Sustainable business practices in the Global South: an introduction

Citation

Arte P, Elsahn Z, Arakpogun EO & Cornwell AAD (2025) Sustainable business practices in the Global South: an introduction. In: Arte P, Elsahn Z, Arakpogun E & Cornwell AAD (eds.) Research Handbook on Sustainable Business Practices in the Global South. Edward Elgar Publishing, pp. 1-9. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781035330133.00008

Abstract
Sustainability is one of the most pressing issues in the public domain, with academics and practitioners increasingly framing their research efforts around three pillars of sustainability: economic, social, and environmental. Recent developments have allowed interested stakeholders to better grasp the current state of play, alongside possible trajectories of governmental policies and business practices. Stakeholders have also been exposed to success stories, and dilemmas, paradoxes, and challenges that MNEs face when trying to become more transparent, ethical, greener, and, ultimately, better global corporate citizens. Despite these important insights opening the ‘black box’ of sustainability, there is a noticeable tendency for researchers to spotlight developed economies, and, in turn, the Global North, thus illuminating only one dimension of a complex issue, where policy implications often reflect Western standards imposed upon the Global South, which stem from established frameworks that create a predominantly homogeneous understanding of sustainability, leaving little room for the nuanced, context-specific insights essential to addressing the diverse challenges faced by countries in the Global South. Such single-sided narratives also reinforce Western-centric viewpoints and obscure the need for a broader, more inclusive dialogue on sustainability. It calls for a more heterogeneous approach to sustainability research, embracing diverse perspectives and acknowledging the unique challenges, values, and developmental goals of countries in the Global South. To address this imbalance, and rightfully reposition the spotlight onto understudied regions, our book is designed as a unique collection of scholarly perspectives and voices on sustainability issues, policies, business practices, and agendas from a Global South perspective.

Keywords
Global South; Global North; Sustainability; SDG; MNE