Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Companies Promoting Sustainable Consumption of Employees

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Consumer Policy Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Activities aimed at promoting sustainable consumption need to be introduced into everyday settings, as sustainable consumption behaviour needs to become part of daily living. Therefore it is worthwhile reflecting on social settings where consumption plays a minor role, but where people nonetheless learn and experience new attitudes and behaviours. The workplace is an important focal point of adults’ daily routines. This paper examines companies’ role in promoting sustainable consumption of their employees.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Austin, J. (2000). Strategic collaboration between nonprofits and business. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 29, 69–97.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bandura, A. (1977). Social learning theory. Morristown: General Learning Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Berger, I. E., Cunningham, P. H., & Drumwright, M. E. (2006). Identity, identification, and relationship through social alliances. Journal of the Academy of Marketing and Science, 34, 128–137.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Berger, I. E., & Kanetkar, V. (1995). Increasing environmental sensitivity via workplace experiences. Journal of Public Policy and Marketing, 14, 205–215.

    Google Scholar 

  • BINK. (2010). Bildungsinstitutionen und nachhaltiger Konsum (Educational Institutions and Sustainable Consumption). Available at: http://www.konsumkultur.de/index.php?id=2&L=1. Accessed on August 16, 2010.

  • (The) Body Shop. (2009). Available at: http://www.thebodyshop.com/_en/_ww/values-campaigns/self-esteem.aspx. Accessed on August 17, 2010.

  • Bourdieu, P. (1984). Distinction: A social critique of the judgment of taste. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bourdieu, P. (1987). Outline of a theory of practice. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brehm, J. W., Sensening, J., & Shaban, J. (1966). The attractiveness of an eliminated choice alternative. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 2, 301–313.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown, M., & Cregan, C. (2008). Organizational change cynism. The role of employee involvement. Human Resource Management, 47, 667–686.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burke, L., & Logsdon, J. M. (1999). How corporate social responsibility pays off. Long Range Planning, 29, 495–502.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chao, G. T., O´Leary-Kelly, A. M., Wolf, S., Klein, H. J., & Gardner, P. D. (1994). Organizational socialization: Its content and consequences. The Journal of Applied Psychology, 79, 730–743.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cramer, J. (2005). Company learning about corporate social responsibility. Business Strategy and the Environment, Special Issue: Partnerships for Sustainable Development, 14, 255–266.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crane, A., Mc Williams, A., Matten, D., Moon, J., & Siegel, D. (2008). The Oxford handbook of corporate social responsibility. Oxford: University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • CSR in Europe. (2010). Available at: http://www.csreurope.org/data/files/20091012_a_guide_to_csr_in_europe_final.pdf. Accessed on August 21, 2010.

  • Daft, R. (2007). Organization theory and design (Ninthth ed.). Mason: Thomson South- Western.

    Google Scholar 

  • Den Hond, F., De Bakker, F., & Neergaard, P. (2007). Managing corporate social responsibility in action. Talking, doing, measuring. Hampshire: Ashgate Publishing Limited.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fricke, V., & Schrader, U. (2009). CSR mainstreaming and its influence on consumer citizenship. In: A. Klein & V. Thoresen (Eds.): Making a difference. Putting consumer citizenship into action (pp. 98–109). Hamar: Hedmark University College.

  • Giddens, A. (1984). The constitution of society. Outline of the theory of structuration. Cambridge: Polity Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greening, D. W., & Turban, D. B. (2000). Corporate social performance as a competitive advantage in attracting a quality workforce. Business & Society, 39, 254–280.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ISOE (Institute for social-ecological research), IFZ (Inter-University Research Centre for Technology, Work and Culture), IfGP (Institute for Health promotion and Prevention), UBZ (Center for environmental education Steiermark): Nachhaltiges Handeln im beruflichen und privaten Alltag (Acting sustainable at the workplace and in private life). Available at: http://www.isoe.de/projekte/naha. Accessed on August 21, 2010.

  • IÖW. (2009). Innovative approaches in European sustainable consumption policies. Schriftenreihe des IÖW 192/09. Berlin: Institut für ökologische Wirtschaftsforschung (Institute for Ecological Economy Research).

