The Integration of the Water‐Energy‐Food Nexus Framework Into Corporate Sustainability Strategies: A Systematic Literature Review

Edoardo Bigolin, Rudy Rossetto, Filippo Corsini and Marco Frey

Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 2025, vol. 32, issue 6, 7490-7509

Abstract: The integration of the Water‐Energy‐Food (WEF) Nexus into Corporate Sustainability (CS) offers a more resilient and comprehensive approach to resource management. However, despite growing attention to this topic, its implementation in the corporate context remains underexplored and largely fragmented. Through a systematic literature review of 56 articles, this study examines (i) how the Nexus is conceptualized in managerial literature and translated into CS instruments and practices, and (ii) the barriers that hinder its adoption in CS strategies. Our findings identify four frameworks through which managerial literature connects the Nexus to corporate practices: circular economy, stakeholder engagement, systems thinking, and ecosystem approaches. These frameworks translate into principles and practical tools to integrate the WEF Nexus into CS more effectively. Regarding the barriers, our analysis identifies three recurring obstacles: siloed organizational structures, ambiguous system boundaries, and limited stakeholder collaboration, which hinder the translation of Nexus principles into tangible managerial CS practices. The study formulates managerial recommendations to enhance the adoption of WEF principles in CS strategies. It advocates for the evolution of existing CS instruments through innovative, comprehensive methodologies and analytical tools. Finally, it proposes that future research should integrate organizational and behavioral theories with empirical work on managerial motivations, financial performance, and stakeholder dynamics, thereby deepening the understanding of how to improve the integration of the WEF Nexus into CS strategies.

Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://doi.org/10.1002/csr.70090

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:wly:corsem:v:32:y:2025:i:6:p:7490-7509

Access Statistics for this article

More articles in Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management from John Wiley & Sons
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Wiley Content Delivery ().