The Ethical Commitment of Business Strategy: ESG-Related Factors as Drivers of the SDGs

M. Ángeles López-Cabarcos (), Ydriss Ziane (), M. Luisa López-Pérez () and Juan Piñeiro-Chousa ()
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M. Ángeles López-Cabarcos: Santiago de Compostela University
Ydriss Ziane: IAE Paris - Sorbonne Business School
M. Luisa López-Pérez: Santiago de Compostela University
Juan Piñeiro-Chousa: Santiago de Compostela University

Journal of Business Ethics, 2025, vol. 202, issue 4, No 11, 805-821

Abstract: Abstract Companies play an important role in sustainable development. While many companies have incorporated ESG initiatives into their strategies, the specific impact of these efforts on the SDGs remains unclear, especially regarding how these initiatives are prioritized or aligned within corporate strategies. Despite the common relationship between ESG practices and sustainability, limited research has investigated how ESG strategies contribute to the SDGs. This paper aims to assess the ethical commitment of organizational practices, analysing how the combination of five ESG-related variables (ecological impacts, access and affordability, labour practices, product design and lifecycle management, and business ethics) leads to a positive contribution to the SDGs among 137 companies belonging to EUROSTOXX and S&P500 indexes. A fsQCA analysis has been conducted, distinguishing between ESG variables with internal, external, human and non-human connotations. The findings highlight that the combination of all these variables rather than isolated ESG practices is essential to achieve the SDGs. Although differences are shown between the companies belonging to the two indexes, ethical governance, environmental issues and labour practices have emerged as the most relevant ESG variables for achieving sustainable goals. This study provides a better understanding of what and how ESG initiatives can contribute to the SDGs, helping companies and policy makers identify the ethical approaches to consider when designing strategies to advance towards sustainable performance.

Keywords: ESG; SDGs; Sustainable behaviour; Ethical commitment; Business ethics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1007/s10551-025-06002-z

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