The Pathway To Sustainable Business Performance: Evidence From Indonesian SMEs
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55681/economina.v5i8.3754Keywords:
Environmental Sustainability; green innovation; sustainability performance; financial performance; SMEsAbstract
This study aims to examine the mediating role of green innovation in the relationship between environmental sustainability, sustainability performance, and financial performance of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Jakarta, Indonesia. Using a quantitative approach and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), the findings indicate that environmental sustainability significantly influences green innovation, which subsequently enhances sustainability performance and financial performance. These results support the Resource-Based View (RBV) framework, which posits that environmental sustainability can generate intangible resources such as organizational knowledge and capabilities that drive green innovation as a competitive advantage. Additionally, the outcomes reinforce the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) framework, emphasizing the importance of integrating social, environmental, and economic aspects to achieve holistic organizational sustainability. Specifically, green innovation acts as a vital mediator that strengthens the positive relationship between environmental sustainability and both sustainability and financial performance. The sample consists of 198 MSMEs in Jakarta, selected through stratified and simple random sampling techniques. The findings suggest that adopting green innovation strategies is essential for fostering comprehensive sustainability transparency and improving the financial performance of MSMEs in Indonesia.
Downloads
References
Achmad, F., & Wiratmadja, I. I. (2025). Organizational performance and competitive advantage in SMEs: The role of green innovation and knowledge management. Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity, 11(2), 100532. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joitmc.2025.100532
Ahmed, R. R., Akbar, W., Aijaz, M., Channar, Z. A., Ahmed, F., & Parmar, V. (2023). The role of green innovation on environmental and organizational performance: Moderation of human resource practices and management commitment. Heliyon, 9(1), e12679. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e12679
Alraja, M. N., Imran, R., Khashab, B. M., & Shah, M. (2022). Technological Innovation, Sustainable Green Practices and SMEs Sustainable Performance in Times of Crisis (COVID-19 pandemic). Information Systems Frontiers, 24(4), 1081–1105. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10796-022-10250-z
Aprilia, N., Subroto, W. T., & Sakti, N. C. (2025). The Role of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Supporting the People’s Economy in Indonesia. International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation, XI(XII), 368–376. https://doi.org/10.51244/IJRSI.2024.11120036
Arsawan, I. W. E., Koval, V., Suhartanto, D., Hariyanti, N. K. D., Polishchuk, N., & Bondar, V. (2024). Circular economy practices in SMEs: aligning model of green economic incentives and environmental commitment. International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, 73(3), 775–793. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPPM-03-2022-0144
Asif, M. (2023). Environmental Efficiency of Enterprises: Trends, Strategy, Innovations. Energies, 16(6), 2683. https://doi.org/10.3390/en16062683
Aslam, M., Ahmad, B., & Rasheed, T. (2025). Navigating the Impact of Green Innovation, Technological Linkages, and Knowledge Management on Sustainable Performance of SMEs. Journal of International Entrepreneurship, 23(3), 593–618. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10843-024-00371-8
Barney, J. (1991). Firm Resources and Sustained Competitive Advantage. Journal of Management, 17(1), 99–120. https://doi.org/10.1177/014920639101700108
Bataineh, M. J., Sánchez-Sellero, P., & Ayad, F. (2024). The role of organizational innovation in the development of green innovations in Spanish firms. European Management Journal, 42(4), 527–538. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.emj.2023.01.006
Becker, B. (2023). Green Innovation Strategies, Innovation Success, and Firm Performance—Evidence from a Panel of Spanish Firms. Sustainability, 15(2), 1656. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15021656
Bell, E., BrymanA., & Harley, B. (2018). Business research methods: Oxford University Press.
Bonsu, M. O.-A., Guo, Y., & Zhu, X. (2024). Does green innovation mediate corporate social responsibility and environmental performance? Empirical evidence from emerging markets. Journal of Applied Accounting Research, 25(2), 221–239. https://doi.org/10.1108/JAAR-10-2022-0271
Bucheli-Calvache, J. M., Zuñiga-Collazos, A., Osorio-Tinoco, F., & Cervantes-Rosas, M. de los Á. (2023). Proposal for an Eco-Innovation Concept for Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs). Sustainability, 15(13), 10292. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151310292
Castellani, P., Rossato, C., Giaretta, E., & Vargas-Sánchez, A. (2024). Partner selection strategies of SMEs for reaching the Sustainable Development Goals. Review of Managerial Science, 18(5), 1317–1352. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11846-023-00656-7
Doni, F., & Fiameni, M. (2024). Can innovation affect the relationship between Environmental, Social, and Governance issues and financial performance? Empirical evidence from the STOXX200 index. Business Strategy and the Environment, 33(2), 546–574. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.3500
Elkington, J. (1994). Towards the sustainable corporation: win-win-win business strategies for sustainable development. CA Management Review, 36(3), 90–100.
