TOGETHER FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE? A TYPOLOGY OF EXTERNAL PARTY ROLES IN ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

This paper reviews research to develop a typology of the roles that external parties play across different sustainability-oriented approaches. The review covers 6,662 articles and applies a method of prepositioning to critically assess how different bodies of literature orient external parties in relation to sustainability efforts. The analysis identifies four approaches: (1) a reactive, compliance-driven approach shaped by external pressures; (2) a reactive, industry-standard approach centred on legitimacy; (3) a proactive, firm-centric market-positioning approach; and (4) a proactive, idealistic approach that prioritises sustainability over profit. The review shows that existing research predominantly focuses on adaptation to legal or institutional pressure. By contrast, perspectives emphasising co-creation remain marginal. These findings highlight opportunities for innovation management research to explore more creative and forward-looking approaches to sustainability. They also point to the need for greater integration across research fields to advance a more comprehensive and proactive sustainability research agenda.