ESG Factors and Relationship with Performance: A Bibliometric Analysis

Abstract

This study employs bibliometric analysis to investigate the landscape of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors and their relationship with performance. Drawing from a dataset of 634 papers retrieved from the Web of Science (WoS) database and analysed using Biblioshiny, the research explores academic interest trends, temporal dynamics, and citation impacts. Results indicate a surge in scholarly attention since 2010, peaking notably in 2022, reflecting the growing importance of ESG research. Prominent institutions such as Stanford and Bocconi emerge as collaborative hubs, with China leading in scientific production. Key themes include financial performance, governance, risk, responsibility, and management, reflecting comprehensive explorations of sustainable business practices and effective corporate governance. Thematic maps highlight essential elements in ESG and performance studies, with clusters like "impact" emphasizing critical factors such as "governance" and "financial performance." Future research directions could explore the integration of emerging technologies into ESG reporting procedures or sectorspecific discrepancies in ESG effects on performance. The study acknowledges limitations inherent in bibliometric analysis and underscores the importance of triangulating findings with additional data sources for a comprehensive understanding of the scholarly landscape.

Keywords

• esg factors
• performance
• environmental factors
• social factors
• governance factors
• bibliometric study