High Interest in Sustainability

Abstract: Sustainability is a subject that seems to continuously gain popularity and importance in society.Hence, many aspects of the business world also revolve around the matter. One view onsustainability is that the current generation should act in a manner that allows the next generationto have similar foundations to prosper. An important factor in this involves the investment effortsfrom the companies, in particular the industrial companies. Therefore, this thesis aims toinvestigate the potential influence that recently increased interest rates have on sustainabilityefforts within Swedish manufacturing businesses. The responses to this phenomenon have beendiverse, with arguments that sustainability initiatives will remain unaffected, others suggestingadverse effects, and a few proposing that only a reduced demand following increased rates willbe impacted. Consequently, the purpose of this research was to gain valuable insights into theimplications of changing business climates on sustainability work and investments with theresearch question being what insights can be gained regarding sustainability efforts by exploringthe experiences of companies facing increased interest rates? We interviewed six listed Swedishcompanies with a production line to gain a deeper understanding from their experiences on howthey face increased interest rates and balance their sustainability efforts. This thesis draws uponseveral theoretical frameworks, including the stakeholder theory, legitimacy theory, trade-offtheory and corporate social responsibility (CSR). These theoretical perspectives provide acomprehensive foundation for understanding the complexities and dynamics surroundingsustainability efforts in the context of changing interest rates.To gather the necessary insights, this research employed a qualitative approach in theinterpretivist paradigm, conducting semi-structured interviews with a purposive non-probabilitysample of six participants. By capturing the experiences and perspectives of the participants, thestudy aims to generate rich and nuanced data that can improve our understanding of the impactof increased interest rates on sustainability efforts. Our analysis of the empirical results revealedthat these companies, despite potential challenges, remain committed to their sustainability goalsand efforts. They have not perceived any immediate threats to their goals due to increased interestrates.Thus, sustainable investments remain a critical aspect of companies’ strategies to meet globalsustainability goals. Motivated by legitimacy, stakeholder expectations and CSR commitments,companies integrate sustainability into their operations and influence stakeholders to participatein sustainable value creation. While the effects of interest rate hikes are diverse, companiesmaintain their sustainability efforts and strive to achieve their goals although potential risks andchallenges may arise in the future.