Framing Sustainability : A Qualitative Study of the Translation of the 2030 Agenda

Abstract: Following the increase of transnational organisations, global governance today is mainly relying on voluntary standards. One standard is the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This motivates a need to understand how such an idea unfolds within organisations and what impact global CSR standards have, leading to the research question: How are CSR standards deriving from global ideas translated into organisations and influencing sustainability activities? Based on a literature review of Scandinavian institutionalism, soft rules and standards, CSR, traveling of ideas, translation, identity and image, decoupling and aspirational talk, five assumptions were formulated as to what implications the standard might have. These are examined qualitatively through multiple case studies in the Swedish food industry using semi-structured interviews and examining CSR reports. The analysis find partial support for all assumptions. Main findings include the use of the 2030 Agenda mainly as a communication tool, constituting a common sustainability language and a platform for collaborations. The standard is thus interpreted as being symbolically translated. This open up possibilities for future research regarding the translation of standards and the implications of an facilitated way of framing sustainability work, adding the concept of symbolic translation to translation theory.