Climate resilience in family firms: governance, identity and adaptation mechanisms. A systematic literature review and research agenda

Climate change poses a growing challenge for family businesses, as it tests their ability to balance intergenerational continuity, identity, and strategic adaptation. However, the existing literature remains fragmented and does not explain when and how climate responses are substantive rather than symbolic. This study maps and integrates the literature on family businesses, resilience, and climate change, identifying major research strands and the multilevel mechanisms underpinning climate resilience. A PRISMA-guided systematic literature review was conducted on Web of Science and Scopus, yielding 194 peer-reviewed articles. Bibliometric mapping and qualitative analysis identify key themes and structural gaps in the field. Results show that family firms achieve substantive climate responses when long-term orientation and SEW are translated into governance structures with measurable climate targets, clear responsibilities, and strategic slack allocation. Open networks and access to sustainable finance foster eco-innovation and digital reconfiguration, whereas high control concentration, slow succession, and symbolic disclosure are associated with weaker outcomes. The analysis further indicates that combining climate performance with identity/heritage coherence provides a useful criterion for interpreting adaptation strategies in place-based sectors. This study provides implications for family firms, policymakers, and investors and develops a research agenda on configurations and multilevel mechanisms that shape climate resilience in family businesses.