The implementation of sustainability reporting in SGR Group: some challenges of transition from “greenwashing” to relational change

The implementation of sustainability reporting entails some contradictory elements that can involve greenwashing or the real corporate governance procedures modifications, as well as the mission and accounting system of a company. To analyze this process requires time and different steps of research. Based on the premise in this paper, we want to show the end of a first step of research process and reply to the following research question: “How does the introduction of a Sustainability Report (SR) transform mission, governance and accountability of enterprises? Attention is focused on the implications of the process of social and sustainable accountability with respect to the values order, the structure and tools of governance and to those used to account for and hold the stakeholders to account for the results, the modality and the objectives which characterize the accountability of corporate activity. The research design will develop through a deductive and inductive approach. The deductive one is based on an analysis of the literature regarding sustainability development and sustainability reporting. The inductive method is based on the analysis of a research case related to an Italian multi-utility company: SGR Group. The analysis carried out has enabled us to focus on some features of the sustainability process started by the company, and to interpret it as the challenge launched by the Group to contribute to create, through its own activities, a civil economy which is typical of the corporate culture of responsibility and sustainable market economy built on the civil corporation.