Exploring corporate sustainability disruptions in the fast-moving consumer goods retail industry : case of the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality

Abstract

How corporate sustainability is ensured by businesses is a crucial aspect of the twenty-first century business environment. This study explored the perceptions of operations managers in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCGs) retail sector on measures that could be taken to mitigate corporate sustainability disruptions afflicting the industry. The management of disruptions and risks has become an important topic on the agendas of boards of directors; however, most boards of directors are still not doing enough to mitigate corporate sustainability disruptions afflicting the FMCG sector. For this research, the sustainability theory was adopted to explain corporate sustainability disruptions and the strategies ideal for mitigating these disruptions. Theories of sustainability attempt to prioritise and integrate social responses to environmental and cultural concerns, and sustain an economic model that seeks to uphold natural and financial capital as well as an ecological model that seeks to maintain biological diversity and ecological integrity, together with a political model seeks social arrangements that recognise human dignity. Religion has entered the debate with symbolic, critical, and motivating resources for cultural transformation. This study is significant to FMCG retail practices because the findings may contribute to knowledge on mitigating corporate sustainability disruptions. It is also relevant for boards of directors, shareholders, academics, and management students because the results may enhance their understanding of risk management and sound corporate governance. The study used a qualitative phenomenological approach that was guided by an interpretivism perspective. For data collection, ten operations managers in the FMCG retail sector in the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality were interviewed using semi-structured questions. The sample was collected using non-probability convenient sampling. The major findings revealed that the main corporate sustainability disruptors in the FMCG retail sector are cultural diversity, a lack of top management dedication, a lack of knowledge and understanding, and a lack of information, intelligence, vision, financial resources, and competence. Thus, the study proposes methods for mitigating the corporate sustainability disruptions that plague the FMCG retail business.