Environmental Dimensions Of Sustainability Research Articles

Exploring Gender Dynamics and Environmental Sustainability in Family Firms

In an ever-changing landscape, family businesses, characterized by their unique blend of tradition, familial bonds, and entrepreneurial spirit, stand as bastions of resilience and continuity, playing a pivotal role in economic growth and societal development. Indeed, family businesses account for 80 percent of all business enterprises worldwide, making them the prevalent form of conducting business. As these entities grapple with the imperative to remain economically viable while navigating the intricacies of the contemporary business landscape, the incorporation of sustainable practices into the organizational fabric takes centre stage. By actively seeking a harmonious and reciprocal relationship between financial objectives, social responsibility, and environmental accountability, family businesses can not only secure their own longevity but also contribute to a more equitable and sustainable global environment. This narrative becomes especially compelling at the intersection with gender. Exploring the intersection between gender and sustainability provides insights into how gender dynamics influence and are influenced by efforts to achieve sustainable development. Moreover, understanding and addressing this interplay is essential for devising holistic and effective strategies that promote social equity, economic prosperity, and environmental stewardship. It underscores the need for inclusive and gender-sensitive approaches in all aspects of sustainable development. Acknowledging the significance of this ongoing dialogue, this study delves into the intricate relationship between gender dynamics and the environmental dimension of sustainability within family businesses. Through a systematic literature review of empirical research, this work specifically aims to uncover the linkage between board gender diversity and corporate environmental performance. The findings indicate that gender-diverse boards improve environmental value creation, and women in leadership positions correlate positively with environmental disclosure in family-controlled businesses. Overall, a strong positive correlation emerges between the proportion of women directors on the board and the level of environmental sustainability. The findings of this study hold implications not only for family business practitioners but also for policymakers and academics interested in propelling gender equality and sustainability agendas, notably within the framework of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Green threads of change: Unravelling the gendered and experienced moderators in the sustainable symphony of green HR practices and environmental responsibility

This study employs a quantitative methodology to investigate the intricate relationships between Green Human Resource (HR) Practices, Green Culture, and Environmental Sustainability. The independent variable, Green HR Practices, is delineated into four components: green recruitment, green training, green reward, and green empowerment. The mediating role of Green Culture is explored in the context of two dependent variables: Proactive Organization-Centered Environmental Sustainability and Reactive Organization Eco-Centric Environmental Sustainability. Additionally, gender and experience are introduced as moderators, influencing the relationship between Green Culture and the two dimensions of Environmental Sustainability. Utilizing a purposive sampling technique, data were collected from 357 participants from industries in Pakistan. The analysis was conducted using Warp-PLS 8.0 software. The results reveal significant direct and indirect effects of Green HR Practices on both and, with Green Culture acting as a mediator. The study further unveils the moderating influence of gender and experience on the relationship between Green Culture and Environmental Sustainability. Key findings include the identification of specific Green HR Practices that significantly impact environmental outcomes. The mediating role of Green Culture elucidates the pathway through which these practices influence sustainability. The moderation effects of gender and experience underscore the nuanced nature of these relationships, emphasizing the need for tailored strategies. The study contributes to the growing literature on sustainable HR practices by offering insights into the mechanisms driving environmental sustainability within organizations. The findings have practical implications for HR practitioners, highlighting the importance of cultivating green organizational culture and considering individual differences in the implementation of sustainability initiatives.

A quality-based sustainable supply chain architecture for perishable products using image processing in the era of industry 4.0

In India, approximately one-third of agricultural produce is wasted every year due to the different issues present in the post-harvest supply chain stages. The supply chain management of perishable products becomes complex and challenging due to the inclusion of its perishability dynamics. Quality is the main factor that governs the buying or discarding of perishable products by consumers. Therefore, the main aim of this research work is to develop an accurate and efficient image processing model for the classification of the product (Tomato) based on its quality for managing the supply chain. There are three novelties in this research work. A four-stage supply chain architecture integrated with the image processing system at mandi, and warehouses is proposed (First). This image processing system is developed in two stages. In stage I, the acquired images of tomato during its life cycle are labelled with the help of machine learning algorithms (Second). This labelled data is used in stage II for the development of a classification model to segregate the product into various grades. For this, an optimized architecture of seven-layer Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) model is developed followed by optimization of its hyperparameters simultaneously using Design of Experiments (DOE) technique (Third). The optimized CNN model achieved maximum accuracy of 88.40% and reported an execution time of 7 min. Further, the results of standard hyperparameter optimization techniques like Grid search, Random search, Bayesian, and Hyperband are compared with the proposed DOE technique on the optimized CNN architecture. The work done in this paper enables the supply chain managers to take accurate and rapid decisions for pricing, procurement, storage, and transportation at various stages of the supply chain leading to Industry 4.0. This will result in reduced post-harvest losses and simultaneously achieve the benefits across social, economic, and environmental dimensions of sustainability leading to better supply chain management.

