Description
Global environmental governance increasingly relies on cooperation between states and non-state actors, particularly multinational corporations. Within this context, the United Nations Global Compact stands out as one of the most significant soft law initiatives promoting corporate sustainability, by advancing universal principles that include environmental protection and green innovation. However, a persistent gap remains between formal commitment and effective practice, the so-called performance gap, which limits the initiative’s actual impact on climate change mitigation. This study investigates this discrepancy through a comparative analysis of the economies with the largest number of Global Compact signatories, emphasising institutional, regulatory, and cultural factors that shape the implementation of corporate environmental policies. The methodology combines documentary analysis, literature review, and semi-structured discursive interviews with representatives of participating organisations. The findings suggest that advancing the climate agenda within the private sector requires not merely symbolic adherence but the establishment of effective monitoring mechanisms, economic incentives, and transnational accountability systems that reinforce coherence between environmental discourse and practice.
