Strategic role of public relations in enterprise strategy, governance and sustainability—A normative framework

•Normative framework for enterprise (societal-role/stakeholder) strategy development.•Relating PR, strategy, sustainability, CSR and governance meta-theoretically.•PR's strategic role in enterprise strategy development.•PR's strategic role in achieving the organization's non-financial goals.•PR's strategic role in enterprise relationship and enterprise risk governance.

The purpose of the study was to suggest a normative framework for the development of an organization's enterprise (societal role/stakeholder) strategy, indicating its relationship with governance, sustainability, and CSR. The normative framework contains two dimensions: Enterprise strategy is developed within the context of enterprise governance as well as social and environmental sustainability and responsibility, to achieve the organization's strategic non-financial goals (the sustainability dimension). Corporate strategy is developed within the context of corporate governance as well as economic sustainability and responsibility, to achieve strategic financial/economic goals (the business dimension). PR/communication management plays a strategic role in enterprise strategy development but a support role in corporate strategy development. The development of enterprise strategy necessitates a Triple Bottom Line approach to strategic management.