From Theory to Practice: A Systematic Review of Strategic Approaches to Environmental Sustainability

This chapter focuses on the ‘E’, that is, environmental sustainability to further the discussion on integrating environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles into management practices. Through a systematic literature review (SLR) of peer-reviewed research spanning the past two decades, the chapter identifies and synthesises practical approaches that organisations have adopted to embed environmental sustainability within corporate strategy. This study analysed articles indexed in Scopus and Web of Science (WoS) databases from 2005 to 2025 to explore the alignment of environmental sustainability with corporate strategy. From a total of 281 results generated using keyword search, this study analysed 189 articles. Subsequently, findings were reported using document analysis, keywords analysis and thematic analysis. Following the structured guidelines of the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) framework, the analysis revealed environmental performance metrics, green innovation, circular economy models, and sustainable supply chain management as important strategic themes in environmental sustainability. By integrating environmental sustainability with corporate strategy, this chapter bridges the widely acknowledged gap between theoretical ESG frameworks and their implementation in practice. This chapter concludes with a discussion of emerging trends and research gaps, offering practical implications for managers and policy-makers seeking to embed environmental considerations into strategic decision-making as part of a holistic ESG approach. It serves as a fundamental reference for scholars and practitioners aiming to advance ESG integration through evidence-based environmental strategy.