Assessing the role of BPM maturity in advancing ESG performance: evidence from Poland

Justyna Berniak-Woźny, Piotr Sliż and Marek Szelągowski

International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, 2026, vol. 75, issue 9, 2948-2968

Abstract: PurposeThis study examines the relationship between business process management (BPM) maturity and environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices in Polish organisations, addressing the limited empirical evidence supporting Green BPM models.Design/methodology/approachA survey of 287 organisations was conducted using the computer-assisted web interview technique. BPM maturity was assessed using the BPM maturity assessment (BPM MA) model, and ESG practices were evaluated across strategic, operational and compliance dimensions through structured questionnaires.FindingsResults reveal clear maturity-related patterns across the strategic-operational-compliance (S-O-C) framework. Strategic ESG practices – especially the adoption of formal ESG strategies and external reporting – progress consistently with BPM maturity. Operational practices also improve, though temporary plateaus occur at mid-maturity levels. Compliance practices display more variable, context-dependent trajectories. Overall, organisations with higher BPM maturity demonstrate markedly greater readiness for Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive-aligned sustainability reporting.Research limitations/implicationsThe cross-sectional design limits causal interpretation, and the Poland-specific sample may constrain generalisability. Future research should apply longitudinal and cross-national approaches.Practical implicationsThe findings provide managers with a maturity-based roadmap for strengthening ESG integration. They show which ESG capabilities develop at each maturity stage and where targeted interventions, such as enhanced monitoring systems or supplier evaluation processes, can most effectively accelerate sustainability transformation.Originality/valueThis study presents the first large-scale empirical examination of the BPM maturity–ESG relationship at a national level. It introduces the S-O-C Framework for analysing ESG integration across organisational dimensions and offers evidence-based guidance for aligning BPM development with sustainability requirements.

Keywords: Business process management (BPM); BPM maturity; Green BPM; ESG performance; Sustainability integration; Process improvement; CSRD readiness; Organisational transformation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eme:ijppmp:ijppm-08-2025-0809

DOI: 10.1108/IJPPM-08-2025-0809

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