The impact of sustainable practices on the financial performance of companies: A review of the literature

Authors

Keywords:

Sustainable Development Goals; Business sustainability; Financial performance.

Abstract

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) constitute a set of 17 global goals defined by the United Nations (UN) with the purpose of promoting sustainable development in its social, environmental and economic dimensions. Currently, companies face challenges due to the cost of implementing responsible and sustainable practices in the business world. This article examines the relationship between sustainable practices (SP) and financial performance (FD) of companies, within the framework of the SDGs. The research is based on a systematic review of existing literature. The study's findings support the idea that sustainable practices benefit companies financially, providing a competitive advantage for those businesses that implement sustainable strategies. Thus, sustainability is not only an ethical and environmental imperative, but it is also an opportunity to improve profitability and business competitiveness.

Author Biographies

Mariano Andrés Roffé, National University of Misiones

Master in Strategic Business Administration and Bachelor in Business Administration from the Faculty of Economic Sciences of the National University of Misiones. PhD student in Administration at FCE UNaM. University teacher. Extensionist. Independent consultant in activities linked to the management of organizations, oriented to administration and management tools. His line of research is oriented towards the SDGs and organizations.

Fernando Antonio Ignacio González, National University of Misiones

Doctor in Economics from the National University of the South. Adjunct Researcher at CONICET and Professor at the Faculty of Economic Sciences of the National University of Misiones. His research agenda focuses on the intersections between applied microeconomics, economic development and political economy.

References

Bauweraerts, J., Arzubiaga, U., & Diaz-Moriana, V. (2022). Going greener, performing better? The case of private family firms. Research in International Business and Finance, 63. Obtenido de https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ribaf.2022.101784

Beltrán, G. (2005). Revisiones sistemáticas de la literatura. Revista Colombiana de Gastroenterología, 20(1), 60-69. Obtenido de https://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=337729264009

Betti, G., Consolandi, C., & Eccles, R. G. (2018). The Relationship between Investor Materiality and the Sustainable Development Goals: A Methodological Framework. Sustainability, 10(7), 2248. Obtenido de https://doi.org/10.3390/su10072248

Charlo, M., Moya, I., & Muñoz, A. (2017). Financial Performance of Socially Responsible Firms: The Short- and Long-Term Impact. Sustainability, 9(9). Obtenido de https://doi.org/10.3390/su9091622

Činčalová, S., & Hedija, V. (2020). Firm Characteristics and Corporate Social Responsibility: The Case of Czech Transportation and Storage Industry. Sustainability, 12(5). Obtenido de https://doi.org/10.3390/su12051992

Cont, W., Belfiori, E., Rodríguez Pardina, M., Rojas, D., Fernández, S., Bonifaz, J. L., & … Vanoli, C. (2022). Ideal 2022: Energía, agua y salud para un mejor medio ambiente. Caracas: CAF. Obtenido de https://scioteca.caf.com/handle/123456789/1980

Datta, S., & Goyal, S. (2022). Determinants of SDG Reporting by Businesses: A Literature Analysis and Conceptual Model. Vision, 0(0). doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/09722629221096047

Doan, T., Bui, V., Phan, T., Nguyen, X., & Tran, T. (2019). The impact of leadership style and corporate social responsibility practices on financial performance: Evidence from Textile industry. Management Science Letters, 9(12), 2105-2120. doi:10.5267/j.msl.2019.6.023

Dzomonda, O. (2022). Environmental Sustainability Commitment and Access to Finance by Small and Medium Enterprises: The Role of Financial Performance and Corporate Governance. Sustainability, 14(14). Obtenido de https://doi.org/10.3390/su14148863

Ensign, P. C., Roy, S., & Brzustowski, T. (2021). Decisions by Key Office Building Stakeholders to Build or Retrofit Green in Toronto’s Urban Core. Sustainability, 12, 6969. Obtenido de https://doi.org/10.3390/su13126969

Escamilla Solano, S., Paule Vianez, J., & Blanco González, A. (2022). Disclosure of gender policies: do they affect business performance? Heliyon, 8(1). Obtenido de https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e08791

Fernando, Y., Shaharudin, M. S., & Abideen, A. (2021). Circular economy-based reverse logistics: dynamic interplay between sustainable resource commitment and financial performance. European Journal of Management and Business Economics, 32(1), 91-112. doi:https://doi.org/10.1108/EJMBE-08-2020-0254

Ghardallou, W. (2022). Corporate Sustainability and Firm Performance: The Moderating Role of CEO Education and Tenure. Sustainability, 14(6). Obtenido de https://doi.org/10.3390/su14063513

Gómez Gil, C. (2018). Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible (ODS): una revisión crítica. Papeles de relaciones ecosociales y cambio global(140), 107-118. Obtenido de https://www.fuhem.es/media/cdv/file/biblioteca/revista_papeles/140/ODS-revision-critica-C.Gomez.pdf

