Blockchain-enabled ESG management and anti-greenwashing: a bibliometric analysis, systematic review, and integrated conceptual framework

As the global demand for Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) accountability intensifies, blockchain technology has emerged as a critical digital infrastructure to ensure data transparency and combat corporate “greenwashing”. To address the persistent fragmentation in existing literature, this study aims to provide a comprehensive review of blockchain–sustainability research during 2017–2025 by integrating bibliometric analysis with a systematic literature review (SLR). Drawing on high-quality scholarly publications, the study traces the evolution of the field from early applications in logistics and traceability toward a more advanced phase characterized by convergence with artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and Big Data. Moving beyond the predominantly supply-chain-oriented focus of prior studies, the article adopts a holistic ESG framework. A central contribution is the identification of critical theoretical gaps, particularly the “Oracle problem” related to data authenticity and the “greenwashing” paradox, which highlight the limitations of blockchain when it functions merely as an immutable data repository. To address these challenges, the study proposes an integrated three-layer conceptual framework combining the Technology–Organization–Environment (TOE) model, Game Theory, and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). This framework enables a multidimensional analysis of adoption readiness, stakeholder interactions, and sustainability impacts, thereby establishing a solid foundation for future empirical research and policy formulation in the Industry 5.0 context.