Environmental process maturity: A sustainable theoretical framework for Polish ports

Ports are critical nodes in global trade and logistics, playing a vital role in the sustainability agenda due to their significant environmental and social impacts. Despite increasing attention to sustainability, there is limited research on frameworks that holistically assess the environmental process maturity of ports, especially in the context of Polish ports. This study aims to address the gap by proposing a conceptual model to assess the environmental process maturity of ports, integrating environmental performance, stakeholder engagement, and regulatory alignment. The model focuses on providing actionable insights for port authorities to enhance sustainability. The study employs a conceptual approach, synthesising information from sustainability frameworks, Corporate and Social Responsibility (CSR) models, and maturity assessments. Key constructs are operationalised through specific indicators to evaluate maturity levels across five progressive stages – Initial, Developing, Established, Integrated, and Optimised. The model is tailored to the unique challenges of Polish ports and contextualised within broader European Union sustainability goals. The proposed model bridges the gap between theoretical sustainability principles and practical applications. It provides a structured framework to evaluate and improve environmental processes, offering a roadmap for ports to transition from basic compliance to strategic environmental leadership. The model's adaptability enables benchmarking and alignment with global best practices. This study contributes to the discourse on sustainable port management by introducing an integrative framework for assessing environmental process maturity. It provides theoretical advancements and practical tools for enhancing port sustainability performance, particularly in Polish and European contexts.