González Ordóñez, A. I. (2022). Gestión ambiental desde la perspectiva de la responsabilidad social empresarial en las PYMES. Revista Universidad y Sociedad, 14(S6), 616-624. Obtenido de https://rus.ucf.edu.cu/index.php/rus/article/view/3492/3436

Hellmeister, A., & Richins, H. (2019). Green to Gold: Beneficial Impacts of Sustainability Certification and Practice on Tour Enterprise Performance. Sustainability, 11(3). Obtenido de https://doi.org/10.3390/su11030709

Huang, Z., Esther Laurentine, N., Rahman, M., Mwamila, T., Cao, V., Gwenzi, W., & Noubactep, C. (2021). Integrated Water Resource Management: Rethinking the Contribution of Rainwater Harvesting. Sustainability., 13(15), 8338. doi:10.3390/su13158338

Ilyas, I. M., & Osiyevskyy, O. (2022). Exploring the impact of sustainable value proposition on firm performance. European Management Journal, 40(5), 729-740. Obtenido de https://doi.org/10.1016/j.emj.2021.09.009

Jan, A., Marimuthu, M., Hassan, R., & Mehreen. (2019). Sustainable Business Practices and Firm’s Financial Performance in Islamic Banking: Under the Moderating Role of Islamic Corporate Governance. Sustainability, 11(23). Obtenido de https://doi.org/10.3390/su11236606

Jiang, Y., Xue, X., & Xue, W. (2018). Proactive Corporate Environmental Responsibility and Financial Performance: Evidence from Chinese Energy Enterprises. Sustainability, 10(4). Obtenido de https://doi.org/10.3390/su10040964

Jum’a, L., Zimon, D., & Ikram, M. (2021). A Relationship between Supply Chain Practices, Environmental Sustainability and Financial Performance: Evidence from Manufacturing Companies in Jordan. Sustainability, 13(4). Obtenido de https://doi.org/10.3390/su13042152

Khan, P. A., Johl, S. K., Kumar, A., & Luthra, S. (2023). Hope-hype of green innovation, corporate governance index, and impact on firm financial performance: a comparative study of Southeast Asian countries. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 30, 55237–55254. Obtenido de https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-26262-4

Kim, J., Son, S., & Jin, I. (2022). The Effects of Shareholding of the National Pension Fund on Environmental, Social, Governance, and Financial Performance: Evidence from the Korean Manufacturing Industry. Sustainability, 14(18). Obtenido de https://doi.org/10.3390/su141811788

Linares-Espinós, E., Hernández, V., Domínguez-Escrig, J., Fernández-Pello, S., Hevia, V., Mayor, J., . . . Ribal, M. (2018). Metodología de una revisión sistemática. Actas Urológicas Españolas, 42(8), 499-506. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acuro.2018.01.010

López, I., Arriaga, A., & Pardo, M. (2018). La dimensión social del concepto de desarrollo sostenible: ¿La eterna olvidada? Revista Española de Sociología, 27(1), 25-41. Obtenido de https://e-archivo.uc3m.es/bitstream/handle/10016/34287/dimension_RES_2018.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

Maciková, L., Smorada, M., Dorčák, P., Beug, B., & Markovič, P. (2018). Financial Aspects of Sustainability: An Evidence from Slovak Companies. Sustainability, 10(7). Obtenido de https://doi.org/10.3390/su10072274

Malesios, C., Skouloudis, A., Dey, P. K., Abdelaziz, F. B., Kantartzis, A., & Evangelinos, K. (2018). Impact of small- and medium-sized enterprises sustainability practices and performance on economic growth from a managerial perspective: Modeling considerations and empirical analysis results. 27, 960–972. Obtenido de https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.2045

Masocha, R. (2019). Social Sustainability Practices on Small Businesses in Developing Economies: A Case of South Africa. Sustainability , 11(12). Obtenido de https://doi.org/10.3390/su11123257

Muhmad, S. N., & Muhamad, R. (2020). Sustainable business practices and financial performance during pre- and post-SDG adoption periods: a systematic review. Journal of Sustainable Finance & Investment. doi:10.1080/20430795.2020.1727724

Ning, X., Yim, D., & Khuntia, J. (2021). Online Sustainability Reporting and Firm Performance: Lessons Learned from Text Mining. Sustainability, 13(3). Obtenido de https://doi.org/10.3390/su13031069

Oncioiu, I., Petrescu, A.-G., Bîlcan, F.-R., Petrescu, M., Popescu, D.-M., & Anghel, E. (2020). Corporate Sustainability Reporting and Financial Performance. Sustainability, 12(10). Obtenido de https://doi.org/10.3390/su12104297

Organización de las Naciones Unidas. (2015). Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible (ODS). Nueva York: Naciones Unidas. Recuperado el 07 de 03 de 2023, de https://e-archivo.uc3m.es/bitstream/handle/10016/34287/dimension_RES_2018.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

Perlin, A. P., Maffini Gomes, C., Cavalheiro Zaluski, F., Motke, F. D., & Marques Kneipp, J. (2022). Climate Change Mitigation Practices And Business Performance In Brazilian Industrial Companies. Revista de Gestão Social e Ambiental, 16(1). Obtenido de https://doi.org/10.24857/rgsa.v16.2878

