Beyond the Techno-Managerial Dashboard: Operationalizing ESG and Digital Equity in Smart City Governance

The rapid transformation of urban centers into smart environments introduces complex challenges at the intersection of technological advancement, environmental stewardship, and social justice. This study evaluates Lisbon’s smart city transition by establishing an integrated framework that links digital equity with Environmental, Social, and Governance principles. Employing a convergent qualitative research design, this paper triangulates a comprehensive regulatory policy analysis with primary empirical data gathered from twenty-five semi-structured interviews with municipal officials, academic experts, and residents of marginalized communities. The findings expose critical systemic disparities in digital infrastructure deployment, device affordability, and platform literacy across socio-economic strata, demonstrating how localized digital divides directly impede the execution of urban ESG objectives. While green financing mechanisms offer robust pathways for sustainable energy and transit infrastructure, their equity outcomes remain constrained without mandatory, transparent information disclosure systems that mitigate agency costs. Cultivating urban resilience requires shifting from tokenistic e-governance to genuine citizen empowerment. This study offers a novel theoretical contribution by operationalizing corporate ESG metrics within public urban governance frameworks, providing an empirical roadmap for municipal policymakers globally to balance digital innovation with structural inclusion and environmental accountability in smart city agendas.