Green Legitimacy Strategies: Symbolic Convergence in The Sustainability Reports of Sido Muncul and BioFarma
Main Article Content
The increasing demands on sustainable business practices encourage companies to not only demonstrate good environmental performance, but also communicate them effectively to stakeholders. However, there is still a gap between sustainability implementation and the company's ability to build legitimacy through persuasive communication. This study aims to analyze the green legitimacy strategy and the construction of the rhetorical vision built in the sustainability report of pharmaceutical companies that receive PROPER Gold in Indonesia. The research used a qualitative approach with a narrative analysis method based on Symbolic Convergence Theory (SCT) and Aristotle's rhetoric which includes ethos, logos, and pathos. Data was obtained from the sustainability reports of PT Bio Farma and PT Sido Muncul in 2024 which were analyzed through the identification of fantasy themes, structural themes, dynamic themes, and persuasion strategies. The results of the study show that PT Bio Farma builds legitimacy through the dominance of logos that emphasizes technological transformation, energy efficiency, and compliance with global ESG and SDGs standards. In contrast, PT Sido Muncul develops legitimacy through a balanced combination of logos, ethos, and pathos rooted in local cultural values, social harmony, and community empowerment. The findings of the study revealed that the rhetorical vision built by the two companies differed according to the characteristics of the intended stakeholders. This research enriches the study of sustainability communication by integrating the context of PROPER and Symbolic Convergence Theory in the analysis of the green legitimacy of pharmaceutical companies in Indonesia.
Asif, M., Yang, L., & Hashim, M. (2024). The Role of Digital Transformation, Corporate Culture, and Leadership in Enhancing Corporate Sustainable Performance in the Manufacturing Sector of China. Sustainability (Switzerland), 16(7). https://doi.org/10.3390/su16072651
Assoratgoon, W., & Kantabutra, S. (2023). Toward a sustainability organizational culture model. Journal of Cleaner Production, 400(March), 136666. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.136666
Bormann, E. G. (2009). Fantasy and rhetorical vision: The rhetorical criticism of social reality. Quarterly Journal of Speech, 58(4), 396–407. https://doi.org/10.1080/00335637209383138
Christou, P. A. (2023). How to use thematic analysis in qualitative research. Journal of Qualitative Research in Tourism, 3(2), 79–95. https://doi.org/10.4337/jqrt.2023.0006
Creswell, J. W. (2013). Qualitative Inquiry & Research Design Choosing Among Five Approaches (Third edit). Los Angeles: Sage Publication Inc.
Dennison, M. S., Kumar, M. B., & Jebabalan, S. K. (2024). Realization of circular economy principles in manufacturing: obstacles, advancements, and routes to achieve a sustainable industry transformation. Discover Sustainability (Vol. 5). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-024-00689-2
Fietz, B., & Günther, E. (2021). Changing Organizational Culture to Establish Sustainability. Controlling & Management Review, 65(3), 32–40. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12176-021-0379-4
Hadiah Fitriyah, Bambang Tjahjadi, & Noorlailie Soewarno. (2020). Peran Green Product Innovation Dalam Memediasi Pengaruh Corporate Social Responsibility Terhadap Kinerja Bisnis Industri Kreatif. Journal of Accounting Science, 4(1), 12–28. https://doi.org/10.21070/jas.v4i1.397
Hossain, M., Islam, M. T., Momin, M. A., Nahar, S., & Alam, M. S. (2019). Understanding communication of sustainability reporting: Application of Symbolic Convergence Theory (SCT). Journal of Business Ethics, 257–280. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-018-3874-6
Jannah, N., Vega Paramitadevi, Y., & Firmansyah, M. I. (2020). Top Program For Community Development Towards The Assessment Of PROPER’s Beyond Compliance. Jurnal Ilmiah Ilmu Dan Teknologi Rekayasa |, 3(2). https://doi.org/10.31962/jiitr.v3i2.83
John W Creswell, C. N. P. (2018). Qualitative Inquiry & Research Design Choosing Among Five Approaches (Fourth Edi). Los Angeles: Sage Publication Inc.
N. Kadek Jayanti, I. K. Sudibia, M. urmila Dewi, N. M. Y. (2024). Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Program in Indonesia: Literature Review Analysis. International Research Journal of Economics and Management Studies, 3(1), 497–502. https://doi.org/10.56472/25835238/irjems-v3i1p153
Nicmanis, M., & Spurrier, H. (2025). Getting Started with Artificial Intelligence Assisted Qualitative Analysis: An Introductory Guide to Qualitative Research Approaches with Exploratory Examples from Reflexive Content Analysis. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 24. https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069251354863
Perramon, J., Bagur-Femenías, L., Alonso-Almeida, M. del M., & Llach, J. (2024). Does the transition to a circular economy contribute to business resilience and transformation? Evidence from SMEs. Journal of Cleaner Production, 453(March), 142279. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2024.142279
Squier, H., & Booth, C. A. (2023). Insights from the Analysis of Sustainability Reporting Across UK Real Estate Companies. Journal of Sustainability Research, 5(2). https://doi.org/10.20900/jsr20230005
Stephen W Littlejohn, K. A. F. (2009). Encyclopedia of Communication Theory. Reference & User Services Quarterly (Vol. 49). London, New Delhi: Sage Publication Inc. https://doi.org/10.5860/rusq.49.4.3632
V. Winardi Kusumo, Y. W. N. (2017). Reaksi Pasar di Seputar Pengumuman Proper (Program Penilaian Peringkat Kinerja Perusahaan dalam Pengelolaan Lingkungan Hidup). Jurnal Ekonomi, XXII(03), 421–439.
W.Creswell, J., & N.Poth, C. (2018). Qualitative Inguiry Research Design:Choosing Among Five Approaches. Journal of Chemical Information and Modeling (Fourth Edi, Vol. 53). California: SAGE.
Wang, H. (2016). Green Brand Positioning in the Online Environment. International Journal of Communication, 10, 1405–1427.
