Social Responsibility as a Competitive Advantage for Companies …
131
4 Conclusion
At the end of this article, it is possible to evaluate the main points of emphasis of
this study. Looking at the search made on the cooperative websites, there are many
common actions among the cooperatives, such as tree planting, awareness campaigns,
measures to promote the well-being of employees, donation campaigns, among other
common measures, which their main focus is on improving the community and
local economy. A positive point in this analysis is that of the seventeen cooperatives
investigated, eleven carry out and disclose in their homepages the actions taken in
favor of society and the environment. Regarding the literature review, the articles
converge in dealing with how sustainable practices should be implemented, with the
collaboration of all employees and instilling the idea in the organizational culture;
how sustainable development adds to competitiveness, as it improves the image of
the organization and leads to better revenues and cost savings; about how important it
is to have collaboration throughout the supply chain, working with trusted suppliers;
and how innovation, coupled with sustainability, can open new opportunities and
new markets.
The positive relationship that exists between research on web sites and the literature review is noteworthy, since many of the activities practiced by cooperatives
involve the participation and well-being of employees and the awareness of all
members of these cooperatives, a fact widely explored by research analyzed. This
relationship is made explicit by practices such as disseminating environmental guidelines to employees, seeking to reduce the number of accidents at work, offering
courses to employees and their families, among others.
As a suggestion for future research, an increase in the number of articles analyzed
in the literature review dealing with the same topic and an “on the spot” verification
of sustainable practices is indicated, in order to confirm what was seen in the online
search, since the research on web sites may not faithfully demonstrate the development of these actions and that, perhaps, some institutions develop activities in this
area, but do not disclose them on their websites.
References
Alves JLS, Medeiros D (2015) Eco-efficiency in micro-enterprises and small firms: a case study in
the automotive services sector. J Clean Prod 108:595–602
Alves LA, Lima GBA, Mota ALT (2010) Desenvolvimento sustentável nas empresas: estudo de caso
empresa multinacional de telecomunicações. Vi Congresso Nacional de Excelência em Gestão,
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Cantele S, Zardini A (2018) Is sustainability a competitive advantage for small businesses? An
empirical analysis of possible mediators in the sustainability–financial performance relationship.
J Clean Prod 182:166–176
Consultoria Iso (2018) Sustentabilidade empresarial: saiba por que adotar essa prática. https://
www.consultoriaiso.org/sustentabilidade-empresarial-saiba-por-que-adotar-essa-pratica/. Last
accessed 11/12/2019
131
4 Conclusion
At the end of this article, it is possible to evaluate the main points of emphasis of
this study. Looking at the search made on the cooperative websites, there are many
common actions among the cooperatives, such as tree planting, awareness campaigns,
measures to promote the well-being of employees, donation campaigns, among other
common measures, which their main focus is on improving the community and
local economy. A positive point in this analysis is that of the seventeen cooperatives
investigated, eleven carry out and disclose in their homepages the actions taken in
favor of society and the environment. Regarding the literature review, the articles
converge in dealing with how sustainable practices should be implemented, with the
collaboration of all employees and instilling the idea in the organizational culture;
how sustainable development adds to competitiveness, as it improves the image of
the organization and leads to better revenues and cost savings; about how important it
is to have collaboration throughout the supply chain, working with trusted suppliers;
and how innovation, coupled with sustainability, can open new opportunities and
new markets.
The positive relationship that exists between research on web sites and the literature review is noteworthy, since many of the activities practiced by cooperatives
involve the participation and well-being of employees and the awareness of all
members of these cooperatives, a fact widely explored by research analyzed. This
relationship is made explicit by practices such as disseminating environmental guidelines to employees, seeking to reduce the number of accidents at work, offering
courses to employees and their families, among others.
As a suggestion for future research, an increase in the number of articles analyzed
in the literature review dealing with the same topic and an “on the spot” verification
of sustainable practices is indicated, in order to confirm what was seen in the online
search, since the research on web sites may not faithfully demonstrate the development of these actions and that, perhaps, some institutions develop activities in this
area, but do not disclose them on their websites.
References
Alves JLS, Medeiros D (2015) Eco-efficiency in micro-enterprises and small firms: a case study in
the automotive services sector. J Clean Prod 108:595–602
Alves LA, Lima GBA, Mota ALT (2010) Desenvolvimento sustentável nas empresas: estudo de caso
empresa multinacional de telecomunicações. Vi Congresso Nacional de Excelência em Gestão,
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Cantele S, Zardini A (2018) Is sustainability a competitive advantage for small businesses? An
empirical analysis of possible mediators in the sustainability–financial performance relationship.
J Clean Prod 182:166–176
Consultoria Iso (2018) Sustentabilidade empresarial: saiba por que adotar essa prática. https://
www.consultoriaiso.org/sustentabilidade-empresarial-saiba-por-que-adotar-essa-pratica/. Last
accessed 11/12/2019