Are mature firms more sustainable? An analysis of industry 4.0 maturity

Industry 4.0 (I4.0) is a new transformation in the manufacturing sector driven by the adoption of cyber-physical systems, internet of things, and advanced analytics to enable digitalized and intelligent production systems. Although the existing literature highlights that considerable progress has been made in defining I4.0 practices, a clear gap remains in understanding how the maturity of I4.0 adoption influences sustainability performance and operational excellence. The existing maturity and readiness models are more focused on technological progress while giving limited attention to the integration of sustainability related indicators. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine how I4.0 maturity has been conceptualized in the literature and to identify the extent to which sustainability dimensions can be integrated into maturity models. To achieve this, a systematic literature review was conducted on maturity models, maturity items and their impact on the sustainability performance of organizations. The review highlights three major findings. First, most maturity models are focused on technological and operational readiness. Second, while some studies suggest that higher levels of maturity may lead to improved sustainable outcomes, robust empirical validation of these links is still lacking. Third, there is no comprehensive framework that integrates sustainability indicators into I4.0 maturity assessment, which reflects a significant gap from both theoretical and practical perspectives. Based on these insights, this study proposes a conceptual framework that incorporates sustainability indicators into I4.0 maturity evaluation. This framework advances theoretical understanding by connecting digital maturity to sustainable transformation goals and provides practical guidance for managers aiming to design digital transformation roadmaps that balance efficiency with environmental and social responsibility. Future research should focus on empirical validation of this framework across various industrial contexts to strengthen its applicability and relevance.