Corporate Argumentation for Acceptability: Reflections of Environmental Values and Stakeholder Relations in Corporate Environmental Statements

Journal of Business Ethics (2009) 87:285298 Springer 2008 DOI 10.1007/s10551-008-9885-y

Corporate Argumentationfor Acceptability: Reectionsof Environmental Values and StakeholderRelations in Corporate EnvironmentalStatements Tiina Johanna Onkila

ABSTRACT. This article studies argumentation for acceptability of corporate environmental actions in corporate environmental statements, with emphasis on stakeholder relations and environmental values. Stake-holder theory is commonly taken as the basis for corporate environmental management, and rhetoric typical of the stakeholder approach dominates the field. Although environmental issues are strongly charged with values, the dominant stakeholder approach does not stress the value dimension. The data of the study consists of environmental statements by Finnish forerunning business corporations in the forefront of corporate environmental responsibility. The results of the study indicate that the statements argue for the acceptability of corporate environmental actions through three power-related rhetorical forms that are competing ways to produce acceptability in the data: dominance, subordination and equality, and joint action. Each rhetorical form describes a power-based relationship between stakeholders and the corporation and leans on a specific value type producing legitimacy for that rhetoric form.

KEY WORDS: acceptability, argumentation, corporate environmental management, environmental values, stake-holder relations

ABBREVIATION: CEM: Corporate environmental management

Introduction

Corporate environmental management (CEM) can be studied from multiple perspectives. However, the

technical and strategic orientations have dominated the eld of research and corporate practices. Dobers et al. (2001) point out that most striking omission has been on understanding human interaction in everyday life in CEM. Thus, the theory, and hence literature, lacks an understanding of the power of language, the use of communication and cultural words, and understanding in everyday life and human interaction is missing in CEM research.

It has been stressed that environmentally ethical behavior and morally acceptable environmental actions are being demanded of corporations. DesJardins (1998) suggests that business has a moral responsibility to act in an ecologically sustainable manner. Stakeholders are assigned a dominant role as demanders of environmental responsibility (see e.g., Grafe-Buckens and Hinton, 1998; Madsen and Ulhoi, 2001). Fineman (2001) suggests that some green voices, or green stakeholders, are charging managers with moral responsibility for the environment.

There is no common ground for dening when moral responsibility is being met and what is basis for the acceptable environmental actions. Enderle (1997) stresses that in a pluralistic society, such as...