Institutional Pressures, Sustainable Development Goals and COVID-19: How Are Organisations Engaging?

Abstract

This article aimed at answering the following research question: How do institutional pressures influence the engagement of organisations with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic? To address it, we applied a survey with Brazilian organisations in late 2020. From group analysis and the comparison of means (test-t), we conclude that, in the pandemic scenario, organisations from various sectors and industries are affected mainly by coercive pressures but also by normative and, to a lesser extent, mimetic pressures. Furthermore, this study has shown that while opportunities are arising from normative and mimetic institutional pressures, it is in the coercive pressures that the guidance lies for the re-establishment of economic, social, and environmental development and prosperity in a post-pandemic scenario. Thus, despite some optimistic results, achieving the purpose outlined by the 2030 Agenda seems to be distant or at least needs an even more substantial effort if its responsibility rests solely with legislative and governmental forces.