effective change management strategies that enhance an organization's agility and resilience.
- Continuous Improvement: Both change management and sustainability involve a commitment to continuous improvement. They are iterative processes that require organizations to learn, adapt, and evolve.
Submission procedure
The Abstract submission deadline is 26 April 2024.
The Manuscript submission deadline is 26 June 2024
Manuscripts should be submitted online. Authors’ registration and access will be available at: https://www.mdpi.com/topics/AVGW3801JM, starting from 1st September 2023.
When submitting your manuscript, you will be asked to specify whether it is for a regular issue or one of the named Special Issues, so please select the “Sustainability Efforts and Importance of Change Management” option. The format of the papers must follow Sustainability’s submission guidelines.
Submitted papers should not have been previously published or be currently under consideration for publication elsewhere. All papers will be reviewed in accordance with Sustainability’s standard single-blind review process.
Prof. Dr. Throstur Olaf Sigurjonsson
Prof. Dr. José Manuel Ruano de la Fuente
Topic Editors
Keywords
- sustainability
- cultural shift
- behavior change
- stakeholder engagement
- communication
- adaptation of regulations
- innovation and technology adoption
- long-term integration
- measuring and monitoring
- risk management
- continuous improvement
Participating Journals
| Journal Name | Impact Factor | CiteScore | Launched Year | First Decision (median) | APC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sustainability
|
3.3 | 6.8 | 2009 | 20 Days | CHF 2400 |
Economies
|
2.1 | 4.0 | 2013 | 21.7 Days | CHF 1800 |
World
|
2.0 | - | 2020 | 22.7 Days | CHF 1000 |
Administrative Sciences
|
3.0 | 4.8 | 2011 | 25.2 Days | CHF 1400 |
Businesses
|
- | - | 2021 | 24.5 Days | CHF 1000 |
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Published Papers (12 papers)
Planned Papers
The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.
Title: Long-Term Care Policies in Spain: Welfare State and Resilience from a Human Rights Approach
Authors: Díaz-Tendero, Aída; Ruano, José M.
Affiliation: Department of Political and Administrative Sciences
Faculty of Political Sciences and Sociology
Complutense University of Madrid
Abstract: The paper analyses the long-term care system in the context of the onging ageing of the Spanish population from a comparative and multilevel perspective. Starting from the European regulatory and jurisdictional framework, it examines the main features of the long-term care schemes in Europe and the difficulties in consolidating a welfare system in Spain in the context of two consecutive crises: the economic and financial crisis of 2008-2014 and the pandemic crisis of 2020-2022. For this purpose, in addition to an in-depth study of the international literature, it draws on the legislation and reports of the European Commission and the Council of Europe, the World Health Organisation, the databases of the National Institute of Statistics and the Ministry of Social Rights, and the Spanish Ministry of Health.
Title: Social Innovation in Urban Governance: E-Participation as a Channel of Influence in Big Cities
Authors: Ruano, José M.; Reichborn-Kjennerud, Kristin
Affiliation: Complutense University of Madrid
Oslo Metropolitan University
Abstract: The paper analyses the relations between political representatives and activists in local decision-making in the cities of Oslo, Melbourne and Madrid, which have developed digital instruments of communication with citizens. The elements compared are the profile of the officers and activists; their perception about the participatory tools; their reason for engagement; the use of face-to-face vs. digital channels; the perception of the influence exerted; and the limitations of the communication channels. A common questionnaire applied to politicians and activists has been simultaneously conducted in the three cities and semi-structured interviews with representatives of neighbours’ associations and city councillors have been used to further analyse and deepen into the questionnaire results.
Title: ESG Performance and Sustainable Corporate Innovation: A Study from the Perspective of Principal-Agent Theory
Authors: QIU Pengyun; WANG Fengzheng; LIU Ximeng; LIU Yang
Affiliation: 1.School of Economics and Management, Inner Mongolia University，
2.School of Accounting, Inner Mongolia University of Finance and Economics
Abstract: Sustainable innovation holds significant importance for corporate development. As a crucial management tool for achieving sustainable growth, investigating whether enhancing ESG performance can drive sustainable innovation within enterprises is important. Based on the principal-agent theory, this study empirically examines the relationship between ESG performance and sustainable innovation within Chinese A-share listed companies from 2011 to 2021, along with its underlying mechanisms. The findings reveal that robust ESG performance significantly fosters sustainable innovation within enterprises. Mechanism analysis suggests that financial constraints, media attention, and enterprise risk serve as mediators in this relationship. Heterogeneity analysis further demonstrates that the positive impact of strong ESG performance on sustainable innovation is particularly pronounced in companies at different stages of growth and maturity, as well as in centrally-owned and state-owned enterprises. Importantly, after controlling for endogeneity and conducting robustness tests, the conclusions remain valid. Hence, there is a pressing need to improve ESG performance further and enhance the quality of ESG information disclosure to drive sustainable innovation, thereby aiding enterprises in gaining competitive advantages and achieving sustainable long-term development.
