Sustainability and corporate governance in the context of Agenda 2030: a bibliometric systematic review

Abstract

The United Nations adopted the 2030 Agenda, bringing the concept of sustainability into the global economic discourse. Thus, the concept of sustainability and ESG metrics has become essential in corporate development strategies. The current research performs a bibliometric study of scientific publications dated from 2015 to 2026, with the aim of highlighting the evolution and the main trends and directions of development in the field. The study relies on a set of 9,460 documents indexed in the Web of Science database. Data analysis was conducted using the Bibliometrix software package (Biblioshiny interface), applying techniques for analyzing scientific output, thematic evolution, and strategic keyword mapping. The findings demonstrate an exponential growth in scientific production beginning in the 2021-2022 period. The research shows the high level of academic interest in general notion of social responsibility, its technical aspects, and quantifiable indicators, with reference to ESG performance, ESG scores, or risk. The study proves that the sustainability research field is gradually matured, and its key factors include the development of performance metrics. The study provides a reference framework for economic stakeholders as well as the academic community, emphasizing that the 2030 Agenda has succeeded in transforming sustainability from an ethical choice for companies into a measurable strategic objective.