Abstract

Is the emergence of social and environmental performance as dominant themes in the current business context an indication that society is beginning to challenge the myth of unlimited wealth? Perhaps. However, more often than not, both are treated as, and are perceived by customers to be, little more than public relations tools in the promotion of brand . This perception reflects the reality that companies are struggling with how to operationalize the concepts of social and environmental responsibility, while maintaining a fair return to shareholders . The struggle arises because in this area, real change requires thinking about organizational purpose in ways that challenge deeply rooted values. In fact, it involves instilling and managing a change in the innate organizational culture. As such, this paper will view the operationalization of social environmental performance through the lens of the change management literature. The process by which change occurs, as well the factors which drive or impede green change in particular will serve as the framework for this paper. This paper draws extensively on archival documents that illustrate different traditions for addressing “corporate greening”. The proposed discussion provides a foundation for further theory based empirical investigations, and offers practical suggestions for improving social and environmental performance.