Managing sustainability transformations: A managerial framing approach

Abstract

This study explores, from managers' perspective, transformative management activities in mobilising sustainability transformations. Sustainability transformations are fundamental changes in cultures, structures and practices that move socio-technical systems towards more sustainable forms of production and consumption. Sustainability managers across different sectors are increasingly searching for new ways to advance such transformations, as conventional management appears ill-suited to tackling complex sustainability challenges, such as climate change. This research posits transformative management activities as an alternative approach. The framework of transformative management activities is based on an explorative study of managerial framing; that is how managers make sense of their actions, role, and purpose in managing sustainability initiatives. Data were generated from in-depth interviews with 10 sustainability managers who had facilitated sustainability transformations in their respective contexts. The nine activities were framed as: challenging the dominant environment through reflexivity; creating space for multi-vocal collaboration; aligning collaborators' future visions; restructuring principles, processes and practices; removing mental, physical and cultural barriers; designing effective feedback loops; influencing public discourse and action; ensuring the transparency of sustainability efforts; and co-constructing a new environment. Categorising these activities according to different management levels and management styles reveals the breadth and depth of managers’ professional capacities required to mobilise such transformations. The research extends previous literature on sustainability transformations by combining a transition management (TM) perspective with management activities and by introducing the managerial framing approach. The nine transformative management activities help practitioners reframe their management activities vis-à-vis TM principles, gaining alternative means of mobilising the sustainability transformations needed in this era.