Corporate strategy in the field of sustainability

Purpose: The paper aims to strengthen the structures of analysis by identifying relevant aspects that within a bibliographic exploration and under academic criteria are considered relevant to assessment of corporate achievements and evolution in relation to its sustainability strategy. Design/methodology: Qualitative research methodology. The paper is a literature retrospective of 25 years, based on interpretations made by the authors of 90 articles in the field of sustainability management; thus a consensus of opinion is established in relation to aspects of strong interest in order to develop an instrument with analytical approach and strategy. Findings: The contexts that reached greater consensus and have a strong interest for authors are those aspects associated with required elements of "Control" for a proper check, inspection, supervision or intervention in sustainability management processes, and "Integration" within the corporate operational structure as an element of cohesion between corporate management mechanisms. Research limitations/implications: Qualitative data are a representative sample of articles in a single language, which were extracted from two bibliographic databases (Scopus and ISI Web Knowledge). Although there is a wide and varied catalogue of articles in different languages and in different databases, it is an exhaustive exploration that goes beyond the scope of this study. Practical implications: The paper highlights the importance of linking data collected from different corporate management mechanism which are directly involved in the sustainability strategy and challenges of using such data to extend the benefits this association brings to the relationship of local-global sustainability. Social implications: The paper propose the implementation of a scorecard to organizations as horizontal coordination tool for corporate management mechanisms; thus it's provided to managers a global view of the organization from different perspectives; its use as management support has high value, since allowing continuously monitor whether a company will achieve defined outcomes within a strategic sustainability plan. Originality/value: The paper provides an overview of management aspects that remain iteratively as base of research studies by scholars and that through a reassociation of ideas allows the setting up a proposal regarding at some consensus identified.