The document discusses corporate sustainability communication (CSC) in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It analyzes the CSC of a German watermill company through interviews and observation. The study finds that SMEs primarily use informal, face-to-face communication for CSC, like discussions and open days, rather than formal reports. Informal tools are effective locally due to trust, while more formal methods are needed at a distance. Overall, SMEs do not require the formal CSC strategies of large firms.

1. The use of communication media
for sustainability communication
in small- and medium sized enterprises
Nicole Giese
Research Associate
Centre for Sustainability Management (CSM)
Leuphana Universität Lüneburg, Germany
www.leuphana.de/csm
Corporate Communication Conference, Amsterdam 28.10.2011

2. Introduction
Corporate Sustainability Communication (CSC) is characterized by
social, ecological and economic information as well as their interdependences
between them.
(Elkington, 1998)
The objective of this paper is to obtain insights about the CSC Management in
SMEs by analyzing the communication process of a sustainability-oriented
SME in a single case study.
Two theoretical approaches motivated this research
a) Media Richness Theory
b) Media Synchronicity Theory

3. Research question
Use of few formal instruments,
i.e. formalized tools, such as
codes, reports, and social,
environmental, and ethical
standards (Russo & Tencati 2009: 340),
and corporate magazines and
newsletters (Murillo and Lozano, 2006;
Perrini et al., 2007).
CSC in SMEs is
primarily informal, Embedded in the local
unsystematic and society, SMEs prefer a
does not face its direct and informal
relevance (Nielsen and stakeholder dialogue
Thomsen, 2009; cf. Preuss
What are the relevant (Spence et al., 2000;
and Perschke, 2010). criteria which are Graafland et al., 2003).
driving the deployment
of CSC media
CSC is very often in SMEs and why?
neither integrated in Especially informal
the existing tools, i.e. tools
management, nor part without
of the corporate standardization, play
strategy (Nielsen and a major role for SMEs
Thomson, 2009). Ad-hoc activities, day-to- (Russo and Tencati, 2009).
day decisions without
measurement because of
a lack of resources (Russo
& Tencati 2009).

4. Research approach: sample, methodology, data collection and design
Sample
- Bohlsener Mühle V. Krause e. K., owner-managed watermill located in Lower-
Saxony, Germany (1979)
- producing and trading with corn products like
bread, cakes, cereals, cracker, convenience food, etc. (157 products without
fresh bakery products) completely organic and mostly regional
- own brand and private labels in Germany and abroad
- annual turnover of round about 22 million of euros
- 160 people, professional education for such as eight careers
.
Methodology, data collection and data processing
- qualitative case study (Yin, 2003; Eisenhardt and Graebner, 2007), following an in-
depth study of a single-case in order to contribute to theory
- the data has been conducted out of multiple sources for the reason of
triangulation (Yin, 2003) including semi-structured interviews, observation for
three days nonparticipating (Bernard, 2006) and documentation available in the
public domain

5. Main findings
External communication
- public-relation (PR) reports, advertisements, its
homepage, brochures, flyer, public events, trade fairs and guided tours
through the location e. g. for school classes
- mainly used media: trade fairs and public relations activities. This media
transmit information about the core business and the philosophy of the
company
- the safest and most applicable media to communicate sustainability
information are trade fairs, PR-activities and lectures
- the internet is used for the homepage and for PR-publications
- Regarding social media, the head of marketing stated that not all tools are
seen serious enough to communicate sustainability information
- a webcam shows the latest steps of the company s projects, e. g. the
actual plant extension
- in general, the selected company uses informal instruments, like open
door-days, open discussions, mouth-to-mouth-communication and
voluntary participation in the local region
- few formal CSC instruments come to more practice with suppliers and
major customers (EU-ecolabel or Bioland)

6. Main findings
Internal communication
- all the mentioned media for external communication
- in addition, informal media like the black board or meetings are used as
well as short breaks
- lunchroom, , terrace and coffee-corner with handmade bread and
marmalade is offered the whole day. Although there is a meeting room, the
most talks between the employees take place in the coffee corner
- it is more common to have little chat then to write an email or even to call
each other
In general
- no formal CSC strategy
- but the results seem to suggest that there is an implied CSC strategy

7. Conclusion
- the main medium for CSC in SME is face-to-face communication
- the choice of formal or informal instruments also seems to depend on the
geographical distance. In local context, informal tools seem to be more
effective; with more distance, information needs to be more formalized. An
explanation could be the link to credibility and trust: the local region is
much connected with the company, knows the owner and the watermill
itself has a long-time history. This is decreasing with distance and less
popularity
- the findings of the case study revealed that a formal CSC strategy like it is
used in large companies does not fit with SMEs and even that it is not
useful to SMEs for CSC

8. BACK UP

9. Introduction: Definiton and character of CSC
Corporate Sustainability Communication (CSC) is characterized by
social, ecological and economic information as well as their interdependences
between them (Elkington, 1998).
CSC stresses special challenges on the communication management
because the CSC topics vary from biodiversity and working conditions to
carbon accounting in the supply chain and the recipients of that information
could be an expert or a layman – both just with an interest for the company in
common.
Moreover information about corporate sustainability has several tasks, e. g. to
inform, to appreciate something, to change understanding, etc. Against this
background, this information can be characterized as “rich” information (Daft
and Lengel, 1984). For a successful coping of its tasks, rich information needs
a rich medium which is able to transmit the information to the addressee.
The objective of this paper is to obtain insights about the CSC Management in
SMEs by analyzing the communication process of a sustainability-oriented
SME in a single case study.

10. Research approach: Research question and theoretical framework
Two theoretical approaches motivated this research:
media richness and media synchronicity.
What are the relevant criteria which are
Both emphasize how communication media differ in the extent to which they
driving the deployment of CSC media
(a) can overcome various communication constraints of time, location,
permanence, distribution, and distance; b) transmit the social, symbolic,
and nonverbal cues of human communication; and (c) convey equivocal
information (Rice, 1993).
in SMEs and why?
A successful communication process depends on the applicable medium
(Daft and Lengel, 1984).
In comparison to Media Richness Theory which is oriented around task-level
activities, “Media Synchronicity conceptualizes tasks as made up of both
conveyance and convergence processes and consider more advanced electronic
communications media” (Dennis et al., 1998).
Media Synchronicity is defined as „ the extent to which individuals work together
on the same activity at the same time; i.e., have a shared focus”
(Dennis and Valacich, 1999: 5

11. Conclusion
- the main medium for CSC in SME is face-to-face
communication, because…
within CSC is much rich information which needs to be transmitted
with a rich medium. This medium has to allow synchronicity as well.
a lack of resources could be a motivation to use a less expensive or
time-intensive medium (it could be noted that a personal and direct
communication is not as expensive as it is in larger companies
- the choice of formal or informal instruments also seems to depend on the
geographical distance. In local context, informal tools seem to be more
effective; with more distance, information needs to be more formalized. An
explanation could be the link to credibility and trust: the local region is
much connected with the company, knows the owner and the watermill
itself has a long-time history. This is decreasing with distance and less
popularity.
- the findings of the case study revealed that a formal CSC strategy like it is
used in large companies does not fit with SMEs and even that it is not
useful to SMEs for CSC