Sustainability Traps: Patience and Innovation

AbstractThis paper argues that the joint relation between long-term orientation, environmental quality and innovation plays a key role in explaining the economic and the environmental dimension of sustainability. In our model multiple equilibria of economic development and environmental quality can arise due to a trade-off between the demand for innovation that promotes sustainability, and the ephemeral pleasure from polluting manufacturing that impedes it. Additional to traditional policies such as aid and technology transfers, policies that target behavioral changes through environmental protection may provide a double-dividend of economic and environmental sustainability through an environment-patience-innovation channel.

A multidimensional and multi-criteria framework for measuring the circularity of energy generation systems at national level

The circular economy can play a key role in the clean energy transition. In fact, it can enable the shift to renewable power generation addressing the emerging security risks related to supply chains of minerals and metals crucial for green energy technologies. Circularity metrics are essential for assessing the effectiveness of actions taken and the progress toward measurable goals. In this context, through an action research approach the authors developed a framework of indicators to quantify the level of circularity of the whole electricity generation systems at the macro scale. The framework includes indicators related to energy policies, materials, energy, and waste flows and environmental sustainability dimensions and classifies the systems as “beginner”, “started”, “concerned” and “circular”. The framework was applied to the Italian electricity generation system in 2020. The results of the analysis showed that the Italian electricity generation system could be classified as “concerned” in the circular transition. Water circularity, the recycling rate of waste and the usage of minerals and metals, as well as the need to enhance the installation of renewable capacity, resulted in crucial areas for enhancing the circularity of the system. In addition, the application to the case study highlighted the need for the creation of comprehensive databases that increase the accessibility of the data required for measurement and subsequent monitoring purposes. The proposed framework can support the policy makers in planning strategies aimed at increasing the circularity of the electricity generation system at the national level.

Exploring the Contribution of Advanced Systems in Smart City Development for the Regeneration of Urban Industrial Heritage

This article shows the potential of smart city development in revitalizing urban industrial heritage and traditional industrial blocks. It highlights the challenges faced by these areas, such as aging infrastructure, pollution, and neglect. Smart city technologies are examined as effective solutions for addressing these challenges by promoting efficient resource utilization, improving mobility and connectivity, and enhancing the quality of the built environment. International examples of smart city initiatives implemented in industrial heritage sites and traditional industrial blocks are presented to demonstrate the potential benefits of these technologies. This article emphasizes the importance of inclusivity, sustainability, and community engagement in the revitalization process. It argues that smart city development should prioritize the needs and aspirations of local communities, leveraging their knowledge and expertise for long-term success and sustainability. This article underscores the significance of adopting a comprehensive and integrated approach to urban revitalization that considers social, economic, and environmental dimensions of sustainability. It suggests that smart city development can act as a catalyst for transforming urban industrial areas into thriving and resilient landscapes capable of addressing the challenges of the 21st century. This article aims to explore the potential of smart city development in revitalizing urban industrial heritage and traditional industrial blocks while advocating for equitable outcomes and sustainable urban environments.

Discovering the Perception Differences of Stakeholders on the Sustainable and Innovative Stormwater Management Practices

The overarching aim of the present work is to explore the perception differences of stakeholders, i.e., municipalities (MN), water administrations (WS), non-governmental organizations (NGO), and universities (UN), playing vital roles in the decision mechanisms regarding one of the sustainable flood mitigation techniques, i.e., low impact development (LID) practices. As being rewarding alternative to conventional drainage techniques, four different LID strategies, i.e., green roof (GR), bioretention cells (BC), permeable pavement (PP), and infiltration trench (IT), and three of their combinations were adopted to the densely urbanized Ayamama River basin, Istanbul, Turkey. The performances of the LIDs were comprehensively evaluated based on three pillars of sustainability (i.e., social, economic, and environmental) using a hybrid multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) framework containing the implementation of fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (fuzzy AHP) and the VIKOR (VIse KriterijumsaOptimiz acija I Kompromisno Resenje) for finding the weights of constraining criteria and prioritizing the LID scenarios, respectively. The major outcomes of this research showed that experts from MN, WS, and UN put forward the environmental dimension of sustainability, whereas respondents from NGO concentrated on the social aspect. Furthermore, MN and WS highlighted initial investment cost as the most determining criterion in optimal LID selection. On the other hand, criteria weights regarding the judgments of the experts attended from NGO revealed the significance of community resistance in specifying the optimal LID practices, while aesthetic appearance was the major concern of the academia. Hence, the present study, as an initial attempt, enabled critical standpoints for discovering perceptions of stakeholders.

