There is a lively and important debate on the role of multinational enterprises (MNEs) in addressing macro-level ESG ambitions. The focus on MNEs’ contributions to environmental pollution has particularly intensified, with concerns raised regarding MNEs’ lacking emphasis on their environmental footprints. Common criticism of MNEs include pollution generated by geographically spread value chains involving long-distance transportation of input materials and finished products, the ability of MNEs to move production to contexts with lax environmental regulation, and increasing concerns of over-usage of non-renewable natural resources. This panel aims to generate a discussion about how we as IB scholars can contribute constructively to this dialogue. While we certainly agree that many (if not most) MNEs can ‘do better’, we want to encourage IB scholars to move beyond the ‘blame game’ and instead contribute to an in-depth understanding of complexities that may hinder progress, and how firms and societies can work to resolve these.