The findings from our study reveal both discouraging
and encouraging elements
concerning HR leaders’ roles in supporting
corporate sustainability strategy. We noted
that a sustainability strategy must be a fundamentally
sound business strategy, albeit
more challenging in some respects. Discouraging
are our findings that HR leaders’
average competency, influence and credibility
shortcomings in developing and
implementing sustainability strategy closely
mirror the deficiencies found in recent studies
on involvement in overall business
strategy (Lawler & Boudreau, 2009; Ulrich
et al., 2009). The challenge becomes even
greater if the organization has not already
incorporated sustainability into its business
strategy. If sustainability is not central to an
organization’s core business strategy and
HR is not already impacting its business
strategy, then HR has to overcome these dual
obstacles to become more of a driving force
behind sustainability.