A Framework for Sustainable Manufacturing: Integrating Industry 4.0 Technologies with Industry 5.0 Values

The limitations imposed by resource scarcity and the imperative to mitigate adverse environmental and societal impacts have intensified the urgency of developing more sustainable manufacturing systems. Simultaneously, the rapid development and implementation of new technologies is exacerbating the digital divide among vulnerable workers. Concomitantly, the enabling technologies stemming from Industry 4.0 offer significant potential to enhance the competitiveness of manufacturing systems. However, the impact of these enabling technologies on achieving sustainable manufacturing remains uncertain. This paper embarks on a comprehensive exploration to address this knowledge gap. Initially, it assesses the suitability of each enabling technology within Industry 4.0 across the economic, social, and environmental dimensions of sustainability. Subsequently, the needs of the production process are studied to characterize its sustainable performance. For this, the ASTM E3012-22 standard is introduced. Building upon this foundation, the incorporation of Industry 5.0 is introduced to guide the selection of enabling technologies for sustainability based on its core values, encompassing sustainability, human-centricity, and resilience. The integration of new technologies guided by these values can help bridge the technological divide among vulnerable workers. Finally, a theoretical framework is proposed to enable the design of sustainable manufacturing systems guided by Industry 5.0 values. This framework enables the seamless integration of enabling technologies, machinery, and human expertise throughout the system life cycle.

The Effects of Sustainable Hospitality Supply Chain on Customer Satisfaction and Customer Repurchase Intentions

Purpose: Sustainability is seen as an activity that promotes organizational growth through customer satisfaction. The current trend suggests that customers have high concerns about sustainability in the hospitality sector. The focused of this study looked into the sustainable hospitality supply chain impact on customer satisfaction and customer repurchase of hospitality services. Methods: Utilizing data obtained from customers patronizing any of the hospitality services (hotels accommodation, conferences and restaurants) in Ghana. The study focused on validating and testing a hypothesized model using the SmartPLS tool. Results and Conclusion: The result indicates a significant positive relationship between all the sustainable dimensions (economic, environmental, and social). These findings suggest that customer satisfaction is influenced by sustainable supply chain dimensions. The findings further revealed that the environmental dimension of sustainability provides a direct and significant relationship to customer repurchase of hospitality services, but the economic and social dimensions influence customer repurchase of hospitality services through customer satisfaction. Implication of Research: The findings of this study will enable practitioners and policymakers to understand sustainability practices in hospitality firms and assist them to prioritize, align or realign their limited resources on the sustainable dimensions since there is varying degree of impact of each dimension. Originality/Value: This paper adds to the existing findings by demonstrating the larger impact of sustainability in promoting customers retention for hospitality services. The study is unique as it shows the role of customers satisfaction in the relationship between sustainability dimension and customers retention for hospitality services. It provides evidence that sustainability dimensions is not a direct consequence of customer retention unless there is sufficient customer satisfaction for that sustainable dimension.

An analysis of green lean six sigma deployment in MSMEs: a systematic literature review and conceptual implementation framework

PurposeGreen Lean Six Sigma (GLSS) is a comprehensive approach that aims to reduce waste, emissions and non-value added activities, thus mark an effective impact on sustainability of firms. Despite the numerous benefits of GLSS implementation, it is evident that Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are still struggling to understand, integrate and implement this strategy. This research work provides a comprehensive analysis of GLSS within MSMEs and proposes a conceptual integration framework of GLSS for improving economic and environmental dimensions of sustainability MSMEs.Design/methodology/approachA systematic literature review (SLR) methodology was planned to assess and analyse the research articles from 2007 to 2022. Different key elements of GLSS such as barriers, enablers and tool sets have been thoroughly reviewed and analysed for MSME organisations to understand their behaviour and effectively adopt the GLSS approach in their operations.FindingsThis study provides the analysis of different perspectives of GLSS and this will contribute to improve different metrics related to emissions and quality in MSMEs. It provides MSMEs industrial managers with a comprehensive knowledge base of GLSS elements, enabling effective deployment.Practical implicationsThe present study provides a significant knowledge base and know-how of GLSS to researchers that will assist in deploying this sustainable approach in different industrial domains. The study also assists industrial managers by providing a systematic framework of GLSS for MSMEs. Further, the study also supports society by proving pathway to improve the environmental dynamics through the execution GLSS.Originality/valueThe study is of the first kind that review different facets of GLSS related to MSME. The study not only enhances theoretical know how of GLSS but also guides practitioners how to implement comprehensive GLSS program for improved environmental sustainability.

