Organisational Design and Sustainability Performance

Abstract

The collapse of many organizations could be linked to the weak performance of management team members. The management team is the engine of growth implemented through designing strategies with which organization will manage its internal affairs bearing in mind the external environmental influences. Drawing on our research and the work of others, we explore the various organization design strategies and how that could bring sustainability. In doing, it was deduced that sustainability initiative, and the accompanying changes to the organizational structure, must have executive sponsorship and the CEO must be a visible proponent of the sustainability vision for the company. Executive sponsorship accelerates engagement by employees and business units, but even better results can be expected if the CEO is proactive and assume personal leadership of a highly visible sustainability program. It was however, recommended that: The leader of the sustainability initiative should have a direct reporting relationship with both the CEO and the board of directors in order to send a signal to employees and other stakeholders about the important of the initiative and provide the initiative with access to the support and resources available from high-level executives and managers in other departments.