Zenona Atkočiūnienė

Faculty of Creative Industries, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Vilnius, Lithuania 

E-mail: zenona-ona.atkociuniene@vilniustech.lt

Communication with clients in the development of sustainability: A case of Lithuanian companies

Daiva Siudikienė

Faculty of Communication, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania 

E-mail: daiva.siudikiene@kf.vu.lt

ORCID 0000-0002-0412-6028

Ingrida Girnienė

Faculty of Communication, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania 

E-mail: ingrida.girniene@kf.vu.lt

ORCID 0009-0000-8333-090X

Manuela Tvaronavičienė

Faculty of Business Management, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Vilnius, Lithuania 

E-mail: manuela.tvaronaviciene@vilniustech.lt

ORCID 0000-0002-9667-3730

Abstract. Sustainable development has become a strategic objective for contemporary businesses. It aims to ensure long-term economic growth by creating innovative products and services, efficient resource management, environmental preservation, and promoting social welfare. The interplay between client communication and the development of sustainable innovation has emerged as a critical area of study, intersecting theories of sustainability, innovation management, and communication science. This study aimed to investigate how communication facilitates customer engagement in sustainability initiatives and to explore the creation of sustainable innovations in the Lithuanian business context. The research employed qualitative content analysis to examine the web pages of the largest Lithuanian business organisations. The primary objective was to identify the communication strategies used by these organisations to involve clients in sustainable innovation processes. One hundred publicly available organisational websites were analysed, alongside documents related to their sustainability activities (e.g., sustainability reports, corporate social responsibility reports). The research results indicate that strategic communication of sustainability efforts is essential for promoting client participation in sustainable development processes. Moreover, client involvement is a critical factor in achieving the desired outcomes of sustainability initiatives, particularly in the context of sustainable innovation within Lithuanian businesses.

Received: June, 2024

1st Revision: January, 2025

Accepted: February, 2025

DOI: 10.14254/2071-789X.2025/18-1/14

JEL Classification: D8, M14

Keywords: sustainability, sustainable innovation, communication, business organisations, stakeholders, client involvement