RESEARCH ARTICLE
Sustainable Development Pathways for Inert Industries in a Net-Zero Commitment: The Role of Digital Capabilities and Ecological Innovation
Sunan Shao,
Yixuan Xiong,
Shiyuan Li,
Corresponding Author
Sunan Shao
Nanfang College Guangzhou, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
Dhurakij Pundit University, Bangkok, Thailand
Correspondence:
Sunan Shao ([email protected])
Search for more papers by this authorYixuan Xiong
University of Wales Trinity Saint David, Swansea, UK
Search for more papers by this authorSunan Shao,
Yixuan Xiong,
Shiyuan Li,
Corresponding Author
Sunan Shao
Nanfang College Guangzhou, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
Dhurakij Pundit University, Bangkok, Thailand
Correspondence:
Sunan Shao ([email protected])
Search for more papers by this authorYixuan Xiong
University of Wales Trinity Saint David, Swansea, UK
Search for more papers by this authorFirst published: 06 July 2025
Funding: The authors received no specific funding for this work.
ABSTRACT
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.
Conflicts of Interest
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
Open Research
Data Availability Statement
The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
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