Systematic Review - Network for Business Sustainability

competitive advantages. Third, firms found it easier to
integrate sustainability thinking into existing systems
rather than reinvent the way they worked.
However, from a sustainability perspective (i.e. climate
change, resource depletion, emissions, biodiversity
loss, social equity and fairness), it became apparent
that Optimization could not and would not deliver
the necessary changes. As a result, some pioneering
firms began exploring the possibility of moving beyond
Optimization and toward Systems Building.
Many firms now embrace SOI principles. By 2011, more
than 250,000 firms in 155 countries had achieved ISO
14001 certification, which focuses on environmental
dimensions, but many more firms have not yet
achieved it (ISO, 2011). For firms yet to embark on the
sustainability journey, what is an appropriate point of
entry?
BEGINNING THE SUSTAINABILITY JOURNEY
Some firms, such as Desso, have attempted to
leap the chasm between Operational Optimization
and Organizational Transformation through activities
described in the review, including the setting of
audacious goals; investment in new technologies;
working with their suppliers; collaborating with
new partners, including policy-making bodies; and
integrating cradle-to-cradle principles throughout
their operations. Others engage with SOI on a more
piecemeal basis, in an ambidextrous fashion, in which
sustainability emerges at different rates within the firm.
Our review does not clarify whether the activities we
have identified exist in a hierarchy or whether different
configurations better suit different contexts. There is
no one-size-fits-all model. Clearly, firms have a choice
of options depending on their circumstances. In firms
where sustainability is a contested philosophy, “lowhanging
fruit” may offer an appropriate point of entry
— a series of quick wins to demonstrate the business
case. Process and primary industries, for example, may
have outstanding issues, such as emissions, resource
degradation or social exploitation, which, if addressed,
would enhance those organizations’ legitimacy.
It is not an all-or-nothing scenario. Incumbent firms
are experimenting with new configurations and new
modes of operating. The transition from Operational
Optimization to Organizational Transformation need
not be attempted in a single leap. This review will help
firms navigate the steps they might take in making this
journey.
limitations of the review
The methodology and a descriptive analysis, presented
in Appendices 1 and 2, illustrate an evolving research
field, but one that is young, widely distributed and of
variable quality. Studies are largely prescriptive and tend
to be dominated by case histories and so a cumulative
tradition has yet to develop. Longitudinal studies are
rare, and causal relationships have not been explored,
though a number of studies note correlations between
sustainable innovation and organizational performance.
Innovating for Sustainability 59