Sustainability and Corporate Branding: shotgun wedding or match made in heaven?

Abstract: Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to gain a better understanding of the interplay between sustainability and corporate branding internally in organisations. By studying how internal communication contributes to the employees’ perception of these concepts, we aspire for this research to result in a greater comprehension of the role of internal communication in relation to sustainability and corporate branding. Theoretical Perspective: The two main theoretical perspectives are the internal brand management theory by Burmann and Zeplin (2005) and stakeholder theory, developed by Freeman (1984). Based on an in- depth review of the existing literature and theory, a research framework has been developed to guide the study. Methodology: A qualitative multiple case study with an abductive approach was applied based on the research philosophy of social constructionism. The empirical data was collected through 15 in-depth interviews with employees from the companies Ørsted and Arla. The interviews were semi-structured allowing theoretically-based as well as empirically-led questions. The primary findings are complemented by secondary textual data. Findings: Sustainability and corporate branding are internally communicated through a mix of central, cascade and lateral communication. The employee perception of the integration of sustainability communication in brand communication depends on the organisation’s business format and implementation strategy. Our study established a positive connection between sustainability and brand commitment. The feeling of contributing to a bigger cause plays a role in this connection. Enabling relevant employee roles in the organisation's sustainability journey can increase the connection further. The integration of sustainability into the brand identity presents the opportunity for a strong corporate brand that lives up to the urgent societal demands. Contributions: By focusing on the role of internal communication in the connection between sustainability and corporate branding we contribute to the understanding of an important current topic. We are refining Burmann and Zeplin’s (2005) internal brand theory by suggesting to add bottom-up communication to their internal communication model and include brand pride in the brand citizenship behaviour construct. The managerial implications focus on the channels that should be used for sustainability communication internally and on the management’s role in aligning a sustainable company vision with the employees’ jobs.