The rise of fintech in the financial sector presents a transformative shift towards digitalisation and sustainability on a global scale, leveraging technologies like AI to minimise environmental footprint. Neobanks not only challenge traditional banking models but also offer innovative solutions that align with sustainable objectives. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the impact of neobanks on global sustainability from economic, environmental, and social points of view. A comprehensive literature review of existing literature and current sustainable practices of neobanks was conducted. Results reveal that neobanks significantly positively contribute towards environmental sustainability with reduced paper use and logistics requirements of banking services. By offering more accessible and affordable banking services they importantly contribute towards higher financial inclusion, and with innovative products towards more competitive and innovative financial markets. AI-based tools they employ are increasing financial literacy and social inclusion. This article also highlights concerns regarding electronic waste management, potential high energy consumption, required digital literacy and cybersecurity risks. In conclusion, despite the mentioned risks, neobanks importantly contribute to global sustainability in many ways and will even more in the future. These findings can help neobanks shape sustainable practices and guide policymaking, as well as spread awareness of the sustainable impact of banking services.

The year of 2024 marked the twelfth anniversary of the cooperative mechanism between China and Central and Eastern European countries (China-CEEC). China has repeatedly affirmed its willingness to implement the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development and the sustainable development goals (SDGs), which created many opportunities to enhance the cooperation of the two sides. The paper exemplified some cases in the process of the cooperation, which were rarely discussed previously as normally it was dominated by the large-scale investment project. The cases of the climate change and ocean issues were perceived as a package of holistic EU-China relations that demonstrates the commitments from both sides to deal with SDG 13 and SDG 14. A qualitative method of the policy-circle evaluation and the goal-setting in the global governance was applied in the paper. The findings affirm that the current China-CEEC cooperation scheme is still carrying on both opportunities and challenges and affected by various internal and external factors.

This paper aims to systematically analyze the current state of plastic waste legal supervision in China and to propose a vision for future governance frameworks. In recent years, along with the vigorous rise of emerging industries such as the express delivery industry and takeaway services, the consumption of plastic products has increased sharply. This trend has triggered profound reflection and high vigilance on the issue of plastic waste supervision. This trend has triggered profound reflection and acute vigilance regarding the regulation of plastic waste. Although the Chinese government has initiated multiple regulatory measures and achieved certain outcomes, from a macroscopic perspective, the issue of plastic waste pollution remains grave, and the relevant legal and regulatory system presents a complex situation with limited enforcement efficacy. Hence, it is exceptionally urgent and significant to deeply explore and formulate legislative strategies aimed at alleviating and regulating plastic waste pollution. This paper is dedicated to systematically analyzing the current state of plastic waste legal supervision from both international and domestic dimensions, and meticulously outlining the regulatory framework for plastic waste governance in China. Through the application of legal norm research methods, this paper dissects the flaws and challenges existing in the current governance mechanisms and further conducts a comparative study of the successful practices in this field in developed countries like the United States, with the intention of drawing valuable experiences. On this basis, this paper not only offers a forward-looking outlook on China’s future legislative tendencies in plastic waste pollution but also innovatively proposes a series of new insights and recommendations. These explorations aim to provide a more solid theoretical foundation and practical guidance for the governance approach to plastic waste pollution in China, promote the improvement and enhancement of the enforcement effectiveness of environmental regulations, and thereby effectively confront the global challenge of plastic pollution.

To achieve the energy transition and carbon neutrality targets, governments have implemented multiple policies to incentivize electricity suppliers to invest in renewable energy. Considering different government policies, we construct a renewable energy supply chain consisting of electricity suppliers and electricity retailers. We then explore the impact of four policies on electricity suppliers’ renewable energy investments, environmental impacts, and social welfare. We validated the results based on data from Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China. The results show that government subsidy policies are more effective in promoting electricity suppliers to invest in renewable energy as consumer preferences increase, while no-government policies are the least effective. We also show that electricity suppliers are most profitable under the government subsidy policy and least profitable under the carbon cap-and-trade policy. Besides, our results indicate that social welfare is the worst under the carbon cap-and-trade policy. With the increase in carbon intensity and renewable energy quota, social welfare is the highest under the subsidy policy. However, the social welfare under the renewable energy portfolio standard is optimal when the renewable energy quota is low.

In recent years, the environment in the manufacturing industry has become strongly competitive, which is why companies have found it necessary to constantly adjust their strategies and take actions aimed at improving their performance and competitiveness in a sustainable way to grow and remain in the market. Therefore, this paper aims to present an analysis to explain the current situation in the manufacturing industry in Aguascalientes, Mexico, by means of a survey in which product eco-innovation (PEI), process eco-innovation (PrEI) and organizational eco-innovation (OEI) and its effect on environmental performance (EP) and sustainable competitive performance (SCP) were measured. The results show that (EP) is positively and significantly influenced by (PEI) and (PrEI), while no significant influence is found for (OE). Furthermore, it is confirmed that environmental performance positively and significantly influences (SCP). The findings obtained from this study point to the relevance of promoting eco-innovation activities in the manufacturing sector, as this will ensure sustainable competitiveness.

Based on the resource-based view and institutional theory, this study investigates the impact of their environmental management capabilities and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) pressure on the non-financial performance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). In particular, it examines the interaction effect of ESG pressures on the relationship between SMEs’ environmental management capabilities and non-financial performance. For this study, a total of 1865 SME lists were obtained through Jeonnam Techno Park and Jeonnam Small Business Job and Economy Promotion Agency. Based on this, a total of 127 questionnaires were returned as a result of a telephone, e-mail, and online survey, and finally, an empirical analysis was conducted based on 120 questionnaires. We conducted an empirical analysis of Korean SMEs and obtained the following results: First, environmental management capabilities have a significant, positive effect on SMEs’ non-financial performance. Second, ESG pressure has a significant, negative effect on the non-financial performance of SMEs. Next, we analyzed the moderating effect of ESG pressures and observed that ESG pressures strengthen the positive effect of environmental management capabilities on non-financial performance. Based on the resource-based perspective and institutional theory, this study provides meaningful academic implications by examining environmental management capabilities and ESG pressures, which have not been identified in previous studies, as factors of non-financial performance that are becoming important under the new management paradigm, such as climate change and ESG. Furthermore, while ESG pressure has a significant negative effect on non-financial performance, we find that it is a moderating variable that strengthens the relationship between SMEs’ environmental management capabilities and non-financial performance, which has useful academic and practical implications for ESG and strategic management.