Investigating the concept of sustainability in Norwegian companies

Abstract

This research examined how the concept of sustainability was framed in ESG reports by large Norwegian companies and how knowledge of the topic could increase their sustainable performance. The research applied relevant concepts and theories to analyze ESG reports from eight Norwegian companies within four sectors. Semi-structured interviews were applied to triangulate the problem statement. Analysis was conducted by comparing data from document analysis and semi-structured interviews together with relevant concepts and theories on the topic of sustainability. The primary results were that the concept of sustainability was vast and complex. One way of addressing the too wide and complex use of the concept was to apply suitable frameworks, with the following result of enhanced sustainable performance for large Norwegian companies and better ESG reporting. The main findings were that the sustainable development goals and the European union’s taxonomy were the most applicable frameworks to meet the objective.

The research is relevant for actors with interest in economics and sustainability. Results could be transferrable to other companies under the premise that the same overarching terms are present such as juridical and cultural frames.