Integrating ESG into Business Sustainability Through Innovation and Digital Transformation: A Scoping Review of Sustainable Value Creation

Abstract

Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices have become increasingly central to business sustainability strategies. Yet, the empirical literature remains fragmented regarding how ESG is translated into firm-level outcomes and sustainable value creation. This study conducts a scoping review to map the relationships among ESG practices, innovation, and organizational value creation, with particular attention to business sustainability. Reported in accordance with PRISMA 2020, with additional consideration of guidance specific to scoping reviews, searches in Scopus, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect identified 87 empirical studies. The review examines ESG conceptualization and measurement, the structural roles of innovation, and value-related outcomes. The findings reveal three dominant patterns: ESG is most often operationalized through rating-based indicators; innovation, especially green innovation and digital transformation, frequently acts as the mechanism through which ESG is translated into organizational change and performance outcomes; and value creation is increasingly assessed through both financial and sustainability-oriented indicators. Based on these findings, the study synthesizes recurring empirical patterns into an integrative sustainability framework in which ESG is interpreted as a strategic orientation, innovation as a capability conversion layer, and sustainable organizational value as the resulting outcome.