Boundary Conditions in Action: A Neo‐Configurational, Counterfactual, Machine Learning Validated Analysis of <scp>G20</scp> Economies' Sustainability Outcomes

ABSTRACT The sustainable development paths of G20 economies remain highly persistent and divergent, despite shared global commitments, raising questions about the conjunctural configurations that facilitate advancement across economic, social, and environmental domains. Building on a configurational approach, this research employs fsQCA on a panel of G20 country‐year observations (2001–2024) to explore how combinations of energy, technological, and institutional factors impact sustainability outcomes. Our findings reveal that no single factor is strictly necessary; instead, equifinal recipes, such as high‐tech exports (HTE) combined with strong governance or efficiency improvements embedded in low fossil fuel intensity, are sufficient to maintain wealth, promote equity, and improve air quality. Asymmetry is also evident: the causal routes leading towards weak sustainability do not simply amount to the complement set of routes directing towards success. Governance repeatedly appears as a significant amplifier, while digital penetration and high‐tech intensity operate as conditional substitutes when institutions are weak. By deconstructing these institutional‐structural patterns, this research advances the literature on international business and sustainability, yielding practical implications for policymakers and multinational corporations.