Culture of Sustainability in Practice - A Qualitative Study of a Prime Example from the Employees’ Perspective

Abstract: Implementing sustainability into business practices is a growing and necessary trend in today’s organisations, which calls for establishing a Culture of Sustainability (CoS). This study aims to demonstrate the realisation of a CoS within a sustainable case company that can be seen as a prime example in this regard. Using employee interviews this study explores the practice within a company in the gastronomy sector and gains an understanding of their perceptions of the organisational direction (such as its mission and goals), the HR value chain (such as recruitment and retention practices), the behaviour, communication, and decision-making as well as the employees’ in- and extra-role performance. The results highlight the importance of transparency in all aspects of the business. Furthermore, communication as well as a focus on the individual employees and their personal interaction within the work context and beyond were identified as crucial within a CoS. Finally, sustainability was found to be a fundamental value for the company and its employees, such that it is lived implicitly more than discussed explicitly. This research presents helpful insights into a CoS which can support other businesses with practical examples in their change process towards implementing sustainability. Moreover, the study contributes to the overall literature on CoS as, to the best of the researchers' knowledge, such practically orientated research has not been conducted so far.