Table 4 Soft side sustainability most... | Emerald Publishing

Table 4

Soft side sustainability most agreed drivers

Categories	Main aims	Most shared drivers	Company sectors	Local area	Managerial implication
Instrumental	Boosting a sustainable and proactive corporate organization and planning (decision making and problem solving)	- Technologies knowledge (14) - Communication (14)	- All service subsector¹, automotive, fashion, and cosmetics - All service subsector, fashion, and cosmetics	North and Center of Italy	Technologies knowledge supports managers in using advanced tools as well as in accessing and sharing information essential for challenging emerging problems (Fiorini et al., 2018). Technologies and their knowledge can also help managers to be more informed and sensible in taking decisions about operational and strategic activities (Fullan and Smith, 1999) or, in other words, to make decision-making processes as agile as possible. Finally, they can support manager in enacting more effective communication and disclosure processes, assuming a proactive approach to the management of social, ethical and environmental issues as well as to the related risks (Walker et al., 2007)
Personal	Boosting individual and cognitive abilities and dispositions towards sustainability issues	- Intra and interpersonal skills (16) - Education and learning (13) - Ethical commitment (18)	- All service subsector, cosmetics and wellness, fashion, hardware and microelectronic production - All analyzed sectors - All analyzed sectors	North, Center, and South Italy	Soft factors, such as personal skills (e.g. education), psychological traits and ethical commitment boost managers disposition in facing different and often unexpected sustainability issues (Silvius and de Graaf, 2019). In this sense, the ongoing knowledge and competence exploitation – especially through experiential learning (Kolb, 1984; Baden and Parkes, 2013) – commit them towards sustainability, inspiring decision-making and corporate strategies (Haney et al., 2020). In this way they can better challenge the increasing complexity of the current socioeconomic and environmental scenarios (Barth and Michelsen, 2013; Savage et al., 2015). Moreover, exploiting their personal traits and skills, managers can better and quickly deal with social dimension of interactions, communication and cooperation typical of societally situated contexts (Illeris, 2007).
Systemic	Boosting individuals, organizations, institutions, and other social agents' participation to social processes and actions related to sustainable issues	- Social equity and justice (18) - Environmental consciousness (18) - Employment policies (18) - Human rights (18) - Health and safety (18)	All analyzed sectors	North, Center, and South Italy	A major focus on sustainability soft side can support organizations in surviving and even in be successful also thanks to their ability in committing other social agents (e.g. institutions, organizations, citizens, etc.) (Hooghiemstra, 2000). This happens when companies are legitimated to operate thorough a social contract or a social license (Dowling and Pfeffer, 1975; Deegan, 2002). This legitimation is essential to make companies able to face systemic changes, thanks to its main characteristics such as a strong sense of community, informed and inclusive leadership, widespread understanding, and education. This characteristic support policymakers and managers in addressing the systemic challenges that sustainability poses in terms of long-terms system transformations (Sharp, 2002)

Categories	Main aims	Most shared drivers	Company sectors	Local area	Managerial implication
Instrumental	Boosting a sustainable and proactive corporate organization and planning (decision making and problem solving)	- Technologies knowledge (14) - Communication (14)	- All service subsector¹, automotive, fashion, and cosmetics - All service subsector, fashion, and cosmetics	North and Center of Italy	Technologies knowledge supports managers in using advanced tools as well as in accessing and sharing information essential for challenging emerging problems (Fiorini et al., 2018). Technologies and their knowledge can also help managers to be more informed and sensible in taking decisions about operational and strategic activities (Fullan and Smith, 1999) or, in other words, to make decision-making processes as agile as possible. Finally, they can support manager in enacting more effective communication and disclosure processes, assuming a proactive approach to the management of social, ethical and environmental issues as well as to the related risks (Walker et al., 2007)
Personal	Boosting individual and cognitive abilities and dispositions towards sustainability issues	- Intra and interpersonal skills (16) - Education and learning (13) - Ethical commitment (18)	- All service subsector, cosmetics and wellness, fashion, hardware and microelectronic production - All analyzed sectors - All analyzed sectors	North, Center, and South Italy	Soft factors, such as personal skills (e.g. education), psychological traits and ethical commitment boost managers disposition in facing different and often unexpected sustainability issues (Silvius and de Graaf, 2019). In this sense, the ongoing knowledge and competence exploitation – especially through experiential learning (Kolb, 1984; Baden and Parkes, 2013) – commit them towards sustainability, inspiring decision-making and corporate strategies (Haney et al., 2020). In this way they can better challenge the increasing complexity of the current socioeconomic and environmental scenarios (Barth and Michelsen, 2013; Savage et al., 2015). Moreover, exploiting their personal traits and skills, managers can better and quickly deal with social dimension of interactions, communication and cooperation typical of societally situated contexts (Illeris, 2007).
Systemic	Boosting individuals, organizations, institutions, and other social agents' participation to social processes and actions related to sustainable issues	- Social equity and justice (18) - Environmental consciousness (18) - Employment policies (18) - Human rights (18) - Health and safety (18)	All analyzed sectors	North, Center, and South Italy	A major focus on sustainability soft side can support organizations in surviving and even in be successful also thanks to their ability in committing other social agents (e.g. institutions, organizations, citizens, etc.) (Hooghiemstra, 2000). This happens when companies are legitimated to operate thorough a social contract or a social license (Dowling and Pfeffer, 1975; Deegan, 2002). This legitimation is essential to make companies able to face systemic changes, thanks to its main characteristics such as a strong sense of community, informed and inclusive leadership, widespread understanding, and education. This characteristic support policymakers and managers in addressing the systemic challenges that sustainability poses in terms of long-terms system transformations (Sharp, 2002)

Note(s): ¹Biotech R&D, Technical consulting, software development, engineering and environmental research, software development, Data computing

Source(s): Authors elaboration