Investigating How Firms in Emerging Economies Integrate AI‐Driven Systems and ESG Metrics Into Biodiversity Conservation and Circular Economy Strategies
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22418397 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Suleman Bawa (0009-0007-4520-3492, School of Business Xi'an Fanyi University Xian China, corresponding author), Simplice Anutechia Asongu (0000-0001-5227-5135, School of Economics University of Johannesburg Johannesburg South Africa) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 35 |
| Issue | 5 |
| Pages | 7420-7435 |
| Publication date | 2026-07-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Business Strategy and the Environment (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0964-4733 • E-ISSN: 1099-0836 |
| Publisher | Wiley (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1002/bse.70547 |
| OpenAlex | W7124489258 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 3 |
| References cited | 39 |
This study investigates how firms in emerging economies integrate artificial intelligence (AI) with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices to enhance biodiversity conservation and circular economy outcomes. It examines the mediating role of corporate social responsibility (CSR) governance and the moderating effect of institutional strength in shaping this relationship. Using longitudinal data from 4320 firm‐year observations across India, Brazil, and Ghana (2018–2024), a multilevel panel structural equation model (SEM) was employed with extensive robustness and endogeneity diagnostics. Findings show that AI adoption is positively associated with ESG integration and environmental performance, mediated by CSR governance. Institutional strength strengthens the ESG–performance link, with the strongest effects in high‐governance contexts. Cross‐country analyses reveal the AI–ESG–performance pathway is most pronounced in India, followed by Brazil and Ghana. The study advances an integrated AI–ESG–CSR framework, illustrating how digital intelligence translates into measurable ecological sustainability in emerging economies. It also highlights the need for ethical AI governance and social equity considerations.
Corporate governance · Corporate social responsibility · Emerging markets · Endogeneity · Entrepreneurship · Panel data · Sustainability · Bioeconomy and Sustainability Development · Ethics and Social Impacts of AI · Innovation, Sustainability, Human-Machine Systems
Corporate Governance Meets Corporate Social Responsibility
Institutional Strategies in Emerging Markets
Firm Resources and Sustained Competitive Advantage
Toward a knowledge‐based theory of the firm
Institutions, Institutional Change and Economic Performance
Integration of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria
Interorganizational Sensemaking of the Transition Toward a Circular Value Chain
The Iron Cage Revisited
| Unique citing works | 3 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 3 |
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 1 |