Summary of case analysis
| Timeline | Phase 1 birth – adopting new practices 1998–2002 | Phase 2 development – adapting new practices 2003–2006 | Phase 3 re/de-structure 2007–2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| EMA | |||
| External events | Increased waste legislation and costs | Growing public environmental awareness | |
| Internal events and developments | Development of specific EMA tools and policy including:
| Development of specific and integrative EMA tools and infrastructure including:
| Development and integration of specific and integrative EMA tools and policies including:
|
| Internal legitimation | Legitimation strategy:Senior group members link the proposed practices to the Group’s OIIL evaluations:Comprehensibility of the practices established with the Group’s board of directorsLack of faith in new activities among board members and little active support from staff | Legitimation strategies: EE, EC and EAT leaders seek pragmatic (exchange),moral (procedural and consequential) and cognitive (comprehensibility) legitimacy Conform:
Select:
IL evaluations:
| IL evaluations:EE, CEO and EAT leaders re-evaluate the EATs’ structural legitimacy |
| Identity work | Recognition of waste issue as relevant to the GroupSenior organisational members perceive a gap between the group’s actions and its OISenior organisational members use implicit and explicit identity talk to fit the new practices within the Group’s framework of identity claims and enacted identity | ||
| SER | |||
| External events | Request from the ACCA to submit a report to their reporting awards | Competitors generating positive publicity with “superficial” activities | |
| Reports and developments | Environmental report 2001Environmental and Social Accountability Report 2002 – GRI compliant and independently assuredParticipation in the GRI’s assurance working group from January to April 2002 | Sustainability Report 2003, 2006 – GRI compliant and independently assure | Sustainability Report 2008 – GRI compliant and independently assuredSustainability Report 2010 – GRI compliantSustainability Report Key Facts 2010, 2012, 2016Communication on Progress (UN Global Compact) 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017Sustainability Report 2017, 2019 |
| Internal legitimation | IL evaluations:
| Legitimation strategies: EE and EC seek pragmatic (exchange) and moral (procedural) legitimacy for the reports Conform:
Select:
IL evaluations:
| IL evaluations:EE and CEO question the structural and moral legitimacy of the reports leading to a loss of IL and cessation of GRI-based reporting |
| Identity work | No evidence of identity work | No evidence of identity work | EE engages in explicit identity talk when evaluating the moral legitimacy of the reports |
| EM | Sustainability programme | ||
| External events | Increased waste legislation and costs | Growing public environmental awareness | |
| Internal events and developments | Appointment of external consultantsEstablishment of EATs for franchise divisionsCorporate Environmental CharterEnvironmental training for staff and franchiseesGreening the Supply Chain conference for suppliersDriver training in reduced fuel consumption and safetyIntroduction of centralised waste contracts for retailers | Appointment of group EE.Establishment of the wholesale and the UK division’s EATsSign up to the UN Global CompactEnergy audit at wholesale premiseIntroduction of new route planning softwareNew energy contract for 500 stores and group facilities with greener energy providerUpdate of retailers’ building contracts to ensure that stores are designed to operate at maximum energy efficiencyDesign and construction of sustainable head officeEnergy scoping surveys in Group’s facilities and additional electricity metersNominated energy champion in each facilityEnergy bureau office established in Ireland and full-time energy manager appointed in the UK divisionEnergy and Natural Resources; Ethical Trading Policy; and Environmental and SocialAccountability PolicyImplementing ethical trading policy for purchasing and supply chain teams and suppliersDevelopment of food waste management system | EE aligns EM and CSRNew structure including five-year sustainability strategy and plan, targets, internal policies, KPIs and divisional board-level sustainability championsDetailed sourcing policies for all own-label productsConstruction of second eco-friendly office buildingNew eco-store opened in the ROIExtension of green electricity contract to all Irish facilities300 retailers participate in Energy Map courseWater usage research |
| Internal legitimation | Shared with EMA | Shared with EMA | Legitimation strategies: Pragmatic: exchange Cognitive: comprehensibility Conform:
Conform/Manipulate:
IL evaluations:
Procedural legitimacy of programme established |
| Identity work | Shared with EMA | Extensive and widespread explicit and implicit identity talk by organisational members and family directors linking sustainability to the Group’s enacted identity and its identity claims | |
| Timeline | Phase 1 birth – adopting new practices 1998–2002 | Phase 2 development – adapting new practices 2003–2006 | Phase 3 re/de-structure 2007–2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| External events | Increased waste legislation and costs | Growing public environmental awareness | |
