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The purpose of this paper is to investigate the diversity of the practice of corporate sustainability, in terms of its drivers, where it features in the organisation structure, and how it is communicated. The authors suggest that what may be failing the global objective of sustainability is its diversification in meaning, purpose and practice.

Data was gathered through a semi‐structured interview process with 11 medium‐to‐large South African organisations. The organisations represented the financial services sector, the mining and industrial sector, and the food and beverage retail sector. The issues questioned included: perspectives on the sustainability concept, the drivers of sustainability actions, internal and external sustainability communications, profiles, and performance and strategies. The questions involved self‐ranking, but also provided for open‐ended and explanatory responses.

The results emphasise that corporate sustainability remains focussed on how organisations manage reputation risk, generate cost savings, and ensure long‐term profitability and competitive advantage. The results imply that corporate sustainability is merely a business agenda to protect organisation profits and economic growth in a manner that is seen to be environmentally and socially responsible.

The results lead to the conclusion that the diversification of corporate sustainability purposes and practices solidifies the self‐interest justification upon which it is based and its largely market‐oriented terms and conditions, leaving enormous potential for unsustainability.

The Milk Order of 1922, issued by the Minister of Health in exercise of the powers conferred upon him by Section 3 of the Milks and Dairies (Amendment) Act of 1922, which came into operation on the 1st January, 1923, provides a scheme whereby Milk may be graded and supplied under certain conditions of comparative bacteriological purity. The sale of ordinary milk will be unaltered by this new order and its distribution will remain subject to such regulations as may have been in operation prior to the Act of 1922. The object of the new Order is to ensure the production of certain grades of Milk under more or less strict supervision, and when the grave lack of sanitary conditions which is to be found on many of the farms where milk is produced, is remembered, it will be admitted that there exists a wide scope for improvement in the direction indicated.

“GIVE a dog a bad name and hang him,” is an aphorism which has been accepted for many years. But, like many other household words, it is not always true. Even if it were, the dog to be operated upon would probably prefer a gala day at his Tyburn Tree to being executed in an obscure back yard.