Introduction
Theoretical framework
Sustainable business models
Sustainable business models and sustainable leadership
Sustainable business model through sustainable and virtues-driven leadership: The SGR experience
Methodology
Company profile
SGR’s mission, governance and accountability
Commitment | Actions |
---|---|
Increase interviews with people
Increase the training and awareness of employees regarding the themes of safety
Implement the training scheme and apply it to all members of the companies
Increase internal communication
Develop activities to reconcile Life and Work
Diffusion of the culture of Sustainability and a corporate atmosphere based on shared values
| 2005. Introduction of a survey on the internal climate and a questionnaire to assess satisfaction 2010. Increasing total number of training hours (internal and external training) 2011. Restyling company intranet and provision of an area dedicated to sustainability, which allows members to send suggestions and advice about improving corporate sustainability. 2010. Area and plenary meetings to discuss the results of the survey and plan actions for improvement 2011. The Mia Voce Project: dedicated to employees’ messages and suggestions. Each month, in agreement with the management, a theme is proposed and selected to start new project aimed at life and work reconciliation 2011. Initiatives regarding information and awareness about sustainability aimed at internal and external members of the Group. |
Environment
| |
Adopt new guidelines and procedures relative to environmental management
| 2010. ISO 14001 System of Environmental Management BS OHSAS 18001 Health and Safety Management Systems |
Increase the activity of awareness about energy saving use
Rationalize energy consumption in Bulgaria
| 2011. “M’illumino di meno”. National initiative aimed at making people aware of an intelligent use of electric energy 2011. Relations with schools, public institutions and universities were strengthened through the organisation and promotion of the theme of energy efficiency (i.e. through the project “Renewable Energy and Emission Reduction”, promoted by the Municipality of Rimini). 2011. Citygas becomes the official representative in the Bulgaria in raising awareness on energy saving and energy efficiency. |
ᅟ | |
Community and Institutions
| |
Make channels of communication coherent and transparent, drawing inspiration from the values of Sustainable Development and the participation demands of all interlocutors (clients, suppliers, employees and territory)
Promotion of a dialogue with local, national and international institutions
Management of plants in the territory and protection of the biodiversity of the landscape
Support to the community
Partnership with local, national and international actors
| 2011. New SGR Services website, company profile, sales leaflets, Calendar and Diary; New layout of Clients’ Offices 2011. Energy Efficiency Project in Bulgaria with the EBRD- European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the Ministry of Bulgaria Project “Natura 2000” http://www.natura.org/
Contribution in favour of the Health Authority of Rimini; Collaborations and partnership with schools, universities (Bologna, Rimini, Milano-Bocconi), local research centers and other educational bodies in work-related learning projects. Support to many cultural, civic, sport organisation, onlus, national and international ONG (donations, funds, free usage of company’s structure and time and skills of the employees |
Customer/Supplier
| |
Define systems of periodic surveys to assess the degree of client satisfaction
Maintain and develop the activity of information aimed at saving Energy, protecting the environment and safety.
Promotion of Energy Efficiency in the final uses
Promoting respect from suppliers for the principles which have inspired the Organizational Model of the SGR Group.
Support the development of eco-sustainability purchasing processes
Define and promote supplier assessment systems
| 2010. Half-yearly interviews conducted by the Authorities for Electric Energy and Gas. Internal interviews has been launched and carried out to clients who have had recent dealings with the companies of the SGR Group 2010. Distribution of Water Conservation Kits to clients 2010. Making end users aware of responsible energy consumption. 2011. Requested adhesion to the Group’s principles Electronic negotiation tools to replace traditional paper-based processes 2011. The launch of the development of a project for supplier assessment
|
Improving SGR’s sustainable business model
“We chose to adopt a different business model, namely a patient business model. Over the years we have favored investments that will bear fruits (in terms of economic, social and environmental performances) in the medium to long term, beyond more than 3 years, such as the awareness-raising and environmental education projects addressed to schools and the research projects with local universities, or the several initiatives that we share with local stakeholders through a plurality of networks in which we took part. Another example of this approach is the new company – Sherden – aimed to introduce the methane gas in Sardinia or the agreement with GazProm allowing us to participate in an international table and to think of a start-up in the chemical sector to introduce sustainable innovation (“the chemical that works”) through a project on the bacteria contained in natural gas. This investment did not start on the basis of a budget, but on the basis of a shared idea (SGR Group CFO, March 3rd, 2016).“With the project “cultural innovation and leadership: vices and virtues in corporate governance” SGR questions to understand what are its virtues and its vices, to identify critical points and strengths. The idea is to use this model to improve the governance and leadership and renew the business model. We want to match this model with the Swot analysis, not by reasoning more in terms of sectors of a matrix, but using a flexible tool, based on dialogue and personal relationships, on the involvement of every employee, to activate a thoughtful reflections circuit that gives support to the follow-up and that enables us to improve the business model by identifying the hidden drivers that generate sustainable value (social economic and environmental value) from the ethical foundations, namely the “soft skills”. We believe that leadership is crucial with respect to the governance and determines a strong pattern and an effective business model. Governance guides the strategy, which in turn guides the operations (marketing, technology, etc.)” (CFO SGR Group, May 17th, 2016).“We want to leave a little more for all the future from today: this is the declination of the virtue of prudence, which we share, as well as sloth or apathy is interpreted as resistance to change and justice (in top down, bottom up and cross relations) is understood as the recognition and appreciation of each other’s work and working together. Still, temperance in the relationship means to us the most appropriate way to correct the choices and actions of collaborators; charity as care for each other in the extent of the resources used and through a real dialogue; avarice as the absence of generosity; envy as inability to share the good of others; the throat as the inability to gain satisfaction from current achievements and sloth as difficulty in questioning and abandon one’s comfort zones” (SGR CSR Officer, May 17th, 2016).“We want to reward the virtues, not only through monetary awards, but also in terms of valuation and esteem. This project and the model upon which it is found help us to rediscover daily work as a responsible and sustainable game. The model also becomes a gaming tool to create interaction with schools. At the end of the project a reframe of the companies values and virtues will be made through a questionnaire aimed at understanding what virtues are shared, which are present or absent in the company, which stimuli were developed, and what has changed in the daily behavior of each person and in the corporate culture” (SGR Group CEO, May 17th, 2016).
Discussion
Conclusion
-
Prop. 1: “the coherence among mission, governance and accountability is a key driver for effective business models”. (Matacena, 2010).
-
Prop 2: “sustainable business models derive from and are characterized by sustainable leadership models, which encompassed transformational, responsible, ethical/moral and values-virtues driven leadership” that are concretely implemented and not only theorized” (Bastons, 2008; Magni & Pennarola, 2015).