The pressing need to redefine the tourism industry's relationship with nature and local communities has never been more critical. Ecotourism, as a paradigm of sustainable travel, holds transformative potential—not only for preserving our planet's fragile ecosystems but also for fostering local cultural and economic development. In this context, the integration of circular economy principles offers innovative pathways to enhance sustainability across the tourism sector. The application of circular economy frameworks in tourism not only reduces environmental impact but also enhances economic viability by creating closed-loop systems. My interest in this topic stems from a personal conviction: Tourism should leave a positive mark, one that enriches rather than diminishes the destinations we visit. This study delves into how the hotel industry can align itself with ecotourism principles by embracing innovative, sustainable practices that minimize environmental impact while delivering authentic, high-quality experiences for travelers. Through the lens of green energy, resource optimization, and cultural integration, the research demonstrates that sustainability is both an ethical responsibility and a pathway to long-term competitiveness in tourism. By supporting local economies and protecting natural heritage, the industry can shift from being a passive observer of environmental degradation to a proactive steward of change. This work serves as a call to action for stakeholders: Our choices today will define the landscapes and cultural legacies available to future generations.

Our study investigates the relationship between firm profitability, board characteristics, and the quality of sustainability disclosures, while examining the moderating effects of financial leverage and external audit assurance. A key focus is the distinction between Big 4 and non-Big 4 audit firms. Using data from Malaysia’s top 100 publicly listed organizations from 2018 to 2020, we analyze sustainability reports based on the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards. Unexpectedly, our results indicate a negative association between firm profitability and board characteristics, challenging traditional assumptions. We find that non-Big 4 audit firms significantly enhance sustainability disclosure quality, contradicting the widely held belief in the superiority of Big 4 firms. Our finding introduces the “Big 4 dilemma” in the Malaysian context and calls for a reassessment of audit firm selection practices. Our study offers new perspectives on the strategic role of board composition and audit firm selection in advancing sustainability disclosures, urging Malaysian organizations to evaluate audit firms on criteria beyond the global prestige of Big 4 firms to improve sustainability reporting.

The significant climate change the planet has faced in recent decades has prompted global leaders, policymakers, business leaders, environmentalists, academics, and scientists from around the world to unite their efforts since 1987 around sustainable development. This development not only promotes economic sustainability but also environmental, social, and corporate sustainability, where clean production, responsible consumption, and sustainable infrastructures prevail. In this context, the present article aims to propose a development framework for sustainability in food sector SMEs, which includes Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and the integration of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategies as key elements to reduce CO₂ emissions and improve operational efficiency. The methodology includes a comparative analysis of strategies implemented between 2019 and 2023, supported by quantitative data showing a 20% reduction in operating costs, a 10% increase in market share, and a 25% increase in productivity for companies that adopted clean technologies. This study offers a significant contribution to the field of corporate sustainability, providing a model that is adaptable and applicable across different regions, enhancing innovation and business resilience in a global context that requires collective efforts to achieve the sustainable development goals.

It has long been acknowledged that interpersonal trust is the foundation of business partnerships. Interpersonal trust is frequently required in circumstances involving interdependence among parties, wherein each party is cognizant of the other’s vulnerabilities, the potential consequences of their actions, and the favorable anticipations of others. This study aims to examine and understand the impact of the development of interpersonal trust on the long-term sustainability of the Gayo Aceh coffee business, which has been operational since 1908. The unit of analysis in this study is the stakeholders of the Gayo Aceh coffee industry, including farmers, collectors, sellers, and distributors. This study utilizes a qualitative technique, specifically employing a case study design, for both data collection and analysis. To collect data, we utilized observations and semi-structured interviews. The findings of the research indicate that the establishment of interpersonal trust among producers, collectors, sellers, and distributors has had a discernible influence on the current sustainability of the coffee industry in Aceh Gayo.

Nationwide integration of AI into the contemporary art sector has taken place since government AI regulations in 2023 to promote AI use. China’s AI integration into industry is ‘ahead’ of other countries, meaning that other countries can learn from these creative professionals. Consequently, contemporary visual artists have devised arts-led sustainable AI solutions to overcome global AI concerns. They are now putting these solutions into practice to maintain their jobs, arts forms, and industry. This paper draws on 30 interviews with contemporary visual artists, and a survey with 118 professional artists from across China between 2023 and 2024. Findings show that 87% use AI and 76% say AI is useful and they will continue to use AI into the future. Findings show professionals have had time to find DIY, bottom-up solutions to AI concerns, including (1) building strong authorship practices, identity, and brand, (2) showing human creativity and inner thinking, (3) gaining a balanced independent position with AI. They want AI regulations to liberalise and promote AI use so they can freely experiment and develop AI. These findings show how humans are directing the use of AI, altering current narratives on AI-led impacts on industry, jobs, and human creativity.