__ ___ _ _____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _____ _ _ _
\ \ / (_) (_) / ____| | | (_) | | (_) (_) | / ____| | | | (_)
\ \ /\ / / _ _ __ _ __ _ _ __ __ _ | (___ _ _ ___| |_ __ _ _ _ __ __ _| |__ _| |_| |_ _ _ | (___ | |_ _ __ __ _| |_ ___ __ _ _ ___ ___
\ \/ \/ / | | '_ \| '_ \| | '_ \ / _` | \___ \| | | / __| __/ _` | | '_ \ / _` | '_ \| | | | __| | | | \___ \| __| '__/ _` | __/ _ \/ _` | |/ _ \/ __|
\ /\ / | | | | | | | | | | | | (_| | ____) | |_| \__ \ || (_| | | | | | (_| | |_) | | | | |_| |_| | ____) | |_| | | (_| | || __/ (_| | | __/\__ \
\/ \/ |_|_| |_|_| |_|_|_| |_|\__, | |_____/ \__,_|___/\__\__,_|_|_| |_|\__,_|_.__/|_|_|_|\__|\__, | |_____/ \__|_| \__,_|\__\___|\__, |_|\___||___/
__/ | __/ | __/ |
|___/ |___/ |___/
This is a summary of the book “Winning Sustainability Strategies” by Benoit Leleux and Jan
van der Kaaij. This document contains all chapters of the book, except chapters 3, 9, 10, 11
and 14. It contains ALL REQUIRED CHAPTERS for the exam of the 2020/2021 edition of
the course Corporate Social Responsibility at the Universiteit van Amsterdam.
All important concepts and frameworks are included. Figures and tables from the book are
included as well to explain or visualize topics when needed. All images and tables are
copied directly from the book, unless stated otherwise.
The book contains a lot of cases and examples. These have been generalised to further
explain some key concepts and theories.
If you are following the Corporate Social Responsibility course at the Universiteit van
Amsterdam, please also check out my other summaries for the course:
https://www.stuvia.nl/user/davidschouten
Good luck with your exams!
David
1 Vectoring: Of Direction and Speed
1 Introduction 2
2 Patterns of Frontrunners 3
2 Direction by Design
4 Focusing on Materialities That Matter 5
5 Sustainable Development Goals 7
6 ESG Ratings and the Stock Market 8
7 Investors’ Perspectives on Sustainability 10
8 Encouraging a Culture of Sustainability 11
3 Acceleration
12 Stellar Performance from Sustainability Teams 12
13 Embedding Sustainability into the Business Core 13
Book: Winning Sustainability Strategies
Book authors: Benoit Leleux & Jan van de Kaaij
Summary author: David Schouten ()
ISBN: 978-3-319-97444-6 (9783319974446)
ISBN E-book: 978-3-319-97445-3 (9783319974453)
1
, 1 Vectoring: Of Direction and Speed
1 Introduction
Implementation of corporate sustainability programs has been slow, sloppy, and ineffective.
As managers look for guidance in the new quest for speed and efficiency in sustainability
implementation,this book aims to take them by the and and equip them with the tools
required to ensure the smoother definition and adoption of ambitious sustainability objectives
in their firms.
The effective combination of direction and speed, which generates impact in
sustainability programs, is dubbed vectoring in this book. Sustainability programs tend to
have weak direction with respect to the specific sustainability issues that will be most
relevant and impactful. Additionally, the book argues that the board of directors and CEO
should assume the role of ‘air traffic controller’ in a firm’s sustainability efforts.
Vectoring is presented here both as a diagnostic tool and a prescriptive method. The
ultimate objective for vectoring is to provide a clear, potent framework that offers directions
for executives to help shift their companies from integrated reporting to truly integrated
sustainability thinking.
Developing winning sustainability strategies based on the vectoring approach can be
visualized as a three-part process, as illustrated by the three parts of the book. Part I
introduces the concept of vectoring in general terms. Part II proceeds to investigate in great
detail the first pillar of effective sustainability programs, namely setting the direction or
bearings right. Part III of the book investigates the magnitude or speed. Its primary objective
is to identify how companies can accelerate their sustainability programs and effectively
progress from initial target setting to measuring the progress of well-executed action plans.
The data and methodologies used in the book originate from an annual global sustainability
assessment performed by RobecoSAM. The limitation of this is that the research only
contains companies that voluntarily participated in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index
(DJSI). Participation bias is to be expected.
