The lack of strategic sustainability orientation in German water companies

- Holistic or integrative sustainability management tools and approaches are underrepresented.
- The implemented tools are mainly focused on general management and participation as well as targeting in particular.
- There is almost no implementation of the polluter pays', integration, sufficiency & substitution, resilience principle.
- There is a significant difference between large companies and SMEs.
- In monopolistic landscapes stability, path dependencies, known search routines and coercive isomorphism are important.

Water-supply and distribution companies (WSC) are dealing with one of the most crucial natural resources. That is why the German national sustainability strategy highlights water as one of the priority fields of action. In Germany, WSC show characteristics of natural monopoly. The distinct separation between public institutions and the private sector as well as municipal operators being responsible for practicing special functions is characteristic for the German water economy. From an evolutionary perspective it is of interest how German WSC implement sustainability strategically. Therefore, strategic concepts and tools facing sustainability (e.g. ISO 14001, Reporting, and Balanced Scorecard etc.) were analysed and evaluated in the context of the water industry. Using literature studies and web analysis the relevant data of 110 German WSC was put together. A cross-sectional design was used in order to find patterns. Possible gaps are highlighted and ongoing steps to foster sustainability are stressed. This study points out a sustainable management is just marginally implemented. The results obviously show that there are differences between large companies and SMEs facing sustainability requirements. WSC having own regenerative power generation and an integrative thinking of farming and water supply, are part of good practice.