PurposeThe aim of this paper is to draw a conceptual bridge between the intellectual capital (IC) and corporate sustainability (CS) literature to investigate how firms mobilise their IC in order to implement sustainable development into their business practices.Design/methodology/approachA case study of the Australian property and construction sector was undertaken and the results are discussed.FindingsThe finding offered in this paper is that in order to progress beyond the efficiency phase of CS, firms need to shift from justifying the business case for sustainability, to understanding how to mobilise their IC to progress towards a more ecological sustainable and socially equitable enterprise. Ongoing evolution, with regard to the approach adopted for the management of IC, is also helping to drive organisational change towards more sustainable business models. Each category of IC plays a role with regard to operationalising CS into practice and supporting organisational change. The identified roles include motivating, supporting, implementing and performance.Research limitations/implicationsIn relation to the interview data collected it is generally limited to the views of the senior management and as such may not reflect the views of the employees of the organisation.Originality/valueThis paper adds to the conversation of the third stage of IC research, based on the proposition that the performative approach to IC can help move business beyond the eco‐efficiency stage of corporate sustainability and in doing so improves the relevance and usefulness of the IC concept for business organisations.

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