Ramos, D. L., Chen, S., Rabeeu, A., & Abdul Rahim, A. B. (2022). Does SDG Coverage Influence Firm Performance? Sustainability, 14(9), 4870. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/su14094870

Rodríguez González, R. M., Maldonado Guzman, G., & Madrid Guijarro, A. (2022). The effect of green strategies and eco-innovation on Mexican automotive industry sustainable and financial performance: Sustainable supply chains as a mediating variable. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 29(4), 779–794. Obtenido de https://doi.org/10.1002/csr.2233

Sánchez Meca, J. (2010). Cómo realizar una revisión sistemática y un meta-análisis. Aula abierta, 38(2), 53-64. Obtenido de https://redined.educacion.gob.es/xmlui/handle/11162/5126?show=full

Solari, E., & Méndez Sáenz, A. B. (2020). ¿Las empresas argentinas socialmente responsables tienen un mejor desempeño económico? Latitud Sur(15), 48-68. Obtenido de http://sedici.unlp.edu.ar/bitstream/handle/10915/126970/Documento_completo.pdf?sequence=1

Solórzano Chamorro, J. J., Vera Basurto, J. S., & Buñay Cantos, J. P. (2022). Crecimiento económico y medio ambiente. RECIAMUC, 6(1), 203-212. doi:10.26820/reciamuc/6.(1).enero.2022.203-212

Suriyankietkaew, S., & Avery, G. (2016). Sustainable Leadership Practices Driving Financial Performance: Empirical Evidence from Thai SMEs. Sustainability, 8(4). Obtenido de https://doi.org/10.3390/su8040327

Tey, Y. S., Brindal, M., Darham, S., Sidique, S. F., & Djama, M. (2020). Early mover advantage in Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil certification: A panel evidence of plantation companies. Journal of Cleaner Production, 252. Obtenido de https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.119775

Tijani, O. O., Egwuonwu, T. K., Akinlabi, H. B., & Egwakhe, A. J. (2020). Strategic Entrepreneurship and Business Sustainability: Moderating Effect of Level of Education. International Journal of Innovative Research and Development, 9(2), 139-147. Obtenido de https://doi.org/10.24940/ijird/2020/v9/i2/feb20067

Tjahjadi, B., Soewarno, N., Hariyati, H., Nafidah, L., Kustiningsih, N., & Nadyaningrum, V. (2020). The Role of Green Innovation between Green Market Orientation and Business Performance: Its Implication for Open Innovation. Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity, 6(4). Obtenido de https://doi.org/10.3390/joitmc6040173

Vorontsova, A., Rieznyk, O., Treus, A., Oleksich, Z., & Ovcharova, N. (2022). Do environmental protection investments contribute to environmentally-oriented SDGS? Environmental Economics, 13(1), 141-154. doi:10.21511/ee.13(1).2022.12

Vuković, B., Tica, T., & Jakšić, D. (2022). Sustainable Growth Rate Analysis in Eastern European Companies. Sustainability, 14(17). Obtenido de https://doi.org/10.3390/su141710731

Whittingham, K. L., Earle, A. G., Leyva-de la Hiz, D. I., & Argiolas, A. (2023). The impact of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals on corporate sustainability reporting. BRQ Business Research Quarterly, 26(1), 45-61. Obtenido de https://doi.org/10.1177/23409444221085585

World Commission on Environment and Development. (1987). Our common future. Oxford y Nueva York: Oxford University Press.

Xu, Q., Xu, L., Xie, Z., & Jin, M. (2021). Does Business Group Matter for the Relationship between Green Innovation and Financial Performance? Evidence from Chinese Listed Companies. Sustainability, 13(23). Obtenido de https://doi.org/10.3390/su132313204

Yang, S., & Jang, S. (2020). How Does Corporate Sustainability Increase Financial Performance for Small- and Medium-Sized Fashion Companies: Roles of Organizational Values and Business Model Innovation. Sustainability, 12(24). Obtenido de https://doi.org/10.3390/su122410322

Yousefian, M., Bascompta, M., Sanmiquel, L., & Vintró, C. (2023). Corporate social responsibility and economic growth in the mining industry. The Extractive Industries and Society, 13. Obtenido de https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exis.2023.101226

Zahid, M., Martins, J., Rahman, H., Mata, M., Shah, S., & Mata, P. (2021). The Interconnection between Decent Workplace and Firm Financial Performance through the Mediation of Environmental Sustainability: Lessons from an Emerging Economy. Sustainability, 13(8). Obtenido de https://doi.org/10.3390/su13084570

Published

2023-12-18

How to Cite

Roffé, M. A., & González, F. A. I. (2023). The impact of sustainable practices on the financial performance of companies: A review of the literature. Scientific Journal Visión De Futuro, 28(1). Retrieved from https://visiondefuturo.fce.unam.edu.ar/index.php/visiondefuturo/article/view/839

Issue

Section

Original Articles

Similar Articles

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 > >> 

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.