or the title of the article

The social side of sustainable business models: An explorative analysis of the low-cost airline industry
Do companies that integrate social sustainability into their business model really achieve economic benefits? And how does the social dimension of sustainability influence innovation and corporate resilience?
The greendig.it research team composed of Federico Rotondo, Katia Corsi and Lucia Giovanelli has carried out an in-depth analysis of low-cost airlines, examining the link between social sustainability, innovation and financial performance. The results reveal that integrating social sustainability does not automatically guarantee improved profits, but can strengthen the innovation capacity and long-term resilience of companies, especially in times of crisis. However, for these benefits to materialize, careful strategic management is essential.
Can companies really thrive by focusing on social sustainability? What strategies do successful airlines adopt? Read the full paper to find out more

Abstract (original text)

The concept of sustainable business model has been increasingly used to describe business cases that, incorporating a triple bottom line approach, seek to achieve economic success through environmental and social initiatives. However, there is a call for more empirical research on the design and innovation of sustainable business models, as well as the relationship they have with business performance. This paper focuses on the social side of sustainability and aims to explore the extent to which integrating social sustainability goals into the business model has a positive influence on a firm’s financial performance, promotes sustainable innovation, and improves the firm’s ability to withstand discontinuities such as the recent financial crisis. After a review of the existing literature, four propositions are formulated and subsequently tested through a multiple case study of four international low-cost carriers. The findings have implications for theory and practice as they reveal that integrating social sustainability into the business model i) does not automatically influence financial performance, although it may play a role in the firm’s long-term financial results; ii) influences the characteristics and effectiveness of sustainable innovation; iii) must be accompanied by intelligent managerial activity to be effective; and iv) does not necessarily lead to a faster financial recovery after a discontinuity, but makes a company more resilient in the long term.