ESG Reporting and Digitalization in Financial Services: A Scoping Review of Emerging Trends and Gaps

The application of sustain ability reporting., particularly environmental., social., and governance (ESG) reporting., within the financial services industry remains a relatively unexplored domain., despite its recognized significance in the financial sector. By employing a scoping review., this study critically examines the existing body of knowledge on this niche topic., with particular attention to the role of digitalization., like AI., and contributes to bridging the identified research gap. Using data sourced from the ScienceDirect database., the review follows the five stage scoping methodology: identifying the research question., selecting relevant studies., refining them based on inclusion and exclusion criteria., charting the data., and analyzing numerical and thematic trends therein. The findings indicate an exponential growth in ESG reporting research within the financial services sector., with recent studies incorporating digitalization., supporting predictions of the field”s continued expansion in the context of modern technological innovation. A geographical analysis confirms its global relevance across diverse economic landscapes. Additionally., a bibliometric analysis using VOSViewer reveals weak interconnections between author and keywords., highlighting fragmentation within the field. The keyword analysis further identifies the absence of critical technological terms., suggesting gaps for future research. However., AI stands out as a key thematic focus within the field., highlighting both its present relevance and its expected sustained role in advancing ESG reporting. Overall., this study provides a comprehensive overview of existing research., uncovers knowledge gaps., and lays the foundation for future investigations., particularly in relation to digitalization within this evolving domain.