Special Issue "Social Sustainability in Business from a Gender Perspective"

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Economic and Business Aspects of Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2021.

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Mónica Segovia Pérez
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Business Administration, Rey Juan Carlos University, Madrid (28032), Spain
Interests: gender; tourism and gender; technology; research market; leadership
Special Issues and Collections in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Eva Cifre
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Social Psychology, Universitat Jaume I, Castellón (E-12071), Spain
Interests: psychosocial health at work; gender; leadership; emotions at work
Special Issues and Collections in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear colleagues,

The scope of the Special Issue ”Social Sustainability in Business from a Gender Perspective” focuses on the social part of the triple-bottom-line (TBL) model: social, environmental and financial. This interrelation between social, economic and environmental factors includes gender equality and social equity, equity in health, equity in labor rights, corporate social responsibility, and sustainable consumption, among others.

Social sustainability in business seeks to identify and manage businesses’ social impacts, both positive and negative, on society, the environment, employees, workers in the value chain, customers and local communities. For social sustainability, the especially relevant UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) are SDGs referring to a) economic, financial and labor sustainability—"decent work and economic growth" (SDG8) and "reduction of inequality" (SDG10); b) socio-occupational health—"health and well-being" (ODS3); c) gender equality—“gender equality” (SDG5); d) "reduction of inequality" (SDG9); e) “build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialization and foster innovation”—(SDG10); and f) “ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns” (SDG11). In this sense, the working conditions that ensure a reduction in economic and social inequalities, together with policies and organizational measures aimed at promoting health and well-being, and inclusive and sustainable industrialization consumption mean that companies are directing their actions towards the achievement of the SDGs.

Social sustainability is inherently interdisciplinary by combining gender studies, psychology, economics, finance, marketing, tourism, sustainability, ecofeminism and sociology to address the invisible dimensions of the interconnections between the interconnected dimensions of social sustainability. Different sectors take different approaches to addressing social sustainability; however, although there are numerous gendered issues and impacts that could be identified, there is a lack of studies focusing on social sustainability taking into account gender as a key factor. In this line, it is important to consider the relevant role of social responsibility to reduce gender inequality in employment and precarity in working conditions, or the special role of women in promoting a more pro-environmental and sustainable society. Additionally, the current COVID-19 pandemic environment will also play a role in how actors/businesses/citizens are addressing social responsibility, taking into account a gender perspective.

According to Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen, social sustainability has five dimensions that should be considered when determining if a business or project is socially sustainable: equity, diversity, social cohesion, quality of life, democracy and governance. In this Special Issue, we invite papers that cover those dimensions from a gender perspective in different sectors (tourism and ICT, among other sectors), addressing topics including (but not limited to):

Equity:

  • Gender balance and equality at workplaces;
  • Working conditions/arrangements and gendered impacts;
  • Work–life balance;
  • Promoting decent work and economic growth.

Diversity:

  • Gender diversity management.

Social cohesion:

  • Social leadership, empowerment and gender.

Quality of life:

  • Promoting employees’ (psycho-socio and physical) health and well-being at work.

Democracy and governance:

  • Community engagement and volunteerism;
  • Corporate sustainability (CSR).

Other topics regarding gender:

  • “Doing gender” through social, pro-environmental and ethical actions, attitudes and values (consumption, responsible investment etc.);
  • The gender impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on social sustainability in business. 

To sum up, all topics related to social sustainability in gender research are of interest.

You may choose our Joint Special Issue in Societies.

Prof. Dr. Monica Segovia Pérez
Prof. Dr. Eva Cifre
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All papers will be peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • social sustainability
  • gender
  • gender equality
  • decent work
  • working conditions
  • health and well-being
  • corporate sustainability
  • women’s pro-environmental attitudes and values
  • research
  • COVID-19

Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

Article
Women as Victims of Court Rulings: Consequences of Workplace Harassment in the Hospitality Industry in Spain (2000–2016)
Sustainability 2021, 13(14), 7530; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13147530 - 06 Jul 2021
Viewed by 429
Abstract
Workplace harassment is a psychosocial risk factor that increasingly affects workers in the hospitality industry. Although this risk factor is recognised by legal regulations in Spain, in many cases the scope of these regulations and their interpretation by the courts remains unclear. The [...] Read more.
Workplace harassment is a psychosocial risk factor that increasingly affects workers in the hospitality industry. Although this risk factor is recognised by legal regulations in Spain, in many cases the scope of these regulations and their interpretation by the courts remains unclear. The aim of this research is to conduct a qualitative, documentary, and descriptive study of the content of 61 rulings obtained from a search of 2335 rulings in the database of the Judicial Documentation Centre (CENDOJ) for the years 2000 to 2016. The main results show a steady increase in complaints over sixteen years; that women are predominantly the victims of work-related and sexual harassment; and that most harassment is carried out by men, is vertical in nature, and is frequently perpetrated by employers or bosses. Approximately half of the cases resulted in the awarding of some form of financial compensation, and although the amounts were small, over half of these cases involved workplace harassment, with the rest relating to sexual harassment at work. Most cases resulted in the termination of the victim’s contract, either through dismissal or employee abandonment. Based on the results found, we develop proposals that may facilitate future lines of action designed to enhance the defence and legal protection of workers and thus contribute to the promotion and sustainability of wellbeing in the workplace. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Sustainability in Business from a Gender Perspective)
Article
Awakenings: An Authentic Leadership Development Program to Break the Glass Ceiling
Sustainability 2021, 13(13), 7476; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13137476 - 05 Jul 2021
Viewed by 511
Abstract
Companies are vital agents in achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. One key role that businesses can play in achieving the 5th Sustainable Development Goal on gender equality is implementing training programs for their women executives so they can reach top corporate [...] Read more.
Companies are vital agents in achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. One key role that businesses can play in achieving the 5th Sustainable Development Goal on gender equality is implementing training programs for their women executives so they can reach top corporate leadership positions. In this paper, we test the effectiveness of an Authentic Leadership Development (ALD) program for women executives. By interviewing 32 participants from this ALD program and building on authentic leadership theory, we find that this program lifts women participants’ self-efficacy perception, as well as their self-resolution to take control of their careers. The driver for both results is a reflective thinking process elicited during the program that leads women to abandon the stereotype of a low status role and lack of self-direction over time. Through the relational authenticity developed during the program, women participants develop leadership styles that are more congenial with their gender group, yet highly accepted by the in-group leader members, which enhances their social capital. After the program, the women participants flourished as authentic leaders, were able to activate and foster their self-esteem and social capital, and enhanced their agency in career advancement, increasing their likelihood of breaking the glass ceiling. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Sustainability in Business from a Gender Perspective)
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Article
Please, Do Not Interrupt Me: Work–Family Balance and Segmentation Behavior as Mediators of Boundary Violations and Teleworkers’ Burnout and Flourishing
Sustainability 2021, 13(13), 7339; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13137339 - 30 Jun 2021
Viewed by 469
Abstract
The lockdown, in the COVID-19 pandemic, is considered an external crisis that evokes innumerous changes in individuals lives. One of the changes is the work and family dynamics. Based on boundary theory we examine the mediated role of work and family balance and [...] Read more.
The lockdown, in the COVID-19 pandemic, is considered an external crisis that evokes innumerous changes in individuals lives. One of the changes is the work and family dynamics. Based on boundary theory we examine the mediated role of work and family balance and boundary segmentation behavior in the relationship between boundary violations and teleworkers’ stress and well-being. However, because women and men live their work and family differently, gender may condition the way teleworkers lead with boundary violations and boundary segmentation. Hypotheses were tested through moderated mediation modeling using data collected of 456 teleworkers during lockdown. In line with our expectations, teleworkers who have suffered most boundary violations were those with least boundary segmentation behaviors and with least work-family balance which, in turn was related to higher burnout and lower flourishing. Furthermore, gender was found to moderate the relationship between boundary violations from work-to-family and segmentation behavior in the same direction and this relationship was stronger for females than for males. We discuss implications for future research and for managing teleworkers, creating sustainability, both during a crise and stable days. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Sustainability in Business from a Gender Perspective)
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Article
The Importance of Sustainable Leadership amongst Female Managers in the Spanish Logistics Industry: A Cultural, Ethical and Legal Perspective
