From Green to Gold: The role of multiple logics of sustainability in shaping business value creation

Abstract: With activities engendering tremendous socio-ecological impacts, the fashion system is increasingly spotlighted as one of the most unsustainable industries. In this context, many actors in the fashion system, including brands and retailers, have implemented corporate sustainability strategies. Yet, sustainability can be understood and interpreted through different logics, which requires organizations working with it to be consistent in how they approach it across their operations to optimize value creation. The present research study aims to examine these different logics of sustainability and how they are reflected in the execution of the strategy. Specifically,this research focuses on Boozt, a Nordic technology company selling fashion and lifestyle products online, as the main case study. The study is built on insights from in-depth interviews with ten directors who report directly to different C-level executives at Boozt. We explore their sustainability logic, organizational and mental barriers, and desired outcomes, through the lens of the green innovation games framework proposed by Lampikoski et. al (2014). The research study, firstly, reveals that from an individual level, directors mostly engaged with the most ambitious game (i.e. Clarity game) or the least ambitious game (i.e. Rational game); however, from an organizational level, their approach turns to belong to the Collaboration game. Secondly,we found that when executing sustainability projects, directors engage more frequently with the Rationality game. Directors highlight further the lack of skills and lack of permission to try and fail that impedes them from playing a more revolutionary game. Finally, we discussed the findings around three main points: the polarization of sustainability, the roles and logics of different stakeholders in institutionalizing sustainability within the business, and the competencies needed to surpass the organizational and mental barriers that lead to advancing the corporate sustainability strategy at Boozt.