Multiple Levels of Corporate Sustainability

摘要

According to Dr. Clare Graves, mankind has developed eight core value systems, as responses to prevailing circumstances. Given different contexts and value systems, a one-solution-fits-all concept of corporate sustain-ability is not reasonable. Therefore, this paper presents various definitions and forms of sus-tainability, each linked to specific (societal) circumstances and related value systems. A sustainability matrix ― an essential element of the overall European Corporate Sustainability Framework ― is described showing six types of organizations at different developmental stages, with different forms of corporate sustainability, each supported by specific institutional arrangements.