Principles for managing digital sustainability

This paper presents an ongoing study on digital sustainability.Through a cross-sectional case study, the aim is to investigate how organizations utilize digital technology to increase sustainability.To do this a framework that includes the organizational strategy, structure, and culture is applied.The current literature shows how sustainability is becoming increasingly important and how digitalization has great potential in creating more sustainable products, organizations, and in the end a more sustainable world.However, sustainability also entails tensions between other central needs and imperatives in the organization and sustainable initiatives are not always just straightforward to implement.The first phase of the interview process has just been finalized; and the analysis therefore points to the initial, preliminary results.The analysis reveals five topics that are essential for digital sustainability: 1) IT and business alignment, 2) Measurements and data, 3) Anchoring initiatives, 4) Rules and legislation, and 5) Managing priorities.The findings regarding these topics are presented according to the three dimensions (strategy, structure, and culture).Based on the analysis, 15 principles to guide organizations in their work with digital sustainability are formulated and discussed.