‘The Greening of Business?’

Summary The general public in many countries throughout the world has become increasingly cynical about the extent to which large companies have engaged in genuine attempts to reduce their impact on the environment. As the century draws to a close, stakeholders are becoming even more demanding and are now insisting that companies help lead society into a new more sustainable age. How have companies responded to this challenge? To what extent is industry’s poor reputation warranted? And how far have companies gone in wrestling with their environmental and social responsibilities? This article draws on some quantitative research as well as statements made by business leaders in assessing the extent to which genuine greening has taken hold within the business community. Some tentative conclusions are also offered, suggesting that some significant progress has been made, but that even more significant challenges remain for industry to grapple with.