A Holistic Approach to Sustainable Corporate Governance: Exploring the Role of Business Ethics and Technology – A Bibliometric Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55980/ebasr.v3i3.165Keywords:
Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance, Accounting Information System, Business Ethics, Bibliometrics AnalysisAbstract
This study explores emerging trends in Sustainable Corporate Governance literature, focusing on the integration of Business Ethics and Information Technology (IT) in Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) reporting. As ESG principles gain prominence, businesses face increasing pressure to ensure transparent, ethical, and technology-driven sustainability disclosures. However, ESG implementation remains inconsistent, particularly in developing economies like Indonesia, where weak regulatory frameworks, limited investor pressure, and resource constraints hinder progress. Ethical accountability is essential in enhancing ESG reporting quality, as it fosters transparency, stakeholder trust, and corporate integrity. Governance structures, such as independent boards and robust oversight mechanisms, play a pivotal role in ensuring responsible ESG disclosures and mitigating greenwashing risks. Simultaneously, advancements in IT and digital platforms facilitate real-time data collection, analysis, and dissemination, improving the accessibility and accuracy of ESG reports. The study highlights the role of business ethics in shaping ESG disclosures and the impact of information systems on sustainability reporting quality. Using co-word analysis and scientific mapping, this research identifies key intellectual structures and emerging themes in sustainable corporate governance literature. The findings emphasize the need for strategic ESG integration, where corporate governance and ethical business practices align with technological advancements to drive long-term sustainability and responsible corporate behavior. This study highlights ESG, business ethics, and digital transformation, emphasizing accountability, regulation, technology, and corporate resilience
References
A. Adams, C. (2013). Sustainability reporting and performance management in universities. Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal, 4(3), 384–392. https://doi.org/10.1108/SAMPJ-12-2012-0044
Adel, C., Hussain, M. M., Mohamed, E. K. A., & Basuony, M. A. K. (2019). Is corporate governance relevant to the quality of corporate social responsibility disclosure in large European companies? International Journal of Accounting and Information Management, 27(2), 301–332. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJAIM-10-2017-0118
Alharbi, S. S., Naveed, M., Ali, S., & Moussa, F. (2025). Sailing towards sustainability: Connectedness between ESG stocks and green cryptocurrencies. International Review of Economics and Finance, 98, 103848. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iref.2025.103848
Alqudah, M., Ferruz, L., Martín, E., Qudah, H., & Hamdan, F. (2023). The Sustainability of Investing in Cryptocurrencies: A Bibliometric Analysis of Research Trends. International Journal of Financial Studies, 11(3). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijfs11030093
Aluchna, M., Roszkowska-Menkes, M., & Khan, S. (2024). Corporate governance perspective on environmental reporting: Literature review and future research agenda. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 31(3), 1550–1577. https://doi.org/10.1002/csr.2643
An, E. (2023). Accelerating sustainability through better reporting. Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal, 14(4), 904–914. https://doi.org/10.1108/SAMPJ-08-2022-0453
Armstrong, C. S., Guay, W. R., & Weber, J. P. (2010). The role of information and financial reporting in corporate governance and debt contracting. Journal of Accounting and Economics, 50(2–3), 179–234. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacceco.2010.10.001
Attila, J. (2023). The Diversity of Environmental , Social , and Governance Aspects in Sustainability : A Systematic Literature Review.
