Connecting Corporate Identity and Corporate Sustainability Strategies: Insights from the Retail Industry

摘要

How do organizations connect Corporate Sustainability (CS) and Corporate identity (CI)? We developed an empirical qualitative study based on 4 retailers actively engaged in pursuing CS strategies in 2 countries in Southern Europe. Data sources involved in-depth interviews (43 in total), physical artefacts of identity entailing digital and printed documents (e.g., company reports, websites and layouts in stores colors, presentation of symbols) and observation. Key informants included top and middle range managers and employees working for supermarket retailers. We registered detailed field notes resulting from observations and visits to retailers and sites where the interviewees' were based. Data analysis entailed inductive reasoning and comparative methods. Emphasis was made on a systematic examination of transcripts, documents and remaining data.