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The central theme explored in this paper is how to bring about changes which builds the sustainable organization, adding value for all organizational stakeholders including the natural environment. According to this approach, an organisation's progress towards sustainability is assessed by the extent to which it addresses a number of different elements; first, social or human sustainability — issues such as criteria of equity, work-life balance, participation and community responsibility; second environmental criteria such as environmental justice, ecological responsibility and renewal and economic criteria of high performance and long-term survival. There are synergies and tensions between these elements of human and environmental sustainability. We examine the challenge that achieving an integrated and practicable understanding of corporate sustainability poses for change agents and outline the change strategies and skills sets required to manage the tensions and maximise the synergies. We then explore the leadership qualities required to influence, inspire and implement these changes. We examine suggestions that 'feminine' leadership styles associated with values-based rationality may be more likely to support these changes and that leaders who embrace diversity will foster the new knowledge required to build sustainable value for all stakeholders.

Stream: Change

Paper: A paper has not yet been submitted.

Dexter Dunphy is Distinguished Professor, University of Technology, Sydney, and has the following degrees: BA (hons M ed (hons Dip Ed from Sydney university an PhD in Sociology from Harvard University. Dexter's main research and consulting interests are in the management of organisational change, corporate sustainability and human resource management. His research is published in over 60 articles and books.