Sustainable Business Development and the Integration of Economic, Environmental and Social Sustainability Issues into Corporate Strategies.

Abstract

This paper examines the corporate strategies frequently used within high performing construction companies in South Africa. It investigates whether these business strategies incorporate economic, environmental and social sustainability goals. The rationale for the study is based on scholars’ view that business sustainability entails the incorporation of sustainable development objectives into a company’s operational strategies. However, it is not known whether high performing construction companies in South Africa incorporate sustainable development objectives into their corporate strategies. A comprehensive literature review and desk study research of the profile of randomly selected high performing contractors listed in Grade 9 on the Construction Industry Development Board (cidb) Register of Contractors and on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) was undertaken. This study reveals the corporate strategies used within this cohort of construction companies include high levels of sustainable development objectives. The research findings suggest that the corporate sustainability strategies common amongst high performing construction companies contain elements of economic, environmental and social sustainability goals with a focus on investment in internal human resources and “green” construction processes. Based on these findings, the paper concludes that the performance of high net worth construction companies in South Africa may be connected to their focus on the triple bottom line and the sustainable strategies delineated are relevant to the African business environment.