The Multinational Corporation Approach to Sustainable Development - Research Paper Example

This study was undertaken because, in the present age of environmental degradation and depletion, the role of multinational corporations in promoting sustainable development is vitally important. They have the means to destroy and to rejuvenate our environment. This study seeks to establish whether BP and Shell are indeed adapting methods for sustainable development. It also aims to open the eyes of the world to our growing role in the preservation and restoration of our environment. This study applied quantitative research by distributing questionnaires to the senior executives of the two multinational corporations.

This study revealed based on their own standards of sustainable development multinational corporations-BP and Shell-based on their own sustainability reports have somewhat fulfilled their responsibilities. However, as taken from an external perspective they have not complied with the requirements of sustainable development based on the corporate sustainable performance scale, based on the WBCSD standards and based on their own standards of sustainability. This study is important because in the present era, the notion of “sustainable development” although sometimes controversial, has become consciously more and more important towards a desire for the human activity being carried out in a more responsible manner for the welfare and preservation of the present and future generations.

Efforts are being undertaken by different actors such as non-governmental organizations (NGOs), international organizations, local governments, lobbyists, the media, small and medium enterprises, etc. Multinational corporations have access to substantial materials and knowledge resources to sustain our environment. They are also involved in the exploitation of non-renewable resources but strategic resources. They have the most to gain and to lose in their efforts toward sustainable development.