Industry 4.0 Technologies and their Implications for Environmental Sustainability in the Manufacturing Industry

The advent of Industry 4.0 has revolutionized the manufacturing industry by incorporating interconnectivity, decentralized decision-making, resource optimization, and automation. This transformation has been made possible through the integration of advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Cyber-Physical Systems, the Internet of Things, Big Data Analytics, and Blockchain Technology. However, while Industry 4.0 has primarily focused on production efficiency and real-time transparency, the need for the transition toward a holistically sustainable environment has become increasingly urgent. As a result, the term Industry 5.0 was devised, merging the concept of Industry 4.0 with sustainability, resilience, and human-centric goals. This paper explores the potential areas of influence these technologies have on the environmental dimension of sustainability. The findings indicate that various Industry 4.0 technologies can contribute to environmental sustainability in manufacturing. These technologies offer opportunities to optimize supply chain performance, improve product traceability, reduce waste, enhance resource management, and minimize overall environmental impact. By understanding the implications of Industry 4.0 for environmental sustainability, researchers, policymakers, and industry practitioners can collaborate to develop strategies that integrate advanced technologies and sustainable practices in the manufacturing sector. The research provides insights into the potential benefits of these technologies for environmental sustainability and calls for further investigation to fully explore their environmental dimensions.

Assessing University Students’ Beliefs and Attitudes towards Sustainability and Sustainable Development: A Systematic Review

(1) Background: contents and strategies related to sustainability and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are being introduced in academic curricula, and the organization of the university environment is evolving to adopt sustainable practices. One of the main aims of this evolution is to raise students’ awareness of sustainability and to encourage them to develop attitudes, knowledge and competencies for acting as future responsible citizens. This implies the need to examine and understand students’ attitudes and beliefs towards sustainability. (2) Method: a systematic literature review has been performed to examine the most recent studies focused on university students’ beliefs and attitudes towards sustainable development. Three educational online databases were searched for identified research papers, and in the end, 20 papers have been included in the analysis. (3) Results: in recent years there has been a growing interest in the topic of university students’ assessment of sustainability beliefs and attitudes. Assessment was frequently limited to the environmental dimension of sustainability, placing the economic, social and educational dimensions in the background. Most of the assessing tools have been developed as quantitative questionnaires. (4) Conclusions: understanding the attitudes and perceptions of university students about sustainability issues is an essential task for helping higher education institutions to effectively infuse the contents and principles of sustainable development into their environments.

Considering Socioeconomic and Environmental Pillars of Sustainability Approach and Sustainable Development Goals to Design a Model for COVID-19 Vaccination

In recent years, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a great deal of harm to human health. In this research, a sustainable multi-objective mathematical model is presented, emphasizing the significance of both collective and individual living conditions that emerge amid pandemics. This model considers the economic, social, and environmental dimensions of sustainability. Food inflation, unemployment, domestic violence, and suicide rates are selected as indicators of life standards related to sustainability pillars and sustainable development goals. Domestic violence and suicide represent the social pillar, while food inflation represents the economic and social pillars. Lastly, unemployment is a measure of the economic, social, and environmental pillars. As indicated by the four indicators, the model maximizes the vaccination utility, minimizes the cost of vaccine supply, and minimizes the negative outcomes of preventive measures to control the outbreak of COVID-19. Cplex/GAMS software has been used to validate the model in small size and evaluate it in large size, respectively, using a random example and a case study of Iran. The results and the sensitivity analysis indicate that to achieve herd immunity in the shortest possible time and to minimize the pandemic-induced negative effects, all available capacities should be used for vaccination. Furthermore, in the case of not utilizing the existing capacities, the negative effects of preventive measures may increase by two times, making it impossible to achieve the desired results even over a longer period.