Fawaid, A., Makruf, M., Sayyidi, S., Fatmawati, S. W., & Dewi, I. O. (2026). Theoretical model of green entrepreneurship and digital transformation in enhancing the sustainability of batik MSMEs with business innovation as a mediating variable. Cleaner Production Letters, 10, 100135. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clpl.2026.100135
Fornell, C., & Larcker, D. F. (1981). Evaluating Structural Equation Models with Unobservable Variables and Measurement Error. Journal of Marketing Research, 18(1), 39. https://doi.org/10.2307/3151312
Ghag, N., Acharya, P., & Khanapuri, V. (2023). Analyzing the sustainable international competitiveness factors of SMEs by Fuzzy Delphi and Neutrosophic DEMATEL. Business Strategy & Development, 6(3), 447–463. https://doi.org/10.1002/bsd2.250
Hair, J.F, Hult, G., M., T., Ringle, M., C., & Sarstedt, M. (2017). A primer on partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). In International Journal of Research & Method in Education (2nd ed., Vol. 38, Issue 2). Sage.
Hair, Joseph F, Hult, G., M, T., Ringle, Christian, & Marko. (2014). Primer on Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling.
Handoyo, S. (2024). The determinants of resource efficiency and its implications for emission reduction performance. Social Sciences & Humanities Open, 10, 101155. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssaho.2024.101155
Henseler, J., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2015). A new criterion for assessing discriminant validity in variance-based structural equation modeling. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 43(1), 115–135. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-014-0403-8
Henseler, J., Ringle, C. M., & Sinkovics, R. R. (2009). The use of partial least squares path modeling in international marketing (pp. 277–319). https://doi.org/10.1108/S1474-7979(2009)0000020014
Homayoun, S., Mashayekhi, B., Jahangard, A., Samavat, M., & Rezaee, Z. (2023). The Controversial Link between CSR and Financial Performance: The Mediating Role of Green Innovation. Sustainability, 15(13), 10650. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151310650
Ispriyahadi, H., Zaenudin, Z., & Wati, L. N. (2025). Unlocking Sustainability in Informal Micro Enterprises: Capital Access in The Fintech Era. Signifikan: Jurnal Ilmu Ekonomi, 14(2). https://doi.org/10.15408/sjie.v14i2.46421
Kero, C. A., & Bogale, A. T. (2023). A Systematic Review of Resource-Based View and Dynamic Capabilities of Firms and Future Research Avenues. International Journal of Sustainable Development and Planning, 18(10), 3137–3154. https://doi.org/10.18280/ijsdp.181016
Labella-Fernández, A., Martínez-Egea, C., & Payán-Sánchez, B. (2026). How does entrepreneurial orientation influence firm performance? A moderated mediation model of tacit knowledge and green innovation. Journal of Innovation & Knowledge, 12, 100913. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jik.2025.100913
Lestari, E. R., & Sunyoto, N. M. S. (2023). Fostering green innovation in achieving sustainable performance. Natural Resources Forum, 47(3), 413–434. https://doi.org/10.1111/1477-8947.12293
Li, L., Das, G., Tunio, R. A., Gopang, A. A., & Memon, S. (2025). Green innovation dynamics in SMEs: Unraveling the interplay of approach, expenditure, and performance. Sustainable Futures, 10, 100888. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sftr.2025.100888
Lian, Y., Li, Y., & Cao, H. (2023). How does corporate ESG performance affect sustainable development: A green innovation perspective. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2023.1170582
Lopes, J. M., Gomes, S., Pacheco, R., Monteiro, E., & Santos, C. (2022). Drivers of Sustainable Innovation Strategies for Increased Competition among Companies. Sustainability, 14(9), 5471. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14095471
Lutfi, A., Alqudah, H., Alrawad, M., Alshira’h, A. F., Alshirah, M. H., Almaiah, M. A., Alsyouf, A., & Hassan, M. F. (2023). Green Environmental Management System to Support Environmental Performance: What Factors Influence SMEs to Adopt Green Innovations? Sustainability, 15(13), 10645. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151310645
Ma, J., & Chang, C.-P. (2023). The Role of Green Finance in Green Innovation: Global Perspective from 75 Developing Countries. Emerging Markets Finance and Trade, 59(10), 3109–3128. https://doi.org/10.1080/1540496X.2023.2210720