  • Jackson, T. (2006a). Motivating sustainable consumption. A review of evidence on consumer behaviour and behavioural change. Centre for Environmental Strategy, Surrey: University of Surrey.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, T. (2006b). The Earthscan reader in sustainable consumption. London: Earthscan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kleinhückelkotten, S. (2005). Suffizienz und Lebensstile. Ansätze für eine milieuorientiere Nachhaltigkeitskommunikation (Approaches for milieu-orientated sustainability education), Berlin: Berliner Wissenschaftsverlag.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marks & Spencer. (2010). Available at: http://plana.marksandspencer.com/about/the-plan/health/2/. Accessed on August 17, 2010.

  • Ölander, F., & Thøgersen, J. (1995). Understanding consumer behaviour as prerequisite for environmental protection. Journal of Consumer Policy, 18, 345–385.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Packer, A. H., & Sharrar, G. (2003). Linking lifelong learning, corporate social responsibility, and the changing nature of work. Advances in Developing Human Resources, 5, 332–341.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Poutsma, E., Hendrickx, J., & Huijgen, F. (2003). Employee participation in europe: In search of the participative workplace. Economic and Industrial Democracy, 24, 45–76.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prahalad, C. K., & Hamel, G. (1990). The core competence of the corporation. Harvard Business Review, 68(3), 79–91.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sanne, C. (2002). Willing consumers—or locked-in? Policies for a sustainable consumption. Ecological Economics, 42, 273–287.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scherhorn, G. (1980). The origin of consumer problems. Journal of Consumer Policy, 4, 102–114.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schrader, U. (2007). The moral responsibility of consumers as citizens. International Journal of Innovation and Sustainable Development, 2(2), 79–96.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schrader, U., Hansen, U., & Halbes, S. (2008). Why do companies communicate with consumers about CSR? Conceptualization and empirical insights from Germany. Studies in Communication Sciences, 8, 303–330.

    Google Scholar 

  • SCR (Sustainable Consumption Roundtable), (2006). I will if you will. Towards sustainable consumption. Available at: http://www.sdcommission.org.uk/publications/downloads/I_Will_If_You_Will.pdf. Accessed on August 17, 2010.

  • Selsky, J. W., & Parker, B. (2005). Cross-sector partnerships to address social issues: Challenges to theory and practice. Journal of Management, 31, 849–873.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spaargaren, G. (2003). Sustainable consumption: A theoretical and environmental policy perspective. Society and Natural Resources, 16, 687–701.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stanley, D. J., Meyer, J. P., & Topolnytsky, L. (2005). Employee cynicism and resistance to organizational change. Journal of Business and Psychology, 19, 429–459.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stern, P. (2000). Toward a coherent theory of environmentally significant behavior. Journal of Social Issues, 56, 407–424.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tetrault Sirsly, C.-A., & Lamertz, K. (2008). When does a corporate social responsibility initiative provide a first mover advantage? Business Society, 47, 343–369.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thøgersen, J. (1999). Spillover processes in the development of a sustainable consumption pattern. Journal of Economic Psychology, 20, 53–81.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thøgersen, J., & Ölander, F. (2003). Spillover of environment-friendly consumer behavior. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 23, 225–236.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • UBA. (2008). Umweltbewusstsein in Deutschland 2008. Ergebnisse einer repräsentativen Bevölkerungsumfrage. Berlin: Umweltbundesamt (Federal Environment Agency).

  • UNCED. (1992). Agenda 21. Rio de Janeiro: United Nations Conference on Environment and Development

  • Unilever. (2010). Available at: http://www.unilever.com/sustainability/people/employees/. Accessed on August 17, 2010.

  • Vogel, D. (2005). The market for virtue. The potential and limits of corporate social responsibility. Washington D.C.: Brookings Institute Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Warde, A. (2005). Consumption and theories of practice. Journal of Consumer Culture, 5, 131–153.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • WBCSD. (2008). Sustainable consumption. Trends and facts. From a business perspective. Conches Geneva: World Business Council for Sustainable Development.

  • WCED (World Commission on Environment and Development). (1987). Our common future. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • WHO. (2009). Milestones in health promotion. Statements from global conferences. Geneva: WHO Press. Available at: http://www.who.int/healthpromotion/Milestones_Health_Promotion_05022010.pdf. Accessed on August 17, 2010.

Download references

Acknowledgments

The author is grateful to two anonymous reviewers and the editors whose valuable comments have improved the paper substantially.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Viola Muster.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Muster, V. Companies Promoting Sustainable Consumption of Employees. J Consum Policy 34, 161–174 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10603-010-9143-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10603-010-9143-4

Keywords

Navigation