Hållbarhetsarbetet hos SMEs i en stad med stor tillväxt och grön samhällsomvandling : En kvalitativ studie om små och medelstora företags möjligheter och utmaningar i hållbarhetsarbetet

Sammanfattning: The importance of sustainability related questions hass increased rapidly and affects companies in different extent. Sustainable development is explained as ``a development that satisfies todays needs without compromising next generations opportunity to satisfy their needs´´. A societal transformation creates more beneficial conditions for companies to focus their work on sustainability to create a greener imprint on the enviroment. Societal transformations are resourse demanding but necessary to secure a sustainable future where they work to improve the social, enviromental and economic problems that exist today. The purpose of this study is to answer how companies relates to the are influenced by the opportunities and challenges in their sustainable work when the municipality is undergoing a green societal transformation and growth.  A qualitative research approach was chosen, where six semi-structured interviews based the gathering of the empirical material for the study.  The companies that represented the study qualify as local contractors within the energy-, electricianc- and contracting industry. An interview guide, with three themes, was designed usingthrough the theories. These three themes are continuous for the entire study where the result is represented  and is analyzed, through these.  The result of the study shows that companies experience the opportunities and challenges that come with societal transformations but where the majority are the opportunities.  are over representative. Further, the conflict of interest regarding companies’ sustainable work and their profitability corresponds with the literature, where it says these two are challenging to combine. Further, the study shows that companies are motivated by the inner motivation legitimacyfactor regarding sustainable work rather that the outer. There is a clear interest of regarding sustainability, for the companies as well as the customers, but where the question of whom should take the costs for the enviroment is crucial.  The result of the study can be useful for other cities that have or are going through similar societal transformations. Further, it can be used by established companies or startup companies, which undergoes extensive changes or in other ways are aiming to approve the approach towards the sustainability work.