ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY AND THE AUTOMOTIVE SECTOR A Critical Discourse Analysis of the Sustainability Reports of Volvo Cars

Abstract

Companies communicate the impact of their corporate activities through sustainability reports, disclosing their environmental engagement. Critical studies on sustainability reporting have highlighted that environmental reporting practices participate in the construction of the definition of environmental responsibility. This study analyses how the automotive company Volvo Cars discursively constructs its environmental commitment in its sustainability reports. Fairclough’s Critical Discourse analysis was performed on three reports (2010, 2015, and 2020) to critically question the discourse surrounding the environment. The findings of this study reveal that the narratives revolve around socially constructed themes, influenced by the external cultural dimension of Sweden, the country associated with the firm. The paper concludes by presenting the main themes employed by Volvo Cars for communicating its sustainable conduct. First, "The (heterosexual) family as environmental heroes," portrayed as the primary actor in addressing the climate crisis; second, "Leveraging the Power of Swedishness" as a symbol of positive qualities; third, "Evolution in a Time of COVID-19," shifting the focus to the pandemic; and, finally, "Answering to the Capitalistic Call," highlighting the controversial inclination toward capitalistic gain. Some of these findings raise critical questions that require further examination.