Main Article Content
Abstract
Purpose: This study explores the challenges and opportunities in sustainability auditing, explicitly focusing on measuring environmental and social impacts in modern enterprises. It seeks to address critical gaps in data consistency, standardized metrics, and the integration of advanced technologies and methodologies in sustainability practices.
Research Design and Methodology: The study employs a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) approach to analyze existing academic literature and synthesize theoretical and practical insights. This method enables a comprehensive evaluation of current frameworks, methodologies, and technological applications in sustainability auditing, focusing on their strengths and limitations.
Findings and Discussion: The research identifies significant barriers in sustainability auditing, including inconsistent data quality, a lack of global standards, and the qualitative complexities of measuring social impacts. Advanced methodologies such as Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Social Return on Investment (SROI) are highlighted as promising tools to address these challenges. Technologies like blockchain, artificial intelligence, and IoT are also emphasized for enhancing accuracy, transparency, and efficiency. The findings underscore the importance of integrating sustainability auditing into corporate strategies to foster stakeholder trust, improve accountability, and achieve competitive advantages.
Implications: This study contributes to the theoretical understanding of sustainability auditing by bridging methodological gaps and practical challenges. Its managerial implications encourage organizations to adopt innovative tools and align auditing practices with broader sustainability goals. Additionally, policymakers are urged to support these efforts through targeted incentives and the promotion of global standards. These findings provide actionable insights for practitioners, academics, and policymakers to advance sustainability practices.
Keywords
Article Details

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
References
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- Al-Raeei, M. (2024). Artificial intelligence for climate resilience: advancing sustainable goals in SDGs 11 and 13 and its relationship to pandemics. Discover Sustainability, 5(1), 513. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-024-00775-5
- Alotaibi, E., & Nassif, N. (2024). Artificial intelligence in environmental monitoring: in-depth analysis. Discover Artificial Intelligence, 4(1), 84. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44163-024-00198-1
- Baumgartner, R. J., & Rauter, R. (2017). Strategic perspectives of corporate sustainability management to develop a sustainable organization. Journal of Cleaner Production, 140, 81–92. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.04.146
- Bibri, S. E. (2018). The IoT for smart sustainable cities of the future: An analytical framework for sensor-based big data applications for environmental sustainability. Sustainable Cities and Society, 38, 230–253. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2017.12.034
- Boiral, O., Heras-Saizarbitoria, I., & Brotherton, M.-C. (2019). Assessing and Improving the Quality of Sustainability Reports: The Auditors’ Perspective. Journal of Business Ethics, 155(3), 703–721. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-017-3516-4
- Bonilla, S. H., Silva, H. R. O., Terra da Silva, M., Franco Gonçalves, R., & Sacomano, J. B. (2018). Industry 4.0 and sustainability implications: A scenario-based analysis of the impacts and challenges. Sustainability, 10(10), 3740. https://doi.org/10.3390/su10103740
- Braig, P., & Edinger-Schons, L. M. (2020). From Purpose to Impact - An Investigation of the Application of Impact Measurement and Valuation Methods for Quantifying Environmental and Social Impacts of Businesses. Sustainable Production and Consumption, 23, 189–197. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2020.04.006
- Brand, F. S., Berger, V., Hetze, K., Schmidt, J. E. U., Weber, M.-C., Winistörfer, H., & Daub, C.-H. (2018). Overcoming current practical challenges in sustainability and integrated reporting: insights from a Swiss field study. NachhaltigkeitsManagementForum | Sustainability Management Forum, 26(1), 35–46. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00550-018-0474-y
- Busco, C., Granà, F., & Izzo, M. F. (2018). Sustainable development goals and integrated reporting. Routledge.
