The document is a project report submitted by a group of students at IIM Lucknow on sustainability and awareness at the leadership level. It includes an executive summary that introduces the objectives and methodology of the study, which was to understand the level of understanding of sustainability concepts among various managerial levels in industries through surveys and interviews. The report provides the respondent demographics and analyses the findings of the survey, which included responses to various statements related to sustainability from junior, middle and senior management. It also includes the questionnaire used for the survey and conclusions/recommendations.

1. CPGME PROJECT REPORT
“Sustainability – Thinking and Awareness
at Leadership Level”
CPGME – 13, IIM LUCKNOW
SUBMITTED BY:
Rajeeva Rai (13011)
Rakshit Agarwal(13012)
Ritu Raj (13013)
Rominder Singh (13014)
Siddartha Todi(12026)
February 2017

2. Preface
The growth of Nations and Society at the cost of environment has not been thought by the
population at large. However, our each activity leaves a permanent change on our
surrounding which we rarely observe.
Resources consumption and impact on environment has been debated for last few years.
The governments of various countries meet in summits and pledge to reduce activities that
have harmful implication on our surroundings.
This study done in 2016-17, intends to determine level of understanding of the concept of
“Sustainability” at various managerial levels in some industries in India.

3. Contents Page No.
Executive Summary
Introduction
Research Methodology
Respondent Demographics
Analysis of Findings
 Survey Report
 Interview Report
Conclusions
Recommendations
Annexure
 Questionnaire
 Response
Bibliography

4. Executive Summary
Introduction:
In today’s dynamic business environment, a company is evaluated on more than just
sales numbers and earnings reports. The opinions of many stakeholders, in addition
to shareholders customers, employees, local communities and even critics, can be
substantial contributors to success – or failure.
In an increasingly transparent world, audiences are evaluating companies based on
an evolving list of criteria. Businesses today have more to answer for, whether they
are being judged on the quality of the work environment or the percentage of profits
donated to charities.
Governments, key opinion leaders and research think tanks have, for more than
twenty years, studied the corporate impact on the natural environment, but it is only
within the last ten that the concept has been seriously applied to how companies do
business.
The present report intends to examine the emergence of sustainability according to
the triple-bottom-line concept. The sustainability has become a more central issue
for companies, understanding how to talk about efforts is becoming as critical as
creating them. The purpose is to explore how companies are making the argument
for sustainability and leveraging programs to help reposition them financially, socially
and environmentally. The survey and interviews based study will serve as primary
examples of how to use sustainability to address corporate challenges and the role
communications plays in driving its programs. Furthermore, the report will
demonstrate the public relations challenges that arise when communicating
sustainability, specifically the trend of green-washing. The primary conclusion is that
as the world becomes more familiar with the concept of sustainability, there is an
expectation that businesses are getting involved in a meaningful and measurable
way. Through strategic public relations, companies can use sustainability as a tactic
to drive business or reveal how programs are demonstrating additional value
opportunities for target audiences.

5. Objective of the analysis:
 To understand the thought process of the corporate leadership on Business
Sustainability so as to design forward looking strategic initiative to create
competitive advantage.

6. Methodology:
 Prepare a questionnaire with target audience as persons from senior
management team.
 Also target middle management team who would be the next generation
leader.
 Conduct survey at two different levels’- top management and middle
management level in various industries.
 Survey methodology – The participants of the survey will use public relations
to gather the data
 Collect data based on the questionnaire.
 Attempt for a personal interviews for at least 1-2 CXOs for from various
organisations.
 Understand pattern of responses to prepare a report.
Respondent Demographics

7. Survey Report
Awareness at the board /Executive committee level
1. A company that recycles is considered sustainable.
On the basis of above shown response, it can be seen that more than 50% of people agree
to the statement. Also, the thought across all the levels is consistent. That is, in junior,
middle and senior management, majority agrees that company that recycles is considered
sustainable.
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Overall response
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Junior Management
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Middle Management
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
SeniorManagement
-2
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Overall
Junior
Middle
Senior

