Sustainability Reporting: A Bibliometric Analysis of Knowledge Clusters and Hotspots (2000–2026)

Authors

  • Loso Judijanto IPOSS Jakarta, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.58812/wsaf.v4i01.2750

Keywords:

Sustainability Reporting, ESG, Corporate Social Responsibility, Sustainable Development, Bibliometric Analysis

Abstract

This study aims to map the intellectual structure, knowledge clusters, and emerging research hotspots in sustainability reporting literature through a comprehensive bibliometric analysis covering the period 2000–2026. Data were retrieved from the Scopus database using relevant keywords related to sustainability reporting, ESG, CSR disclosure, and non-financial reporting. The analysis was conducted using VOSviewer to examine keyword co-occurrence, overlay visualization, density mapping, and collaboration networks. The findings reveal that sustainability and sustainable development serve as the central themes, indicating their dominant role in shaping the research landscape. The results also show a significant shift from traditional corporate social responsibility toward ESG-oriented frameworks and governance-based reporting practices. Emerging hotspots such as circular economy, environmental management, and sustainable investments highlight the growing emphasis on impact-oriented and value-driven sustainability. Furthermore, the study identifies underexplored areas related to decision-making processes and environmental impact assessment, suggesting directions for future research. This study contributes to the literature by providing a systematic and longitudinal mapping of sustainability reporting research, offering insights for academics, policymakers, and practitioners in understanding its evolution and future trajectory.

References

[1] M. Al Mahameed and A. Abras, “Using sustainability reporting as a business communication tool to reshape social relations in times of turmoil,” Bus. Strateg. Environ., vol. 34, no. 5, pp. 5624–5643, 2025.

[2] O. F. Dako, T. A. Onalaja, P. S. Nwachukwu, F. A. Bankole, and T. Lateefat, “Integrating ESG performance metrics into financial reporting frameworks to strengthen sustainable investment decision-making processes,” Int. J. Adv. Multidiscip. Res. Stud., vol. 3, no. 2, pp. 1239–1252, 2023.

[3] D. Ramdhan, “The Role of ESG Disclosure in Attracting Sustainable Investment in Indonesia’s Capital Market,” RIGGS J. Artif. Intell. Digit. Bus., vol. 4, no. 3, pp. 3384–3393, 2025.

[4] E. Du Toit, “Thirty years of sustainability reporting: Insights, gaps and an agenda for future research through a systematic literature review,” Sustainability, vol. 16, no. 23, p. 10750, 2024.

[5] H. Diwan and B. Amarayil Sreeraman, “From financial reporting to ESG reporting: a bibliometric analysis of the evolution in corporate sustainability disclosures: H. Diwan, BA Sreeraman,” Environ. Dev. Sustain., vol. 26, no. 6, pp. 13769–13805, 2024.

[6] N. Donthu, S. Kumar, D. Mukherjee, N. Pandey, and W. M. Lim, “How to conduct a bibliometric analysis: An overview and guidelines,” J. Bus. Res., vol. 133, pp. 285–296, 2021.

[7] P. M. Clarkson, Y. Li, G. D. Richardson, and F. P. Vasvari, “Revisiting the relation between environmental performance and environmental disclosure: An empirical analysis,” Accounting, Organ. Soc., vol. 33, no. 4–5, pp. 303–327, 2008.

[8] S. Whitmee et al., “Safeguarding human health in the Anthropocene epoch: report of The Rockefeller Foundation–Lancet Commission on planetary health,” Lancet, vol. 386, no. 10007, pp. 1973–2028, 2015.

[9] P. R. Kleindorfer, K. Singhal, and L. N. Van Wassenhove, “Sustainable operations management,” Prod. Oper. Manag., vol. 14, no. 4, pp. 482–492, 2005.

[10] J. Mensah, “Sustainable development: Meaning, history, principles, pillars, and implications for human action: Literature review,” Cogent Soc. Sci., vol. 5, no. 1, p. 1653531, 2019.

[11] R. J. Keenan, G. A. Reams, F. Achard, J. V de Freitas, A. Grainger, and E. Lindquist, “Dynamics of global forest area: Results from the FAO Global Forest Resources Assessment 2015,” For. Ecol. Manage., vol. 352, pp. 9–20, 2015.

[12] H. Wang, G. Gurau, and R. D. Rogers, “Ionic liquid processing of cellulose,” Chem. Soc. Rev., vol. 41, no. 4, pp. 1519–1537, 2012.

[13] R. Hahn and M. Kühnen, “Determinants of sustainability reporting: A review of results, trends, theory, and opportunities in an expanding field of research,” J. Clean. Prod., vol. 59, pp. 5–21, 2013.

[14] R. Gray, “Is accounting for sustainability actually accounting for sustainability...and how would we know? An exploration of narratives of organisations and the planet,” Accounting, Organ. Soc., vol. 35, no. 1, pp. 47–62, 2010, doi: 10.1016/j.aos.2009.04.006.

[15] M. J. Milne and R. Gray, “W (h) ither ecology? The triple bottom line, the global reporting initiative, and corporate sustainability reporting,” J. Bus. ethics, vol. 118, no. 1, pp. 13–29, 2013.

[16] C. Marquis, M. W. Toffel, and Y. Zhou, “Scrutiny, norms, and selective disclosure: A global study of greenwashing,” Organ. Sci., vol. 27, no. 2, pp. 483–504, 2016.

Downloads

Published

2026-03-31

How to Cite

Sustainability Reporting: A Bibliometric Analysis of Knowledge Clusters and Hotspots (2000–2026) (L. Judijanto, Trans.). (2026). West Science Accounting and Finance, 4(01), 97-104. https://doi.org/10.58812/wsaf.v4i01.2750