- Camilleri, M. A. (2017). Corporate sustainability, social responsibility and environmental management. Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-46849-5
- Castka, P., Searcy, C., & Mohr, J. (2020). Technology-enhanced auditing: Improving veracity and timeliness in social and environmental audits of supply chains. Journal of Cleaner Production, 258, 120773. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.120773
- Charles, V., Emrouznejad, A., & Gherman, T. (2023). A critical analysis of the integration of blockchain and artificial intelligence for supply chain. Annals of Operations Research, 327(1), 7–47. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10479-023-05169-w
- Costa, E., & Pesci, C. (2016). Social impact measurement: why do stakeholders matter? Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal, 7(1), 99–124. https://doi.org/10.1108/SAMPJ-12-2014-0092
- Dathe, T., Helmold, M., Dathe, R., & Dathe, I. (2024). Introduction: ESG and Corporate Accountability BT - Implementing Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Principles for Sustainable Businesses: A Practical Guide in Sustainability Management (T. Dathe, M. Helmold, R. Dathe, & I. Dathe (eds.); pp. 1–4). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-52734-0_1
- Deegan, C. M. (2019). Legitimacy theory: Despite its enduring popularity and contribution, time is right for a necessary makeover. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, 32(8), 2307–2329. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1108/AAAJ-08-2018-3638
- Di Carlo, E. (2020). The Real Entity Theory and the Primary Interest of the Firm: Equilibrium Theory, Stakeholder Theory and Common Good Theory BT - Accountability, Ethics and Sustainability of Organizations: New Theories, Strategies and Tools for Survival and Growth (S. Brunelli & E. Di Carlo (eds.); pp. 3–21). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-31193-3_1
- Eccles, R. G., & Serafeim, G. (2017). Corporate and integrated reporting: A functional perspective. In Corporate stewardship (pp. 156–171). Routledge.
- Freeman, R. E. (2010). Strategic management: A stakeholder approach. Cambridge university press.
- Harrer, T., & Lehner, O. M. (2024). Assuring the unknowable: a reflection on the evolving landscape of sustainability assurance for financial auditors. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, 67, 101413. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cosust.2023.101413
- Hazaea, S. A., Zhu, J., Khatib, S. F. A., Bazhair, A. H., & Elamer, A. A. (2022). Sustainability assurance practices: a systematic review and future research agenda. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 29(4), 4843–4864. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-17359-9
- Herremans, I. M., Nazari, J. A., & Mahmoudian, F. (2016). Stakeholder Relationships, Engagement, and Sustainability Reporting. Journal of Business Ethics, 138(3), 417–435. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-015-2634-0
- Hristov, I., & Chirico, A. (2019). The role of sustainability key performance indicators (KPIs) in implementing sustainable strategies. Sustainability, 11(20), 5742. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11205742
- Jeremiah, M. S., & Beta, K. W. (2023). The Role of Accountability in Corporate Environmental Sustainability Framework BT - Corporate Sustainability in Africa: Responsible Leadership, Opportunities, and Challenges (S. Adomako, A. Danso, & A. Boateng (eds.); pp. 349–374). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-29273-6_16
- Kah, S., & Akenroye, T. (2020). Evaluation of social impact measurement tools and techniques: a systematic review of the literature. Social Enterprise Journal, 16(4), 381–402. https://doi.org/10.1108/SEJ-05-2020-0027
- Kaur, A., & Lodhia, S. (2018). Stakeholder engagement in sustainability accounting and reporting. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, 31(1), 338–368. https://doi.org/10.1108/AAAJ-12-2014-1901
- Kitchenham, B., & Charters, S. (2007). Guidelines for performing systematic literature reviews in software engineering. UK.
- Mohammad, A. S., Brohi, M. N., & Khan, I. A. (2021). Integration of IoT and blockchain.
