Sustainable development pathways for inert industries in a net-zero commitment: the role of digital capabilities and ecological innovation

As environmental policies grow and sustainable development becomes a priority, Digital Capability is crucial for achieving Zero Emissions Sustainable Performance in inert industries. Nevertheless, progress in achieving sustainable performance within inert industries has been slow and inadequate to meet future demands. A survey of 332 ISO 14000 certified companies in China shows that: (1) Digital capability significantly improves net-zero sustainable performance and promotes ecological innovation for zero emissions; (2) In net-zero commitments, ecological management practices and ecological process innovation have slightly stronger mediating effects than ecological product innovation. This is due to the characteristics of inert industries, often large enterprises with complex resources and management structures. This study presents a “capability-innovation-performance” framework for net-zero objectives, enhancing dynamic capability theory in sustainable transformation. It offers insights for inert industries resistant to change, and facilitating their transition to net-zero ecological practices in environmental management.

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