8. 2. Most companies use sustainability primarily to improve corporate reputation.
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly
Agree
Junior Management
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Middle Management
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
SeniorManagement
-2
0
2
4
6
8
10
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Overall
Junior
Middle
Senior

9. 3. Businesses have a reputational obligation to consider their environmental impact.
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Overall
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Junior Management
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Middle Management
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
SeniorManagement
-2
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Overall
Junior
Middle
Senior

10. 4. Cash flow matters more than quarterly earnings.
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Overall Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Junior Management
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Middle Management
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
SeniorManagement
-2
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Overall
Junior
Middle
Senior

11. 5. Businesses have a social obligation to consider their environmental impact.
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Overall Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Junior Management
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Middle Management
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
SeniorManagement
-2
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Overall
Junior
Middle
Senior

12. 6. People are the most important renewable resource.
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Overall
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Junior Management
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Middle Management
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
SeniorManagement
-2
0
2
4
6
8
10
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Overall
Junior
Middle
Senior

13. 7. How companies conduct business will change as dramatically in the next 3 to 5 years as it
has changed in the past five?
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Overall
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Junior
Junior Management
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Middle Management
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
SeniorManagement
-2
0
2
4
6
8
10
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Overall
Junior
Middle
Senior

14. 8. The Environmental Protection Agency effectively regulates companies environmental
actions.
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Overall
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Junior Management
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Middle Management
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
SeniorManagement
0
2
4
6
8
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Overall
Junior
Middle
Senior

15. 9. Only the truly transparent will survive.
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Overall
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly
Agree
Middle Management
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
SeniorManagement
-1
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Overall
Junior
Middle
Senior

16. 10. Businesses have a bottom-line, financial obligation to consider their environmental
impact.
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Overal
l
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Junior Management
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Middle Management
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
SeniorManagement
-1
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Overall
Junior
Middle
Senior

17. 11. A company's stock value will be affected by its environmental performance.
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Overall Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Junior Management
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Middle Management
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
SeniorManagement
-1
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Overall
Junior
Middle
Senior

18. 12. Nature's resources will become increasingly scarce and expensive.
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Overall
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Junior Management
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Middle Management Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
SeniorManagement
-1
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Overall
Junior
Middle
Senior

19. 13. Customers expect companies to be sustainable.
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Overall
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Junior Management
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Middle Management
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
-1
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Overall
Junior
Middle
Senior

20. 14. Employees expect companies to be sustainable.
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Overall
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Junior Management
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Middle Management
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
SeniorManagement
-1
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Overall
Junior
Middle
Senior

21. 15. Most companies that set sustainability goals are realistic in their commitments.
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Overall
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Junior Management
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Middle Management
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
SeniorManagement
-1
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Overall
Junior
Middle
Senior

22. 16. Businesses have an ethical obligation to consider their environmental impact?
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Overall
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Junior Management
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Middle Management
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
SeniorManagement
-1
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Overall
Junior
Middle
Senior

23. 17. Doing no environmental harm.
18. Meeting the needs of present generations without compromising the needs of future
ones.
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Response
Response
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Response
Response

24. 19. Establishing environmentally-friendly efforts within the company.
20. Being economically, environmentally and socially responsible.
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Response
Response
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Response
Response

25.  Questionnaire
Does your business have an environmental policy?
Does your business have an environmental purchasing policy?
Has your business published an environmental, sustainability or triple bottom
line report that is available to the public?
Does your business have an environmental management system (EMS)?
Does your business have programs to improve energy efficiency?
Does your business purchase or generate green power?
Does your business have programs to improve water efficiency?
Does your business have waste reuse/recycling systems for: plastic, paper,
organics, printer cartridges etc?
Does your business have a clean record with the EPA or other regulators as
required in your area?
Does your business comply with applicable occupational health and safety
standards?
Has your business obtained any certifications or awards relating to environment
or sustainability?