Balogh, I., Srivastava, M., & Tyll, L. (2022). Towards comprehensive corporate sustainability reporting: an empirical study of factors influencing ESG disclosures of large Czech companies. Society and Business Review, 17(4), 541–573. https://doi.org/10.1108/SBR-07-2021-0114
Brown, P., Beekes, W., & Verhoeven, P. (2011). Corporate governance, accounting and finance: A review. Accounting & Finance, 51(1), 96–172. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-629X.2010.00385.x
Camilleri, M. A. (2025). Sustainability accounting and disclosures of responsible restaurant practices in environmental, social and governance (ESG) reports. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 126(July 2024). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2024.104051
Chebbi, K. (2024). Examining the interplay of sustainable development, corporate governance, and stock Price crash risk: Insights from ESG practices. Sustainable Development, 32(1), 1291–1309. https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.2733
Chiaramonte, L., Dreassi, A., Paltrinieri, A., & Piserà, S. (2020). Sustainability practices and stability in the insurance industry. Sustainability (Switzerland), 12(14). https://doi.org/10.3390/su12145530
Choi, T. H., & Pae, J. (2011). Business Ethics and Financial Reporting Quality: Evidence from Korea. Journal of Business Ethics, 103(3), 403–427. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-011-0871-4
Corrales-Estrada, A. M., Gómez-Santos, L. L., Bernal-Torres, C. A., & Rodriguez-López, J. E. (2021). Sustainability and resilience organizational capabilities to enhance business continuity management: A literature review. Sustainability (Switzerland), 13(15). https://doi.org/10.3390/su13158196
Donthu, N., Kumar, S., Pandey, N., Pandey, N., & Mishra, A. (2021). Mapping the electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) research: A systematic review and bibliometric analysis. Journal of Business Research, 135, 758–773. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.07.015
Farisyi, S., Musadieq, M. Al, Utami, H. N., & Damayanti, C. R. (2022). A Systematic Literature Review: Determinants of Sustainability Reporting in Developing Countries. Sustainability (Switzerland), 14(16). https://doi.org/10.3390/su141610222
Frías-Aceituno, J. V., Rodríguez-Ariza, L., & García-Sánchez, I. M. (2013). Is integrated reporting determined by a country’s legal system? An exploratory study. Journal of Cleaner Production, 44, 45–55. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2012.12.006
Frias‐Aceituno, J. V., Rodríguez‐Ariza, L., & Garcia‐Sánchez, I. M. (2014). Explanatory Factors of Integrated Sustainability and Financial Reporting. Business Strategy and the Environment, 23(1), 56–72. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.1765
Hamrouni, A., Karaman, A. S., Kuzey, C., & Uyar, A. (2023). Ethical environment, accountability, and sustainability reporting: What is the connection in the hospitality and tourism industry? Tourism Economics, 29(3), 664–695. https://doi.org/10.1177/13548166211062649
Harymawan, I., Kristanto, F., Putra, G., & Fianto, B. A. (2021). Financially Distressed Firms : Environmental , Social , and Governance Reporting in Indonesia. 1–18.
Hopper, T., Lassou, P., & Soobaroyen, T. (2017). Globalisation, accounting and developing countries. Critical Perspectives on Accounting, 43, 125–148. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpa.2016.06.003
Jonsdottir, B., Sigurjonsson, T. O., Johannsdottir, L., & Wendt, S. (2022). Barriers to Using ESG Data for Investment Decisions. Sustainability (Switzerland), 14(9), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14095157
Kakabadse, A., Kakabadse, N. K., & Kouzmin, A. (2003). Reinventing the Democratic Governance Project through Information Technology? A Growing Agenda for Debate. Public Administration Review, 63(1), 44–60. https://doi.org/10.1111/1540-6210.00263
Kolk, A. (2008). Sustainability, accountability and corporate governance: exploring multinationals’ reporting practices. Business Strategy and the Environment, 17(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.511
Labelle, R., Makni Gargouri, R., & Francoeur, C. (2010). Ethics, Diversity Management, and Financial Reporting Quality. Journal of Business Ethics, 93(2), 335–353. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-009-0225-7
Lee, S. P., & Isa, M. (2020). Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Practices and Performance in Shariah Firms: Agency or Stakeholder Theory? Asian Academy of Management Journal of Accounting and Finance, 16(1), 1–34. https://doi.org/10.21315/aamjaf2020.16.1.1
Liakh, O. (2021). Accountability through sustainability data governance: reconfiguring reporting to better account for the digital acceleration. Sustainability (Switzerland), 13(24). https://doi.org/10.3390/su132413814
MacKinnon, K. (2012). Context matters: The value of analyzing human factors within educational contexts as a way of informing technology-related decisions within design research. International Journal of Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning, 7(3), 379–397. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11412-012-9149-9
Maione, G. (2023). An energy company’s journey toward standardized sustainability reporting: addressing governance challenges. Transforming Government: People, Process and Policy, 17(3), 356–371. https://doi.org/10.1108/TG-05-2023-0062