| Internal events and developments | Development of specific EMA tools and policy including: Baseline environmental review of 23 premises Inclusion of environmental checks in store audits Energy benchmarking for retailers Introduction of environmental KPIs for the EATs Environmental measures included in supplier code of activity | Development of specific and integrative EMA tools and infrastructure including: Energy audits and scoping surveys Installation of energy monitoring equipment Development of waste, energy and emissions accounting Environmental capital budgeting and environmental project assessment | Development and integration of specific and integrative EMA tools and policies including: Sustainability plan and targets developed every five years Integration of sustainability targets into existing KPI and performance management systems Centralised energy data capture and management system for building stock |
| Internal legitimation | moral (procedural and consequential) and cognitive (comprehensibility) legitimacy Conform to the economic requirements of managers and retailers Conform to the moral requirements of staff Embed new practices, policies and structures within the Group’s existing structures Attract key audience (CC family) whose moral values accord with the practices Practices gained pragmatic exchange-type legitimacy Procedural legitimacy established | ||
| Identity work | Recognition of waste issue as relevant to the GroupSenior organisational members perceive a gap between the group’s actions and its OISenior organisational members use implicit and explicit identity talk to fit the new practices within the Group’s framework of identity claims and enacted identity | ||
| External events | Request from the ACCA to submit a report to their reporting awards | Competitors generating positive publicity with “superficial” activities | |
| Reports and developments | Environmental report 2001Environmental and Social Accountability Report 2002 – GRI compliant and independently assuredParticipation in the GRI’s assurance working group from January to April 2002 | Sustainability Report 2003, 2006 – GRI compliant and independently assure | Sustainability Report 2008 – GRI compliant and independently assuredSustainability Report 2010 – GRI compliantSustainability Report Key Facts 2010, 2012, 2016Communication on Progress (UN Global Compact) 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017Sustainability Report 2017, 2019 |
| Internal legitimation | Perceived as a natural by-product Perceived as conforming to external norms for engaging with environmental issues | EE and EC seek pragmatic (exchange) and moral (procedural) legitimacy for the reports Conform to external standards Conform to the best interest requirements of managers and directors Identify and attract key audience (CC family) whose moral values accord with the practices Pitch practices at new external audience (consumers) Temporary procedural legitimacy established Pragmatic best interest claims rejected by senior group members | |
| Identity work | No evidence of identity work | No evidence of identity work | EE engages in explicit identity talk when evaluating the moral legitimacy of the reports |
| External events | Increased waste legislation and costs | Growing public environmental awareness | |
| Internal events and developments | Appointment of external consultantsEstablishment of EATs for franchise divisionsCorporate Environmental CharterEnvironmental training for staff and franchiseesGreening the Supply Chain conference for suppliersDriver training in reduced fuel consumption and safetyIntroduction of centralised waste contracts for retailers | Appointment of group EE.Establishment of the wholesale and the UK division’s EATsSign up to the UN Global CompactEnergy audit at wholesale premiseIntroduction of new route planning softwareNew energy contract for 500 stores and group facilities with greener energy providerUpdate of retailers’ building contracts to ensure that stores are designed to operate at maximum energy efficiencyDesign and construction of sustainable head officeEnergy scoping surveys in Group’s facilities and additional electricity metersNominated energy champion in each facilityEnergy bureau office established in Ireland and full-time energy manager appointed in the UK divisionEnergy and Natural Resources; Ethical Trading Policy; and Environmental and SocialAccountability PolicyImplementing ethical trading policy for purchasing and supply chain teams and suppliersDevelopment of food waste management system | EE aligns EM and CSRNew structure including five-year sustainability strategy and plan, targets, internal policies, KPIs and divisional board-level sustainability championsDetailed sourcing policies for all own-label productsConstruction of second eco-friendly office buildingNew eco-store opened in the ROIExtension of green electricity contract to all Irish facilities300 retailers participate in Energy Map courseWater usage research |
| Internal legitimation | Shared with EMA | Shared with EMA | Pragmatic: exchange Cognitive: comprehensibility Conform to the economic requirements of managers and directors Embed new practices and structures within the Group’s existing structures Create new legitimating beliefs linking the programme to the Group’s OI Comprehensibility of programme was affirmed Procedural legitimacy of programme established |
| Identity work | Shared with EMA | Extensive and widespread explicit and implicit identity talk by organisational members and family directors linking sustainability to the Group’s enacted identity and its identity claims | |
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