Majid, S., Zhang, X., Khaskheli, M. B., Hong, F., King, P. J. H., & Shamsi, I. H. (2023). Eco-Efficiency, Environmental and Sustainable Innovation in Recycling Energy and Their Effect on Business Performance: Evidence from European SMEs. Sustainability, 15(12), 9465. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15129465
Mal, H., Varma, M., & Vishvakarma, N. K. (2023). An empirical study to prioritize the determinants of corporate sustainability performance using analytic hierarchy process. Measuring Business Excellence, 27(2), 193–210. https://doi.org/10.1108/MBE-10-2021-0133
Malik, S. Y., Cao, Y., Mughal, Y. H., Kundi, G. M., Mughal, M. H., & Ramayah, T. (2020). Pathways towards Sustainability in Organizations: Empirical Evidence on the Role of Green Human Resource Management Practices and Green Intellectual Capital. Sustainability, 12(8), 3228. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12083228
Mao, H.-Y., Lu, W.-M., & Shieh, H.-Y. (2023). Exploring the Influence of Environmental Investment on Multinational Enterprises’ Performance from the Sustainability and Marketability Efficiency Perspectives. Sustainability, 15(10), 7779. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15107779
Meidute-Kavaliauskiene, I., Cigdem, S., Vasilis Vasiliauskas, A., & Yıldız, B. (2021). Green Innovation in Environmental Complexity: The Implication of Open Innovation. Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity, 7(2), 107. https://doi.org/10.3390/joitmc7020107
Meutia, R., Yusmita, F., Naz’aina, Wahyundaru, S. D., & Hariani, S. (2025). Financial Performance of Indonesian Msmes: The Economic Role of Sustainability Strategy, Intellectual Capital, and Digital Literacy. International Journal of Economics and Finance Studies, 17(4), 431–454. https://doi.org/10.34109/ijefs.202517420
Miller, C. C., & Cardinal, L. B. (1994). Strategic Planning and Firm Performance: A Synthesis of More Than Two Decades of Research. Academy of Management Journal, 37(6), 1649–1665. https://doi.org/10.5465/256804
Mohmand, Y. T., Syed, T. A., Aftab, J., & Mehmood, F. (2026). Leveraging Green Intellectual Capital for Sustainability: The Strategic Role of Green Business Strategy and Green Technology Adoption. Business Strategy and the Environment, 35(2), 1565–1585. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.70249
Mukhtar, B., Arli, D., & Hussain, A. (2026). Progressing Triple Bottom Line Sustainability Performance via Cumulative Integration of Lean Production, Sustainable Supply Chain Management, and Sustainable Process Innovation. Business Strategy and the Environment, 35(3), 3607–3624. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.70319
Nafisah, J., & Shiratina, A. (2024). The Influence of Green Marketing and Digital Marketing on the Competitiveness of MSMEs Tempeh Chips in Malang City with Brand Image as a Mediating Variable. International Journal of Environmental, Sustainability, and Social Science, 5(5), 1408–1422. https://doi.org/10.38142/ijesss.v5i5.1206
Nogueira, E., Gomes, S., & Lopes, J. M. (2023). Triple Bottom Line, Sustainability, and Economic Development: What Binds Them Together? A Bibliometric Approach. Sustainability, 15(8), 6706. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15086706
Ooi, S. K., & Memon, K. R. (2025). Addressing Resource Scarcity: The Role of Responsible Innovation and Resilience in SMEs’ Competitive Advantage and Sustainability Performance. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 32(5), 5734–5746. https://doi.org/10.1002/csr.70005
Opoku, R. K. (2025). Championing green sustainability in manufacturing of a developing economy: implications for sustainable performance through eco-regulatory compliance. International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, 74(7), 2442–2470. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPPM-06-2024-0408
Phonthanukitithaworn, C., Srisathan, W. A., Ketkaew, C., & Naruetharadhol, P. (2023). Sustainable Development towards Openness SME Innovation: Taking Advantage of Intellectual Capital, Sustainable Initiatives, and Open Innovation. Sustainability, 15(3), 2126. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15032126
Podsakoff, P. M., MacKenzie, S. B., Lee, J.-Y., & Podsakoff, N. P. (2003). Common method biases in behavioral research: a critical review of the literature and recommended remedies. Journal of Applied Psychology, 88(5), 879.
