Purpose: This study has analyzed the relationship between process and organizational innovation, performance in product, market and technical innovation and social environmental sustainability.
Design/methodology/approach: The data was collected in industrial companies using a questionnaire with a Likert scale and a structural equation model was used to estimate the parameters.
Findings: The results indicated that process and organizational innovation mediated by performance in product, market and technical innovation, influence social and environmental sustainability.
Practical implications: According to the investigated managers, the practical contributions point to the need of considering innovation elements to achieve a good performance. Subsequently points out that better performing organizations favor practices to seek the global sustainability of the enterprises.
Originality/value: The model used in this study, is broader than that applied in previous studies when considering the dimensions of innovation, performance and sustainability concurrently. Thus, it suggests the understanding, by the interested parties, about organizational performance as an influence of good socio-environmental sustainability practices