Sustainable and Responsible Business

Sustainable and Responsible Business Developmental Paper Session (B)

Conceptualising German MNEs’ Sustainable Management Practices in China: A Maturity Model Approach

Qi Xu Munich Business School

Abstract

Sustainability is crucial for corporate strategies. However, sustainability-relevant legislation, standards, frameworks, and rating systems are highly complex and rapidly evolving (GRI, 2022). This poses a significant challenge for the around 4000 German MNEs operating in China (GCCC, 2023). Unfortunately, few context-specific corporate sustainability maturity models (CSMMs) are available to assist German MNEs and address their specific sustainability challenges (Marquis et al., 2015). This study fills this gap by proposing a corporate sustainability maturity model that incorporates the existing maturity model frameworks and theories, and at the same time considers the unique economic, cultural, and regulatory landscape of Germany and China. This specific sustainability maturity model provides guidance to German MNEs and MNEs in a similar context, thus making theoretical and managerial contributions.

Primary Track

Sustainable and Responsible Business

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Published in BAM2025 Conference

Publisher X-CD Journal

Date of Conference September 1–5, 2025