A consistent factor throughout the research concerning the effectiveness of social and environmental strategies within companies is the importance of supportive and effective leadership. Many of the most notable success stories in integrating sustainability principles into the culture and operations of both large and small businesses have been associated with strong and inspirational leaders (Terpstra, 2008).
Although external stakeholder pressure or regulation can prompt organizations to address sustainability issues, success in developing and implementing more sustainable strategies is highly dependent on the culture of the organization.