Putra, F. M., Lestari, I. A., & Zulkifli, A. F. bin. (2025). Sustainability Orientation, Green Innovation Capability, and Competitive Advantage among ASEAN Manufacturing Firms. Journal of Economics and Management, 3(3), 104–113. https://doi.org/10.70716/ecoma.v3i3.328
Ramdan, M. R., Abd Aziz, N. A., Abdullah, N. L., Samsudin, N., Singh, G. S. V., Zakaria, T., Fuzi, N. M., & Ong, S. Y. Y. (2022). SMEs Performance in Malaysia: The Role of Contextual Ambidexterity in Innovation Culture and Performance. Sustainability, 14(3), 1679. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14031679
Rodriguez-Espindola, O., Cuevas-Romo, A., Chowdhury, S., Díaz-Acevedo, N., Albores, P., Despoudi, S., Malesios, C., & Dey, P. (2022). The role of circular economy principles and sustainable-oriented innovation to enhance social, economic and environmental performance: Evidence from Mexican SMEs. International Journal of Production Economics, 248, 108495. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpe.2022.108495
Rumanti, A. A., Sunaryo, I., Wiratmadja, I. I., & Irianto, D. (2023). Cleaner Production for Small and Medium Enterprises: An Open Innovation Perspective. IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, 70(7), 2355–2368. https://doi.org/10.1109/TEM.2020.3015048
Sahoo, S., Kumar, A., & Upadhyay, A. (2023). How do green knowledge management and green technology innovation impact corporate environmental performance? Understanding the role of green knowledge acquisition. Business Strategy and the Environment, 32(1), 551–569. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.3160
Sarfraz, M., Ozturk, I., Yoo, S., Raza, M. A., & Han, H. (2023). Toward a new understanding of environmental and financial performance through corporate social responsibility, green innovation, and sustainable development. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 10(1), 297. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-023-01799-4
Sekaran, U., & Bougie, R. (2013). Research Methods for Business: A Skill-Building Approach (6th ed.).
Sohu, J. M., Hongyun, T., Junejo, I., Akhtar, S., Ejaz, F., Dunay, A., & Hossain, M. B. (2024). Driving sustainable competitiveness: unveiling the nexus of green intellectual capital and environmental regulations on greening SME performance. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2024.1348994
Sugiyono. (2014). Metode Penelitian Pendidikan Pendekatan Kuantitatif, Kualitatif, dan R&D. Alfabeta.
Syafriani, Z. R. (2025). Exploring Green Business Practices in Indonesian SMEs: A Descriptive Qualitative Study. Clean and Sustainability Business, 1(2), 88–107. https://doi.org/10.70764/gdpu-csb.2025.1(2)-02
Taneja, A., Goyal, V., & Malik, K. (2023). Sustainability-oriented innovations – Enhancing factors and consequences. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 30(6), 2747–2765. https://doi.org/10.1002/csr.2513
Tundys, B., & Wiśniewski, T. (2023). Triple bottom line aspects and sustainable supply chain resilience: A structural equation modelling approach. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2023.1161437
Zhenjing, G., Chupradit, S., Ku, K. Y., Nassani, A. A., & Haffar, M. (2022). Impact of Employees’ Workplace Environment on Employees’ Performance: A Multi-Mediation Model. Frontiers in Public Health, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.890400
Zhou, N., Pan, L., Tian, Y., Zhu, N., Cai, X., & Gao, J. (2023). How sustainable business model innovation and green technology innovation interact to affect sustainable corporate performance. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2023.1049295
Zhuang, Y., Denizel, M., & Montabon, F. (2023). Examining Firms’ Sustainability Frontier: Efficiency in Reaching the Triple Bottom Line. Sustainability, 15(11), 8871. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15118871
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 JURNAL ECONOMINA

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.








