How does ESG shape corporate green innovation? A comprehensive review based on bibliometric and systematic literature analysis

Abstract

Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) has become a key concept in sustainable development and is receiving growing attention. However, the relationship between ESG performances and corporate green innovation remains insufficiently explored. Guided by sustainable principles, firms are transitioning from profit-oriented models to value-driven strategies. This shift brings fundamental changes to their competitive logic and advantages, necessitating a theoretical re-evaluation of the factors driving corporate innovation. Given the interdisciplinary nature of ESG and GI, traditional literature review methods may fail to offer a comprehensive overview. This study employs bibliometric analysis and systematic literature review to examine the evolution, research trends, and knowledge structure of ESG and GI. Using CiteSpace, this study analysed 792 articles from the Web of Science Core Collection (2008–2024.10), revealing that research in this domain has entered a phase of rapid growth and has attracted considerable attention from international journals. Major contributions come from China, the UK and the US, yet international collaboration needs improvement. Core research themes include “sustainable development” “corporate social responsibility (CSR)” and “firm performance” while emerging trends focus on “Media Attention” “Green Technological Innovation” and “Green Investment.” Subsequently, the systematic literature analysis reveals that the influence of ESG on green innovation constitutes a complex, multi-layered interactive system, shaped primarily by mediating, moderating, and contextual factors. Mediating mechanisms facilitate green innovation by optimizing resource allocation, alleviating financing constraints, and strengthening stakeholder trust. Moderating factors such as environmental policies, executive characteristics, and market competition serve a critical regulatory function within this system. Additionally, contextual factors, including industry and firm characteristics, as well as internal and external environments, further enhance the applicability and relevance of the proposed framework. This study offers a comprehensive and systematic overview of the integration of ESG and GI, which may provide useful insights for future research and potentially contribute to corporate green transformation and the pursuit of sustainability goals.