Track description

The relationship between Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices, sustainable finance, and financial performance remains a complex and debated topic within academic and business communities. Despite numerous studies, a clear consensus on how ESG initiatives and sustainable finance instruments translate into measurable financial outcomes is still lacking. In this evolving landscape, digitalization and emerging technologies hold significant transformative potential. Technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data analytics, blockchain, the Internet of Things (IoT), and cloud computing are essential not only for enhancing the efficiency and transparency of ESG and sustainable finance reporting but also for potentially amplifying the positive financial impacts of these sustainability-oriented strategies.

This track invites theoretical and empirical contributions that explore the synergies and tensions between digital innovation, ESG integration, sustainable finance, and organizational performance. The aim is to foster a rich and multidisciplinary dialogue on how digital transformation is redefining sustainability in finance.

Key topics include but are not limited to the following themes:

- The impact of emerging technologies (e.g., AI, blockchain, 5G) on environmental, social, and economic sustainability.

- The role of digitalization in improving the accuracy, transparency, and comparability of ESG and sustainable finance disclosures.

- Empirical analyses of how digital tools influence the performance and attractiveness of ESG-driven investment strategies and financial instruments.

- Digital innovations as enablers for overcoming integration challenges in sustainable finance and ESG implementation within organizational processes.

- Case studies showcasing successful applications of digital technologies in enhancing ESG performance, financial sustainability, and stakeholder trust.