The making-or-breaking of material and resource efficiency in the Nordics

The relevance of efficient direct material input through both export market and domestic material sources offers useful material and resource productivity guidelines from both economic and environmental sustainability dimensions. In the current context, the drivers of material and resource efficiency in the Nordic region are examined by utilizing requisite empirical approaches over the period 1995–2020. The investigation revealed that economic activities which are characterized by Gross domestic product (GDP) alongside the growth of urban population and utilization of oil energy are all detrimental to the region's resource efficiency. It implies that material utilization efficiency cannot be optimized with the current trend of the region's GDP, urban population growth and the use of dirty energy. Contrarily, the findings, further revealed that alternative energy utilization vis-à-vis renewables are key indicators to spur material and resource efficiency in the region, thus throwing more support for the region's unavoidable energy transition goal. These highlighted results alongside the Granger causality inference offer sustainable development measures that are specifically motivated through the improvement of efficient and optimization of output.

Development of an LCA-based tool to assess the environmental sustainability level of cosmetics products

PurposeThe depletion of natural resources and the downgrading of the environment, driven by globalization and consumerism phenomena, are worldwide pushing the interest in sustainable manufacturing paradigm and environment preservation. It is moreover clear to academia and practitioners that the cosmetics industry needs to update its current operations to face new sustainable requirements and norms due to its ever-growing size and massive consumption of natural resources. Different methodologies, metrics, and indicators have been and are being proposed for solving the complex issues of environmental sustainability evaluation of cosmetics processes and products.MethodsAmong these approaches and methods, product-related assessment tools (e.g., life cycle assessment) are usually more focused on the environmental dimension of sustainability, and they are always based on the life cycle of the product. The core of this paper is on the development of a novel tool to classify cosmetics products based on the results of LCA: the eco-friendliness assessment tool (EFAT). The methodology of the work is structured into 5 main phases: definition of the scientific background of the work, definition of the tool requirements, tool development, testing of the tool, analysis of the results. The eco-friendliness assessment tool proposed is structured into two main parts: (i) process flow 1: environmental impact score and (ii) process flow 2: supplier environmental sustainability assessment.ResultsThe tool has been tested on a cosmetics product manufactured in a cosmetics company located in Italy. The acquisition of raw material process and primary packaging process are the two most critical processes resulting from the impact analysis of LCA methodology. The application of the EFAT tool shows the two possible most sustainable improved scenarios are as follows: (i) exploiting transportation of the primary packaging by sea and (ii) adopting the European location of the primary packaging supplier. The results coming from the tool application allowed the definition of the company product eco-friendliness. The eco-friendliness is symbolized by an alphabetical letter and a color.ConclusionsThe paper proposes a practical tool to assess the environmental sustainability level of cosmetics products, with the intention to overcome two of the main literature gaps found in the state of the art: (i) absence of LCA methodology implementation in the cosmetics industry on makeup products, (ii) absence of tools that rely on the results of the LCA analysis of a cosmetic product for understanding its sustainability level of sustainability.

Assessment of Safety Levels in the Agricultural Sector for Supporting Social Sustainability: A Quantitative Analysis from a National Point of View

The scientific debate about sustainability in the agricultural sector is growing worldwide, especially thanks to the increasing awareness of customers towards the impact of their consumption behaviors. While a great deal of attention is given to the economic and environmental dimensions of sustainability, social sustainability assessment often focuses on the quality of life of farmers and the local community; the dimension regarding occupational health and safety (OHS) is not so analyzed even if the agricultural sector could be evaluated as one of the most hazardous ones all over the world. From this point of view, workers are considered high-risk groups mainly due to the presence of hazardous equipment and chemicals. The aim of this work is to propose a cross-analysis developed on public databases reporting data about injuries in the Italian agricultural sector—provided by the Italian National Institute for the Insurance of Work-Related Injuries (INAIL)—in order to point out the main sources and causes that led to these injuries. The injury analysis will allow companies as well as institutions to define more effective prevention strategies to increase the social sustainability levels of this sector. Even if results are limited to the Italian sector, they could outline some directions for improving social sustainability levels as well as research gaps and possible future research directions in order to prevent injuries in the agricultural sector.

Social sustainability of energy infrastructures: The role of the programme governance framework

The energy infrastructure literature focuses on the economic and environmental dimensions of sustainability, neglecting the social dimension. Particularly obscure is how the programme governance frameworks of energy projects and programmes shape their social performance. We address this gap in knowledge by leveraging a cross-case analysis of comparable energy infrastructures planned and delivered in contexts with different programme governance frameworks (i.e., Iran, Italy, Nigeria, Norway, Saudi Arabia, and the USA). This article first clarifies how investigating social sustainability at the infrastructure/project level is inadequate, showing that the overarching programme governance framework - set at the country level - is a major driver for social sustainability. Second, this article identifies three perspectives to examine the link between the programme governance framework and social sustainability: 1) Types of contracts, 2) Leadership of the infrastructure programme, and 3) Maturity of the legal and regulatory framework. These perspectives are combined to provide a novel analytical framework, useful to both examine the present status and plan future energy infrastructures. Last, this article discusses the findings from a policy perspective deriving a research agenda.

