Learning from sustainability pioneers: Drivers and barriers of sustainable manufacturing adoption in German industry

Manufacturing companies face mounting pressure to adopt sustainable practices, yet a substantial gap persists between academic guidance and practical implementation. This study examines the perspective of pioneering manufacturers classified as innovators and early adopters of sustainable manufacturing (SM). This article seeks to answer the central question of how pioneers in the field successfully adopt SM measures and what implications arise for the wider industry. Building on a literature review of drivers and barriers, semi-structured expert interviews were conducted with ten sustainability and operations experts from eight German SM pioneers. Results reveal distinct barriers: bureaucratic delays, infrastructure deficits, and limited price premiums despite customer demand. They also highlight pioneer-specific drivers, including anticipation of future regulatory requirements and know-how accumulation through early innovation, which extend the current literature. Applying the diffusion-of-innovation framework, these findings explain the persistent adoption gap through unclear relative advantage, insufficient organizational compatibility, high complexity, and inadequate communication of outcomes. The twin transition shows potential synergies, whereby digital monitoring increases process transparency and supports the targeted implementation of sustainability measures. Decision makers are therefore encouraged to take indirect benefits into consideration, adopt digital monitoring systems, establish dedicated sustainability units, and nurture a transformation-supportive culture, thereby securing long-term competitiveness.