Abstract
In the past few years, the quest for responsible and sustainable business has emerged as a major theme in academic and practical management discourse. The increasingly intense debate on ethical and social responsible business and the quest for responsible leadership put contemporary business models and current leadership praxis under severe public scrutiny. This paper is written within the framework of a research project that explores the linkages between responsible leadership, sustainable business, innovation, and growth in Swedish-based corporations with a global outreach. The paper captures how Stora Enso, a global renewable materials company, aspires to take the lead in developing sustainable business practices. Over the years, the company has demonstrated steady progress on environmental sustainability while business ethics globally continuously presents new challenges. In order to reinforce cultural values and restore the brand, the executive management team initiates a series of ground breaking activities. The research is based on collaborative case-study approach. The data-collection covers round-table seminars, interviews and documentary material.