A hesitant approach to sustainable supply chain risk assessment

Supply chains (SCs) are increasingly vulnerable to disruptive events, posing risks to all involved parties. Managing and mitigating these risks is crucial for resilient and sustainable SC, aligned with global sustainability goals. This study proposes a new hesitant approach to classical fuzzy cognitive mapping (FCM) to examine the underlying structure of sustainable supply chain risks (SCRs) and their long-term impact on SC performance. By handling the uncertainty caused by human doubt, the proposed approach captures both interpersonal and intrapersonal hesitancy in complex SC systems with negative and positive causalities. The applicability of the proposed approach is demonstrated through an application for a generic SC. The findings reveal that risk events linked to the economic, social, and environmental dimensions of sustainability have a negative impact on SC performance. Supplier-related risks are identified as the most critical risks in sustainable SC systems, followed by operational risks and demand-side risks. The proposed approach enhances risk assessment accuracy and robustness, providing SC managers with reliable insights for effective risk mitigation strategies, and offering valuable guidance in managing SCRs in a sustainable manner. It highlights the significance of a holistic approach to supply chain management (SCM) by identifying critical concepts related to sustainable SCRs.

Greening labour? The role of the SDGs in fostering sustainability integration within trade unions

ABSTRACT The effective integration of the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainability by actors in all sectors is a core objective of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Do trade unions, as important socio-economic actors, contribute to this agenda by aligning with environmental concerns? We conducted a qualitative content analysis of primary documentary sources from the International and European Trade Union Confederations focussing on the 2012–2022 period. We complemented this with in-depth interviews from The Netherlands and Belgium. We found that trade unions have been ‘greening’ their discourses and initiatives, and cooperating more with environmental movements. They also use the SDGs not only as discursive frames, but also to shape concrete initiatives. However, they overwhelmingly see greening still in instrumental terms rather than as a transformative prioritization of environmental concerns. This is reflected in their engagement with the SDGs, as unions shape the implementation of the SDGs according to their priorities.

Examine the level of environmental, social and governance disclosure in sustainability report – a study of the Indian banking sector

Purpose Sustainable development (SD) is widely acknowledged as the center around which all development efforts should revolve. Banking is a crucial component of SD, and the adoption of sustainable banking practices by various banking institutions is a powerful catalyst for its achievement. This paper aims to investigate the level of adoption of environmental, social and governance (ESG) indicators in India and the extent to which financial institutions use these strategies. In addition, the banks have been classified according to their sustainable banking performance and showing a relationship between ESG and sustainability. Design/methodology/approach An ESG framework has been developed for the Indian banking system that focuses on the behavior of banks. The evaluation of literature helps to identify the gaps in particular frameworks for analyzing sustainable banking practices in developing nations because of the variation in economic criteria between developed and developing countries. An attempt to construct a common framework for measuring the banking sector’s sustainable efforts has been done in the past. Specifically in India, where the social and environmental dimensions of sustainability are of equal importance to governance indicators, these studies fall short of providing relevant indicators. Multiple financial reports, nonfinancial reports, corporate social responsibility reports and business responsibility reports of this sector were analyzed using content analysis techniques against ESG indicators for sustainability attainment. Findings The result of this study shows that both the sectors are disclosing their environmental indicators more as compared to other dimensions. While the analysis says that private companies are going better than public companies in terms of disclosing their ESG indicators. As compared to the international banking sector, adoption of Global Reporting Initiatives standards, United Nations Environment Programme Financial Initiatives (UNEP FI), Green Credit Policy and Equator Principles (EP) is near to the ground in India. IDFC bank is the only entity that started implementing EP practices and Yes bank also is doing a wonderful implementation of the green policies and is the signatory to UNEP FI. Practical implications The current state of sustainable banking in India is reflected in the implementation of the proposed framework. To better integrate sustainability problems into banking, this study provides helpful information for banks and other stakeholders. In addition, this study corrects the lack of research in the Indian context on sustainable banking. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge by far, this is one of the prime studies to inspect the degree of ESG disclosure by the Indian banking sector in their sustainability report.