Malik, V., Mittal, R., Mavaluru, D., Narapureddy, B. R., Goyal, S. B., Martin, R. J., Srinivasan, K., & Mittal, A. (2023). Building a Secure Platform for Digital Governance Interoperability and Data Exchange Using Blockchain and Deep Learning-Based Frameworks. IEEE Access, 11, 70110–70131. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2023.3293529
Marzouki, A., Chouaibi, J., & Amara, T. (2024). Do business ethics moderate corporate corruption risk-ESG reporting relationship? Evidence from European ESG firms. International Journal of Ethics and Systems, 40(4), 734–758. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOES-07-2023-0166
Marzuki, A., Nor, F. M., Ramli, N. A., Basah, M. Y. A., & Aziz, M. R. A. (2023). The Influence of ESG, SRI, Ethical, and Impact Investing Activities on Portfolio and Financial Performance—Bibliometric Analysis/Mapping and Clustering Analysis. Journal of Risk and Financial Management, 16(7). https://doi.org/10.3390/jrfm16070321
Mason, M. (2020). Transparency, accountability and empowerment in sustainability governance: a conceptual review. Journal of Environmental Policy & Planning, 22(1), 98–111. https://doi.org/10.1080/1523908X.2019.1661231
Mejía Acosta, A. (2013). The Impact and Effectiveness of Accountability and Transparency Initiatives: The Governance of Natural Resources. Development Policy Review, 31(s1). https://doi.org/10.1111/dpr.12021
Mion, G., & Loza Adaui, C. R. (2019). Mandatory Nonfinancial Disclosure and Its Consequences on the Sustainability Reporting Quality of Italian and German Companies. Sustainability, 11(17), 4612. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11174612
Mok, K. H. (2005). Fostering entrepreneurship: Changing role of government and higher education governance in Hong Kong. Research Policy, 34(4), 537–554. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2005.03.003
Moktadir, M. A., & Ren, J. (2024). Leveraging environmental, social, and governance strategies for sustainable tannery solid waste management towards achieving sustainable development goals. Sustainable Development, 32(4), 2869–2898. https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.2812
Moussa, A. S., & Elmarzouky, M. (2024). Sustainability Reporting and Market Uncertainty: The Moderating Effect of Carbon Disclosure. Sustainability (Switzerland) , 16(13), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16135290
Nurimansjah, R. A. (2023). Dynamics of Human Resource Management: Integrating Technology, Sustainability, and Adaptability in the Modern Organizational Landscape. Golden Ratio of Mapping Idea and Literature Format, 3(2), 104–123. https://doi.org/10.52970/grmilf.v3i2.324
Peters, J., & Simaens, A. (2020). Integrating sustainability into corporate strategy: A case study of the textile and clothing industry. Sustainability (Switzerland), 12(15), 1–35. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12156125
Reich, M. R. (2018). The core roles of transparency and accountability in the governance of global health public–private partnerships. Health Systems and Reform, 4(3), 239–248. https://doi.org/10.1080/23288604.2018.1465880
Rodríguez Bolívar, M. P., Navarro Galera, A., López Subirés, M. D., & Alcaide Muñoz, L. (2018). Analysing the accounting measurement of financial sustainability in local governments through political factors. Accounting, Auditing and Accountability Journal, 31(8), 2135–2164. https://doi.org/10.1108/AAAJ-10-2016-2754
Saraswati, E., Ghofar, A., Atmini, S., & Dewi, A. A. (2024). Clustering of Companies Based on Sustainability Performance using ESG Materiality Approach : Evidence from Indonesia. 14(2), 112–125.
Shaoul, J., Stafford, A., & Stapleton, P. (2012). Accountability and corporate governance of public private partnerships. Critical Perspectives on Accounting, 23(3), 213–229. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpa.2011.12.006
Soltani, B. (2014). The Anatomy of Corporate Fraud: A Comparative Analysis of High Profile American and European Corporate Scandals. Journal of Business Ethics, 120(2), 251–274. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-013-1660-z
Suhardjo, I., Akroyd, C., & Suparman, M. (2024). Unpacking Environmental , Social , and Governance Score Disparity : A Study of Indonesian Palm Oil Companies.
Suryantini, N. P. S., Moeljadi, Aisjah, S., & Ratnawati, K. (2024). Enhancing Sustainable Competitive Advantage in SMEs: Aligning Intellectual Capital and Business Performance Model. Quality - Access to Success, 25(198), 299–314. https://doi.org/10.47750/QAS/25.198.33
Toukabri, M., & Mohamed Youssef, M. A. (2023). Climate change disclosure and sustainable development goals (SDGs) of the 2030 agenda: the moderating role of corporate governance. Journal of Information, Communication and Ethics in Society, 21(1), 30–62. https://doi.org/10.1108/JICES-02-2022-0016
Ul Abideen, Z., & Fuling, H. (2024). Non-financial sustainability reporting and firm reputation. Evidence from Chinese listed companies. International Journal of Emerging Markets. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOEM-08-2023-1319
Weber, K., Otto, B., & Österle, H. (2009). One Size Does Not Fit All---A Contingency Approach to Data Governance. Journal of Data and Information Quality, 1(1), 1–27. https://doi.org/10.1145/1515693.1515696
Zheng, H., Yang, J., & Xu, S. (2025). How does the new energy demonstration city pilot policy affect energy-intensive enterprises’ ESG? A quasi-natural experiment from China. Sustainable Futures, 9(December 2024), 100426. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sftr.2024.100426
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Fitrah Azirial Akbar

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
















