Environmental accounting : media, activists and Hennes and Mauritz in a mixed-method perspective and implications for the fashion industry

Abstract: Change towards a sustainable company is driven either by media or the company, the argument goes. It is though questionable, if companies as individual actors have an impact on the environment at all, or if they are too small in the global economy. Using the macro- economic gravity model, the size question can be answered positively, the companies do have an impact. Thus reasons why companies change are relevant. The driving forces are analysed using earlier works analysing H&M, constructivism in form of intercultural learning from each other as businesses, a look at current standards within the industry and respective criticism from non-state actors like Greenpeace. H&M as a leader in the industry is driven by all, its own management, media and non-state actors, as well as the limitations in time through gradual change and the oligopoly market. The Global Reporting Initiative, as a free standard, is hereby especially important.