Environmental, Social, and Governance in Family Firms : A Bibliometric Review and Agenda for Future Research

Zhu, ChangYi and Villar, Alexandra Simón and Ge, BingBing (2025) Environmental, Social, and Governance in Family Firms : A Bibliometric Review and Agenda for Future Research. Business Ethics, the Environment & Responsibility.

Abstract

This paper reviews the literature on the relationship between environmental, social, and governance (ESG) engagement and family firms. Drawing from mainstream databases, it identifies and analyzes 34 pivotal articles. Research on ESG and family firms is still emerging, but inconsistent findings and paradoxes obscure the field. Specifically, variations in theory, region, and research methods shape the relationship between family firms and ESG. This study uses bibliometric analysis to synthesize the literature to clarify ESG performance and its implications for family firms. Building on these findings, it proposes a theory-driven research agenda to address existing gaps and guide future studies. By advancing theoretical frameworks, this study enhances the understanding of ESG in family firms and outlines directions for further research.