Approx. 70 % of all surveyed top executives consider sustainability efforts
essential to long-term profitability.
For firms' purchasing strategies, purchasing heads rank environmental efforts
as most important among sustainability initiatives.
Subsidiary CEOs in emerging economies consider social issues a priority.
Firms with highest profitability show consistently higher efforts in social and
environmental sustainability.
Firms with high efforts in social and environmental sustainability show major competitive advantages,
especially with regard to production efficiency, supplier management skills and attractiveness for employees.
Amongst the industries covered in the study, Consumer Goods companies
engage most strongly in sustainability activities whereas Mechanical Engineering firms are the least engaged.
