Learning from sustainability practice: case examples from Accor, Scandic and Atlantica

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify the importance of trade-offs between the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and creating a holistic, integrated approach. Design/methodology/approach This study uses secondary data including official reports from three companies: Accor Hotels, Scandic Hotels and Atlantica Hotels. Third party references from research sources are included. Findings This study concludes that companies are adopting corporate social responsibility practices focussed on stakeholders’ needs. Additionally, the general trend in the case study hotel companies is towards similar sustainability approaches though less progress is reported in addressing the more complex issues relating to SDG 8 and SDG 10 because sustainability targets are more difficult to determine, implement and measure. Originality/value The three selected companies were chosen based on location criteria. Accor has a worldwide presence whereas the other two companies could be considered as multinational companies. Scandic is a Swedish company operating in Scandinavian countries whereas Atlantica is a Cyprus-based company operating in Greece and Egypt. The contrast among the selected companies displays different considerations regarding their commitment to SDGs.

Sustainable development goals and corporate strategy: A map of the field

“…Alignment with the 2030 Agenda creates resilient values before certain crisis (Chen, Kuo, & Chen, 2022; Landau, 2020; Onoufriou, 2020), while other sectors enable ways to produce and operate more sustainably (Hurst, 2017; Khan et al, 2021; Michalska‐Szaje et al, 2021).…”

“…The adoption of the SDGs in developing countries is widely studied (Ali et al, 2018;Blagov & Petrova-Savchenko, 2021). There are many examples in countries such as China where companies adopt a charitable approach , witnessing a new approach to social responsibility (Banik & Lin, 2019), sometimes also adopted by Alignment with the 2030 Agenda creates resilient values before certain crisis (Chen, Kuo, & Chen, 2022;Onoufriou, 2020), while other sectors enable ways to produce and operate more sustainably (Hurst, 2017;Khan et al, 2021;Michalska-Szaje et al, 2021).…”

The Effect of Entrepreneurial Factors on the Realization of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and Sustainability in Indonesia’s SMEs

“…There are economic, social, and environmental aspects. Those are commonly referred to as sustainability (Onoufriou, 2020). Then, SDG 8 aims to look at indicators that can measure people's progress toward social and environmental well-being while also being relevant to economic growth and employment (Kreinin & Aigner, 2021).…”