Sustainability 2021, 13(12), 6841; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13126841 - 17 Jun 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 258
Abstract
At present, the logistics industry in Spain is one that is mostly male-dominated, and women middle and top managers make up less than 10% of the workforce at these management levels. There is therefore an obvious lack of parity in this sector. Spanish [...] Read more.
At present, the logistics industry in Spain is one that is mostly male-dominated, and women middle and top managers make up less than 10% of the workforce at these management levels. There is therefore an obvious lack of parity in this sector. Spanish regulation at present supports and promotes gender parity in different sectors including the logistics industry. Our article uses as a basis the fifth Sustainable Development Goal, “achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls”. Twenty-four female middle and top managers of the logistics sector were interviewed via a questionnaire of 52 questions. The research for this study was based on Avery and Bergsteiner’s 2011 Honeybee and Locust Sustainable Leadership Model and strived to determine how female middle and top managers in the logistics sector in Spain perceived leadership in their workplace and whether these perceptions were aligned with Avery and Bergsteiner’s sustainability leadership model. Findings showed interesting results, indicating that the Spanish logistics industry seemed to be a mixture of bee- and locust-type leadership. Respondents agreed that organizations were not very open to knowledge sharing and indicated that there is still a considerable need for improvement with regard to leadership practices in the logistics sector. Finally, our study is innovative in the sense that sustainable leadership and gender equality are two elements that have not been researched together. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Sustainability in Business from a Gender Perspective)
Article
Analysing the Impact of the Glass Ceiling in a Managerial Career: The Case of Spain
Sustainability 2021, 13(12), 6579; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13126579 - 09 Jun 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 598
Abstract
The need to break down the barriers facing women in the labour market arouses great interest for reasons of social and sustainability justice. This study breaks new ground on the topic of the “glass ceiling” by assessing the evolution of gender inequality in [...] Read more.
The need to break down the barriers facing women in the labour market arouses great interest for reasons of social and sustainability justice. This study breaks new ground on the topic of the “glass ceiling” by assessing the evolution of gender inequality in the proportion of individuals reaching high managerial positions. The application of the csQCA method to a survey of two cohorts of Spanish graduates in management sharing the same starting conditions reveals two factors: job variety and additional education, as conditions that are usually present in a successful managerial career. Our findings confirm the prevalence of the gender gap with little progress in recent years. Women find it more difficult to promote to high managerial positions whereas being a man turns out to almost be a guarantee for eluding low managerial positions. In the context of Spain, and for sure in most other countries, the few women attaining high managerial positions still need to make a greater effort in their professional career than their male counterparts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Sustainability in Business from a Gender Perspective)
Article
Gender Equality in Business Action: A Multi-Agent Change Management Approach
Sustainability 2021, 13(11), 6209; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13116209 - 31 May 2021
Viewed by 622
Abstract
Critical to social sustainability and organizations’ growth, at present, is gender equality. Yet, egalitarian principles are difficult to apply in the practice, particularly in private firms. Acknowledging previous calls that research should respond to these concerns and support practitioners, we provide a theory-grounded [...] Read more.
Critical to social sustainability and organizations’ growth, at present, is gender equality. Yet, egalitarian principles are difficult to apply in the practice, particularly in private firms. Acknowledging previous calls that research should respond to these concerns and support practitioners, we provide a theory-grounded conceptual framework to address change management in this field, aimed at providing applicable guidelines in the organizational practice. Integrating utilitarian and social justice perspectives about gender action, we call for multi-agent collaboration involving coordinated action from policymakers, private firms and gender experts. We provide an overview of how public policies and legislation guide organizational action by providing key statutory norms and procedures. We then address the relevance of organizational commitment and the alignment of gender goals with the organizational strategy and decision-making, involving managers. Finally, we underscore the benefits of implementing evidence-based action based on academic and consultancy collaboration. The implementation of these principles is illustrated with a multi-agent practice developed in the Basque Country (Spain) between gender equality change agents, suited to apply academic principles to real-world organizational practices. Recommendations for gender equality and corporate social action are provided. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Sustainability in Business from a Gender Perspective)
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Article
Workers’ Observation of Uncivil Leadership: Is Tolerance for Workplace Incivility a Gendered Issue?
Sustainability 2021, 13(11), 6111; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13116111 - 28 May 2021
Viewed by 748
Abstract
In the context of organizational psychology, this study aimed to examine workers’ gender biases in tolerance when observing leaders’ incivility in the workplace. Based on role congruity theory, this paper proposes analyzing the gender differences in workers’ evaluations of awareness and tolerance of [...] Read more.