Winning Sustainability Strategies summary by David Schouten ()
2
\ \ / (_) (_) / ____| | | (_) | | (_) (_) | / ____| | | | (_)
\ \ /\ / / _ _ __ _ __ _ _ __ __ _ | (___ _ _ ___| |_ __ _ _ _ __ __ _| |__ _| |_| |_ _ _ | (___ | |_ _ __ __ _| |_ ___ __ _ _ ___ ___
\ \/ \/ / | | '_ \| '_ \| | '_ \ / _` | \___ \| | | / __| __/ _` | | '_ \ / _` | '_ \| | | | __| | | | \___ \| __| '__/ _` | __/ _ \/ _` | |/ _ \/ __|
\ /\ / | | | | | | | | | | | | (_| | ____) | |_| \__ \ || (_| | | | | | (_| | |_) | | | | |_| |_| | ____) | |_| | | (_| | || __/ (_| | | __/\__ \
\/ \/ |_|_| |_|_| |_|_|_| |_|\__, | |_____/ \__,_|___/\__\__,_|_|_| |_|\__,_|_.__/|_|_|_|\__|\__, | |_____/ \__|_| \__,_|\__\___|\__, |_|\___||___/
__/ | __/ | __/ |
|___/ |___/ |___/
This is a summary of the book “Winning Sustainability Strategies” by Benoit Leleux and Jan
van der Kaaij. This document contains all chapters of the book, except chapters 3, 9, 10, 11
and 14. It contains ALL REQUIRED CHAPTERS for the exam of the 2020/2021 edition of
the course Corporate Social Responsibility at the Universiteit van Amsterdam.
All important concepts and frameworks are included. Figures and tables from the book are
included as well to explain or visualize topics when needed. All images and tables are
copied directly from the book, unless stated otherwise.
The book contains a lot of cases and examples. These have been generalised to further
explain some key concepts and theories.
If you are following the Corporate Social Responsibility course at the Universiteit van
Amsterdam, please also check out my other summaries for the course:
https://www.stuvia.nl/user/davidschouten
Good luck with your exams!
David
1 Vectoring: Of Direction and Speed
1 Introduction 2
2 Patterns of Frontrunners 3
2 Direction by Design
4 Focusing on Materialities That Matter 5
5 Sustainable Development Goals 7
6 ESG Ratings and the Stock Market 8
7 Investors’ Perspectives on Sustainability 10
8 Encouraging a Culture of Sustainability 11
3 Acceleration
12 Stellar Performance from Sustainability Teams 12
13 Embedding Sustainability into the Business Core 13
Book: Winning Sustainability Strategies
Book authors: Benoit Leleux & Jan van de Kaaij
Summary author: David Schouten ()
ISBN: 978-3-319-97444-6 (9783319974446)
ISBN E-book: 978-3-319-97445-3 (9783319974453)
1
, 1 Vectoring: Of Direction and Speed
1 Introduction
Implementation of corporate sustainability programs has been slow, sloppy, and ineffective.
As managers look for guidance in the new quest for speed and efficiency in sustainability
implementation,this book aims to take them by the and and equip them with the tools
required to ensure the smoother definition and adoption of ambitious sustainability objectives
in their firms.
The effective combination of direction and speed, which generates impact in
sustainability programs, is dubbed vectoring in this book. Sustainability programs tend to
have weak direction with respect to the specific sustainability issues that will be most
relevant and impactful. Additionally, the book argues that the board of directors and CEO
should assume the role of ‘air traffic controller’ in a firm’s sustainability efforts.
Vectoring is presented here both as a diagnostic tool and a prescriptive method. The
ultimate objective for vectoring is to provide a clear, potent framework that offers directions
for executives to help shift their companies from integrated reporting to truly integrated
sustainability thinking.
Developing winning sustainability strategies based on the vectoring approach can be
visualized as a three-part process, as illustrated by the three parts of the book. Part I
introduces the concept of vectoring in general terms. Part II proceeds to investigate in great
detail the first pillar of effective sustainability programs, namely setting the direction or
bearings right. Part III of the book investigates the magnitude or speed. Its primary objective
is to identify how companies can accelerate their sustainability programs and effectively
progress from initial target setting to measuring the progress of well-executed action plans.
The data and methodologies used in the book originate from an annual global sustainability
assessment performed by RobecoSAM. The limitation of this is that the research only
contains companies that voluntarily participated in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index
(DJSI). Participation bias is to be expected.
Winning Sustainability Strategies summary by David Schouten ()
2
