Reconceptualising sustainability and sustainable business practices in contemporary management

Authors

  • Dr. Kokila Negi Associate Professor, Department of Commerce, ARSD College, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
  • Varun Panwar Assistant Professor, Department of Commerce, Sri Aurobindo College (Evening), University of Delhi, Delhi, India https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8682-4243
  • Ayon Chakraborty Research Scholar, School of Management Studies, Indira Gandhi National Open University, Delhi, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.64171/JSRD.5.3.26-31

Keywords:

Sustainability, Sustainable business practices, Globalisation, Environmental stewardship, ESG, Brand loyalty, Competitive advantage

Abstract

Sustainability has become an essential pillar of business strategy in the contemporary business landscape of globalisation. Businesses are increasingly expected to balance between economic performance alongside social responsibility and environmental stewardship to optimise long-run business growth and value creation for stakeholders. Sustainability is an integrated approach in business, which involves incorporating principles of environmental, social and governance (ESG) into business decisions and operations.

The present study highlights the role of sustainability and sustainable business practices as a multidimensional framework that includes environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and economic viability in improving corporate reputation, customer trust, brand loyalty, corporate efficiency and long-run competitive advantage. The present study also explore the rising significance of sustainability in consumer decision-making, as today’s consumers are more likely to choose companies that shows ethical behaviour and environmental responsibility.

Moreover, the strategic significance of sustainability in relation to current issues like climate change, scarcity of resources, government regulations, and stakeholder expectations are also discussed. It further provides directions on how to create and execute sustainable business strategies, such as engaging with stakeholders, adopting technology and technology-driven innovations, good governance, and circular economy practices.

Furthermore, the research highlights the key challenges to sustainability adoption, including implementation costs, lack of expertise, knowledge and resistance to change. The present study is based on the existing literature and real-life business illustrations and the authors conclude that sustainability is not only a moral duty, but also a strategic one, necessary for being resilient, profitable, and gaining a sustainable competitive advantage.

References

Agrawal R, Samadhiya A, Banaitis A, Kumar A. Entrepreneurial barriers in achieving sustainable business and cultivation of innovation: a resource-based view theory perspective. Manag Decis. 2025;63(4):1207-1228. https://doi.org/10.1108/MD-11-2023-2032

Agu EE, Iyelolu TV, Idemudia C, Ijomah TI. Exploring the relationship between sustainable business practices and increased brand loyalty. Int J Manag Entrep Res. 2024;6(8):2463-2475. https://doi.org/10.51594/ijmer.v6i8.1365

González-Ramos MI, Donate MJ, Guadamillas F. The interplay between corporate social responsibility and knowledge management strategies for innovation capability development in dynamic environments. J Knowl Manag. 2023;27(11):59-81. https://doi.org/10.1108/JKM-08-2022-0637

Panda TK, Kumar A, Jakhar S, Luthra S, Garza-Reyes JA, Kazancoglu I, et al. Social and environmental sustainability model on consumers’ altruism, green purchase intention, green brand loyalty and evangelism. J Clean Prod. 2020;243:118575. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.118575

Ramachandran S, Balasubramanian S. Examining the moderating role of brand loyalty among consumers of technology products. Sustainability. 2020;12(23):9967. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12239967

Sahoo S, Kumar A, Upadhyay A. How do green knowledge management and green technology innovation impact corporate environmental performance? Understanding the role of green knowledge acquisition. Bus Strategy Environ. 2023;32(1):551-569. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.3160

Sharma M, Antony R, Sharma A, Daim T. Can smart supply chain bring agility and resilience for enhanced sustainable business performance? Int J Logist Manag. 2025;36(2):501-555. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJLM-09-2023-0381

Wu S, Lim AF, Lim WY. Driving green competitive advantage: the power of knowledge, innovation, branding and CSR credibility. J Knowl Manag. 2025;29(8):2647-2666. https://doi.org/10.1108/JKM-09-2024-1066.

Downloads

Published

2026-07-10

How to Cite

[1]
K. Negi, V. Panwar, and A. Chakraborty, “Reconceptualising sustainability and sustainable business practices in contemporary management”, J. Soc. Rev. Dev., vol. 5, no. 3, pp. 26–31, Jul. 2026.

Issue

Section

Articles