In the context of organizational psychology, this study aimed to examine workers’ gender biases in tolerance when observing leaders’ incivility in the workplace. Based on role congruity theory, this paper proposes analyzing the gender differences in workers’ evaluations of awareness and tolerance of workplace incivility considering the gender of a leader who commits different incivility behaviors against an employee. Moreover, we posit that the type of incivility is also gendered. A sample of 547 workers (male and female) randomly played the roles of observers whereby they rated a scenario describing a leader (male or female) who publicly humiliates and openly doubts an employee’s judgment (overt incivility—agentic), or leaves out and pays little attention (covert incivility—communal) to an employee. The results indicate that male workers tolerated incivility less when role incongruence occurred, such as when male leaders used covert incivility. In contrast, female workers were consistently less tolerant when role congruence occurred with the leader’s gender, such as when male leaders were overtly uncivil. Furthermore, compared to males, female workers were more aware and less tolerant of incivility when a female leader was overtly or covertly uncivil. This paper provides empirical insights and fulfills an identified need to study how gender bias in workplace incivility can be enabled in organizations. The implications for practice can drive the development of prevention strategies within the field of management and human resources. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Sustainability in Business from a Gender Perspective)
Article
Inequalities in the Exercise and Continuity in Building Engineering in Spain. Factor Analysis Including Gender Perspective
Sustainability 2021, 13(10), 5514; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13105514 - 14 May 2021
Viewed by 434
Abstract
The building sector is one of the most relevant at world level in view of the percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) concerned, as well as the number of new jobs created. Nevertheless, it is a completely male-dominated industry. Different institutions and organisms, [...] Read more.
The building sector is one of the most relevant at world level in view of the percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) concerned, as well as the number of new jobs created. Nevertheless, it is a completely male-dominated industry. Different institutions and organisms, such as the Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals, struggle to reduce gender inequality in different environments, including the working one. Aligned with these goals, this study provides the data exploited from the first survey regarding gender inequality within the professionals of the building engineering field in the Spanish population as a whole. This survey was developed in 2018 by the Spanish General Council of Technical Architecture and it was sent to its members. The sample involved 1353 cases. For this data mining, bivariate analyses were conducted in order to subsequently carry out a factor analysis and the socio–demographic composition of the dimensions found. Results exposed statistically meaningful differences in the eyes of women and men about those factors which facilitate practice and continuity in the profession. The most relevant conclusions drawn from the factor analysis reflect the existence of three factors: (1) work competences, (2) social capital and (3) physical appearance and being a man, dimensions in which women and men’s opinion was unevenly distributed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Sustainability in Business from a Gender Perspective)
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Article
State Ibuism and Women’s Empowerment in Indonesia: Governmentality and Political Subjectification of Chinese Benteng Women
Sustainability 2021, 13(6), 3559; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13063559 - 23 Mar 2021
Viewed by 615
Abstract
This paper examines how the patriarchal understanding of “women’s empowerment” in Indonesia instrumentalizes the notion of Ibu, a social construction of womanhood based on a societally determined idea of domestication and productivity. Through the establishment of a saving and lending cooperative, a [...] Read more.
This paper examines how the patriarchal understanding of “women’s empowerment” in Indonesia instrumentalizes the notion of Ibu, a social construction of womanhood based on a societally determined idea of domestication and productivity. Through the establishment of a saving and lending cooperative, a group of Chinese Benteng women was subjected to a neoliberal development project that operated on the basis of a market-driven society and promoted a “gender mainstreaming” discourse to enhance this participatory project. They were introduced by a women’s NGO as their broker. The notion of “women’s empowerment” inspired a governmental operation aimed at these women, promoting the particular qualities of the dutiful housewife, devoted mother, and socially active member of Indonesian society. These characters were distinguished by their high level of devotion to community volunteering and to the state’s apolitical project, thus depoliticizing and deradicalizing the feminist view of women’s empowerment; this was simultaneously balanced with the promotion of the traditional gender roles of wife and mother. Such a discourse also molds women’s desires to voluntarily subscribe to such a social construction of womanhood and, at the same time, circumvents objections to any form of women’s subordination reproduced by the same rhetoric of “women’s empowerment”. By employing an ethnographic methodology, this article argues that the patriarchal view of “women’s empowerment” emerged as a deceitful doctrine to prompt Chinese Benteng women into internalizing certain qualities according to the gendered conception of womanhood in Indonesia. This article concludes that the patronizing and dominating aspects of State Ibuism have normalized Indonesian society’s expectations and desires with regard to women’s empowerment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Sustainability in Business from a Gender Perspective)

