Fostering Social Impact Through Corporate Implementation of the SDGs

Transformative Mechanisms Towards Interconnectedness and Inclusiveness

Bibliographic Data

ID21464366
AuthorsSimona Fiandrino (0000-0002-7785-9433, University of Turin), Francesco Scarpa (0000-0002-6633-6127, University of Bergamo), Riccardo Torelli (0000-0003-1956-3981, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, corresponding author)
Year2022
Volume180
Issue4
Pages959-973
Publication date2022-11-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Business Ethics (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0167-4544 • E-ISSN: 1573-0697
PublisherSpringer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1007/s10551-022-05189-9
OpenAlexW4285092129
LanguageEN
Citations received5
References cited101

The United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development has considerable potential for achieving a more sustainable future. However, the concrete realisation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is impeded by how they are implemented by a diverse set of competent agents. This conceptual paper draws on social impact theory to investigate how businesses can utilise the SDG framework to achieve positive social outcomes. We identify two pathways that can guide businesses to improve their SDGs interventions, which entail considering the interconnections between the goals that are directly or indirectly affected by the initiative at stake and the inclusiveness of the actors affected by the SDGs. Building on the literature on hybrid organising (to frame interconnectedness) and the literature on multi-stakeholder partnerships and deliberative governance (to frame inclusiveness), we discuss a set of organisational mechanisms and transformations that can help businesses ensure that their SDGs interventions are more socially impactful. By doing so, this paper extends the literature on the role of companies for sustainable development and provides some practical implications

Business · Business ethics · Corporate governance · Corporate social responsibility · Political science · Process management · Public relations · Realisation · Sociology · Stakeholder · Stakeholder engagement · Sustainable development · Transformative learning · Community Development and Social Impact · Corporate Social Responsibility Reporting · Management and Organizational Studies

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