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Frank de Bakker, Andreas Rasche &#38; Stefano Ponte (2019)Business Ethics Quarterly, Volume 29, Numéro 3, pp. 343-383Abstract. Although the literature on multi-stakeholder initiatives (MSIs) for sustainability has grown in recent years, it is scattered across several academic fields, making it hard to ascertain how individual disciplines such as business ethics can further contribute to the debate. Based on an extensive review of the literature on certification and principle-based MSIs for sustainability (n=293 articles), we show that the scholarly debate rests on three broad themes (“the 3Is”): the input into creating and governing MSIs; the institutionalization of MSIs; and the impact that relevant initiatives create. While our discussion reveals the theoretical underpinnings of the 3Is, it also shows that a number of research challenges related to business ethics remain unaddressed. We unpack these challenges and suggest how scholars can utilize theoretical insights in business ethics to push the boundaries of the field. Finally, we also discuss what business ethics research can gain from theory development in the MSI field.Excerpt. "To theorize the existence of different moral legitimacy criteria we suggest to connect the MSI debate to Boltanski and Thénevot’s (2006) theory of justification. At the heart of their theory is the idea to distinguish “common worlds” that are dominated by certain “orders of worth.” These orders provide actors in a particular common world with shared moral principles that can be mobilized to justify what they view as morally legitimate." Link to the reviewTo download the text (via ResearchGate)