Planned Papers

The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.

Title: Title Pending Confirmation
Authors: Antonio Leon Garcia Izquierdo; et.al.
Affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, 33003 Oviedo, Spain
Abstract: Workplace harassment in the workplace is a psychosocial risk factor that increasingly affects workers in the hospitality sector, especially women. This phenomenon in Spain, is subjected to legal regulations, however, in many cases the scope and extent such regulations lack understanding. This is detrimental not only to the practice of the Courts, but to all those who have recoursed to law. The objective of this research is to carry out a qualitative documentary analysis from the point of view of the harasser and the victim in a sample of 61 sentences extracted from the database of the Judicial Documentation Center (CENDOJ) and mostly from the Superior Courts of Justice. Main results show a claiming increase during sixteen years, where women are usually victims of workplace and sexual harassment, being men mostly the harasssers through bossing practices. Most of cases reflect contract termination for victims, and the monetary compensation is quite low. Based on the results found, we developed proposals that could facilitate future lines of action in the defense and legal protection of this psychosocial phenomenon, contributing to a social sustainability promoting wellbeing at work.

Title: Empowerment vs glass ceiling. A proposed index to women advancement at the regional level in Spain.
Authors: Lidia de Castro; Víctor Martín; Rosa Santero-Sánchez
Affiliation: Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, 28032 Madrid, Spain
Abstract: Gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but a necessary foundation for a sustainable world. Over the last decades, large progresses have been made with a higher participation of women in the education, labor, social and political spheres. Nevertheless, many challenges remain, like female underrepresented leadership. The glass ceiling is a central topic of our society, and its study is gaining increasing attention at the international level. Ensuring women’s effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life is set as a specific target in the Sustainable Development Goal 5. To the best of our knowledge, while many indicators on gender equality and women empowerment has been proposed, the only existing glass ceiling index, is the one constructed by The Economist. In this paper, taking building up The Economist index and relying in the methodology of the Gender Equality Index by the European Institute for Gender Equality, we propose a new glass ceiling index calculated at the regional level (NUTS2) for Spain. The results show the presence of important differences between regions so that our regionalized approach is a valuable instrument to set priorities and target regional policy actions.

Title: Work Violence and Self-Perceived Health in Nursing Personnel: The Mediator Role of Resilience
Authors: MARIA ISABEL SOLER SANCHEZ
Affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Social Psychology, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
Abstract: Department of Psychiatry and Social Psychology, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain Abstract: Violence at work is an especially important problem in a sector as feminized as nursing. Workplace violence refers to incidents in which staff are abused, threatened or attacked in circumstances related to their work that implicitly or explicitly endanger their safety, well-being or health (ILO, CIE, WHO, IPS , 2002, p. 3). It is, therefore, any action, incident or behavior that deviates from what is reasonable by which a person is attacked, threatened, humiliated or injured by another in the exercise of his professional activity or as a consequence of it (ILO, 2003 ). Within the framework of the Resource Conservation theory, the objective of this work is to analyze the mediating and moderating role of resilience as a resource that can alleviate the loss of resources or elicit new resources in adversity situations, such as workplace violence, and that could have a positive effect on the self-perceived health of the nursing staff.

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