Toward Sustainable Organizations: Routines to Embed Sustainability in Corporate Culture

Abstract

This study examines how organizations embed sustainability in corporate culture through recursive routinization—the dynamic interplay between formal structures and everyday practices that reinforce sustainability as a cultural norm. Drawing on qualitative research involving 26 large Italian organizations in various industries, the study identifies four interrelated clusters of sustainability practices: governance structures; metrics, standards, and certifications; daily work practices; and experimental partnerships. Governance structures enable strategic alignment, metrics, standards, and certifications translate sustainability goals into measurable benchmarks, daily practices ensure consistent enactment, and partnerships foster innovation and adaptability. Together, these clusters form an integrated system that embeds sustainability through both formal routines and informal, adaptive practices. Grounded in organizational routine theory and cultural embedding frameworks, the study shows how both ostensive (formal) and performative (enacted) aspects of routines drive sustainability integration. It frames this process as dynamic and iterative, shaped by internal reflexivity and external inputs. Theoretically, the research contributes to understanding sustainability integration as a multidimensional, evolving process. Practically, it highlights the need for interconnected, reflexive systems of routines that balance stability with adaptability, ensuring sustainability remains an enduring, responsive element of organizational culture.