Green business strategies of MNEs: a systematic review and the path forward

Purpose Green business strategies of multinational enterprises (MNEs) have witnessed an upsurge in scholarly interest mainly due to the growing concern about environmental issues on a global basis. In this respect, the purpose of this study is to synthesize and encapsulate the empirical body of research on green business strategies in the context of MNEs. Design/methodology/approach Using a systematic literature review methodology, 65 empirical articles published between 1995 and 2023 were subjected to content analysis with thematic aspects and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, theoretical underpinnings and empirical issues. Findings Despite considerable progress, the findings of this systematic review unveil the shortcomings in the thematic distributions, the gaps associated with the theoretical foundations and the fragmentations covering the empirical results, entailing additional improvements for the thrust of research on green business strategies of MNEs to move towards maturity. Originality/value Addressing the environmental pillar of sustainability thoroughly in the context of MNEs, this systematic review is expected to offer fresh and useful insights into the relevant literature.