Rethinking sustainable corporate governance in the anthropocene: conceptual fragmentation and structural tensions
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7433/s130.2026.02Keywords:
Anthropocene, sustainability;, business theory;, stakeholder governance;, systems thinking;, integrated model., corporate sustainabilityAbstract
Abstract
Frame of the research. The Anthropocene context demands a profound revision of business management paradigms. Environmental, social, and systemic challenges require critical rethinking of sustainability and the role of organisations within complex socio-ecological systems.
Purpose of the paper. This study bridges the theoretical gap between Anthropocene debates and business theory by proposing an ethical–systemic paradigm of business sustainability that integrates economic performance, ecological regeneration, and intergenerational justice.
Methodology. A narrative and critical literature review was conducted using systematic criteria for source selection, coding, and classification. The qualitative analysis led to the development of a thematic interpretative framework and a relational conceptual map.
Findings. The literature reveals conceptual fragmentation within corporate sustainability studies, highlighting the need for multidisciplinary approaches. The paper proposes a systemic vision of organisations as co-responsible actors embedded within socio-ecological co-evolutionary processes.
Research limitations. Although theoretically grounded, the proposed model requires future empirical validation to assess its practical applicability and effectiveness.
Practical implications. The article offers a framework for decision-makers to integrate strategy and sustainability in line with planetary boundaries. The P.O.M.I.S. model (Proactive Optimisation Model for Integrated Sustainability) supports sustainable governance through multidimensional metrics and stakeholder engagement.
Originality of the paper. The contribution integrates the Anthropocene paradigm, systems thinking, and stakeholder theory, reframing organisations as co-evolutionary actors within socio-ecological systems. The P.O.M.I.S. model operationalises this vision, enriching sustainability management debates with innovative tools to address complexity, uncertainty, and interdependence.
Keywords. Anthropocene; sustainability; business theory; stakeholder governance; systems thinking; integrated model.
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