Among the aspects of sustainability, 55 percent of executives say their company is planning to increase spending on corporate governance; 49 percent see increases on hiring policies, work conditions and benefits; 43 percent on business ethics; 32 percent on economic impacts; and 27 percent, on community involvement.

 

Only half of senior executives give their own company high marks for its social performance (51 percent) or environmental performance (52 percent). And only 15 percent of executives expect funding increases for social or environmental programs in the next 12 to 18 months. 

 

"Executives say sustainability is a top management priority, yet spending on environmental and social impacts are receiving far less attention than economic concerns," said Sunil Misser, global and U.S. leader of PricewaterhouseCoopers' sustainability practice.  Senior executives view sustainability issues with an emphasis on financial performance, often at the expense of other areas."

 

Nearly all senior executives say that in managing for sustainability their company places a major emphasis on maintenance of long-term profitability. And more than half gives major emphasis to four additional elements: governance and corporate ethics; investors; employee work conditions, retention, development and benefits; and management oversight and compensation. Also cited were supply chains and suppliers; community involvement; economic and social impact of products and services; and environmental issues.

Most senior executives believe their reporting about their company's sustainability practices is important to four primary stakeholder groups: employees; customers; investors and analysts; and government and regulators. A majority, however, consider environmental organizations and activist groups neutral or not important.

 

Nearly all surveyed executives (85 percent) say their company provides its stakeholders with reports on sustainability, with respect to economic and financial performance.  Considerably fewer, however (51 percent), publish reports on sustainability as related to employee issues and benefits, with another five percent planning to do so in the next two to three years.