A Framework for Sustainability-Aligned Business Development Across Sectors: A Design Science Approach

A design science framework integrates sustainability into business development across sectors. The framework embeds sustainability, reflected in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) dimensions, within a structured process that links drivers, evaluation components, and outcome indicators. Six principles guide its structure: clarity, integration, adaptability, stakeholder engagement, performance feedback, and scoring consistency. Researchers applied the framework in energy, engineering, and agribusiness cases. Case results show how the framework improves opportunity selection, identifies capability gaps, strengthens prioritization, and structures stakeholder input without adding complexity. Findings confirm that incorporating sustainability factors during the initial stage of business development changes decision patterns, aligns projects with long-term goals, and increases transparency in portfolio planning. This design science approach moves sustainability and its ESG dimensions from a reporting concern to a central element of strategic evaluation and growth planning. Organizations gain a practical structure to align opportunity development with resilience, learning capacity, and sustainability outcomes. In addition, the framework provides a foundation for adaptation, digital tool development, and longitudinal feedback cycles as firms integrate sustainability and ESG dimensions within uncertain policy, market, and stakeholder environments.