Corporate sustainable practices and family business internationalisation: A literature review and conceptual framework

Mosad Mina Saad Tawadrous (2026) Corporate sustainable practices and family business internationalisation: A literature review and conceptual framework. In: ESG - Risk Management or New Sustainability? VIII.BUEB International Sustainability Student ConferenceProceedings - Budapest University of Economics and Business 2025. Budapesti Gazdaságtudományi Egyetem, Budapest, Magyarország, pp. 1-10. ISBN 978-615-6886-27-9

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Abstract

This article reviews recent literature on the internationalisation of family firms, with a particular focus on how corporate sustainability practices address challenges in adopting internationalisation strategies. It presents a conceptual framework illustrating the interplay between corporate sustainability practices and international expansion. A systematic literature review method was adopted to synthesise insights from 31 Scopus-indexed peer-reviewed articles published between 2019 and 2024. This period was chosen to capture the most recent developments in the field, including the impact of COVID-19 and the growing global emphasis on sustainability in international business. The study identifies five key themes. First, corporate sustainability aligns family firms’ long-term objectives with their priorities for socioemotional wealth. Second, corporate sustainability enhances financial performance, although financial constraints may act as a barrier. Third, family firms’ unique resources, such as reputational capital and cultural heritage, mediate the relationship between sustainability and global expansion. Fourth, governance practices, including board diversity and leadership dynamics, play a pivotal role in aligning corporate sustainability efforts with internationalisation strategies. Finally, institutional and cultural contexts act as moderators, influencing the effectiveness of corporate sustainability practices across diverse markets by shaping their legitimacy and acceptance. The proposed framework offers a new perspective by integrating Socioemotional Wealth, Resource-Based View, and institutional theories to explain the interplay between corporate sustainability and internationalisation in family firms. Through these theoretical lenses, the study provides valuable insights for academics and practitioners, emphasising how socioemotional wealth priorities, unique resources, governance dynamics, and institutional contexts influence the sustainable global expansion of family firms.