ESG Maturity in the Construction Industry: A Global Review and New Insights from Greece

The objectives of this study are to evaluate the level of awareness and readiness for adoption of practices related to ESG criteria and sustainability in the construction industry. Following a systematic literature review it is revealed that by 2023, only 19 scientific publications had addressed ESG issues specifically within the construction sector while in the past two years, nearly three times as many were published, a fact that demonstrates the growing research interest in ESG practices in the construction sector. It provides new empirical insights by focusing on small to medium enterprises in the Greek construction industry rather than large construction companies with established ESG reporting strategies. Interviews using open-ended questionnaires constructed based on the core ESG indicators defined in the 2022 ESG Disclosure Guidelines published by the Athens Stock Exchange Data collection, were carried out to collect data on the subject. It is shown that most SMEs demonstrate low awareness of formal ESG frameworks and insufficient readiness to adopt ESG practices. In some cases, it was found that sustainability actions exist for limited numbers of ESG indicators, but they are not integrated into a structured ESG company strategy. Overall, the results emphasize the emerging importance of ESG criteria for the construction sector and highlight the need for clearer guidelines, stronger support mechanisms, and standardized assessment tools to advance ESG adoption and support the industry’s improvement in its sustainability performance. To support industry transition, the study concludes with a practical ESG implementation roadmap designed to help Greek construction SMEs progress toward structured, measurable, and scalable sustainability practices.