The Impact of Sustainable Supplier Management on ESG Compliance Capability and Export Competitiveness in Chinese Export-Oriented Manufacturing Firms

As global ESG standards continue to intensify, export-oriented manufacturing firms are increasingly facing the dual challenge of managing sustainable supply chains and enhancing export competitiveness. Grounded in Dynamic Capabilities Theory and the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) framework, this study empirically analyzes how sustainable supplier selection and collaboration strengthen firms’ ESG compliance capabilities and, in turn, enhance their export competitiveness. Using survey data collected from 228 export manufacturing firms located in Guangdong Province, China, between February 20 and April 21, 2025, the study employs Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) for empirical validation. The key findings are as follows. First, sustainable supplier selection significantly enhances supplier collaboration, ESG compliance capability, and export competitiveness. Second, supplier collaboration positively affects ESG capability and export performance. Third, ESG capability plays a key mediating role in linking sustainable supply chain practices to export advantage. By integrating dynamic capabilities theory with the TBL framework, this study deepens the understanding of how sustainable supply chain management drives both internal capacity and external outcomes. The findings provide practical guidance for export manufacturers developing ESG-oriented supply chain strategies.