- Osei, V., Asante-Darko, D., & Quayson, M. (2024). Stakeholder Pressure, Circular Economy Practices, and Sustainability Performance: The Moderating Effect of Ecological Innovation Capabilities. Circular Economy and Sustainability, 4(4), 3139–3170. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43615-024-00373-7
- Poniachek, H. A. (2021). Mergers and Acquisitions: Principles and Practices BT - Encyclopedia of Finance (C.-F. Lee & A. C. Lee (eds.); pp. 1–44). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-73443-5_105-1
- Priyanka Aggarwal. (2022). Sustainability Reporting and its Impact on Corporate Financial Performance: A Literature Review. Indian Journal of Commerce and Management Studies, 4(3 SE-Articles), 51–59. https://ijcms.in/index.php/ijcms/article/view/484
- Purbawangsa, I. B. A., Solimun, S., Fernandes, A. A. R., & Mangesti Rahayu, S. (2020). Corporate governance, corporate profitability toward corporate social responsibility disclosure and corporate value (comparative study in Indonesia, China and India stock exchange in 2013-2016). Social Responsibility Journal, 16(7), 983–999. https://doi.org/10.1108/SRJ-08-2017-0160
- Raj, A. A. H., Union, A. H., & Shaker, A. S. (2024). Sustainable performance audits: Integrating environmental and social indicators. International Journal of Financial Management and Economics, 7(2), 55–60. https://doi.org/10.33545/26179210.2024.v7.i2.338
- Rawhouser, H., Cummings, M., & Newbert, S. L. (2019). Social impact measurement: Current approaches and future directions for social entrepreneurship research. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 43(1), 82–115. https://doi.org/10.1177/1042258717727718
- Rendtorff, J. D. (2020). Corporate citizenship, stakeholder management and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in financial institutions and capital markets. Journal of Capital Markets Studies, 4(1), 47–59. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCMS-06-2020-0021
- Richter, F., Gawenko, W., Götze, U., & Hinz, M. (2023). Toward a Methodology for Social Sustainability Assessment: a Review of Existing Frameworks and a Proposal for a Catalog of Criteria. Schmalenbach Journal of Business Research, 75(4), 587–626. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41471-023-00174-y
- Scelles, N., Inoue, Y., Perkin, S. J., & Valenti, M. (2024). Social Impact Assessment of Corporate Social Responsibility Initiatives: Evaluating the Social Return on Investment of an Inclusion Offer. Journal of Business Ethics. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-024-05786-w
- Sharma, R., & Gupta, K. (2019). Life cycle modeling for environmental management: a review of trends and linkages. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 192(1), 51. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-019-8026-7
- Soh, D. S. B., & Martinov‐Bennie, N. (2018). Factors associated with internal audit’s involvement in environmental and social assurance and consulting. International Journal of Auditing, 22(3), 404–421. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijau.12125
- Valentinov, V. (2023). Sustainability and stakeholder theory: a processual perspective. Kybernetes, 52(13), 61–77. https://doi.org/10.1108/K-05-2023-0819
- Wijesinghe, N., Abhayawansa, S., & Adams, C. (2023). Reporting on Key Performance Indicators Related to Non-financial Capitals: Evidence from Sri Lankan Integrated Report Preparers BT - Integrated Reporting (IR) for Sustainability: Business Cases in South Asia (K.-H. Lee, S. Senaratne, & N. Gunarathne (eds.); pp. 327–351). Springer Nature Switzerland. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-41833-4_14
- Yadav, P., & Jain, A. (2023). Sustainability disclosures and corporate boards: a stakeholder approach to decision-making. Journal of Applied Accounting Research, 24(5), 1027–1047. https://doi.org/10.1108/JAAR-10-2022-0279
References
Abd-Elhamid, H. F., Abdelfattah, M., Zeleňáková, M., Kabeel, A. E., Barańczuk, J., Gharbia, S. S., & Mahdy, M. (2025). Monitoring coastal changes in Port Said, Egypt using multi-temporal satellite imagery and GIS-DSAS. Modeling Earth Systems and Environment, 11(1), 56. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40808-024-02266-y
Al-Raeei, M. (2024). Artificial intelligence for climate resilience: advancing sustainable goals in SDGs 11 and 13 and its relationship to pandemics. Discover Sustainability, 5(1), 513. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-024-00775-5
Alotaibi, E., & Nassif, N. (2024). Artificial intelligence in environmental monitoring: in-depth analysis. Discover Artificial Intelligence, 4(1), 84. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44163-024-00198-1
Baumgartner, R. J., & Rauter, R. (2017). Strategic perspectives of corporate sustainability management to develop a sustainable organization. Journal of Cleaner Production, 140, 81–92. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.04.146
Bibri, S. E. (2018). The IoT for smart sustainable cities of the future: An analytical framework for sensor-based big data applications for environmental sustainability. Sustainable Cities and Society, 38, 230–253. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2017.12.034
Boiral, O., Heras-Saizarbitoria, I., & Brotherton, M.-C. (2019). Assessing and Improving the Quality of Sustainability Reports: The Auditors’ Perspective. Journal of Business Ethics, 155(3), 703–721. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-017-3516-4
Bonilla, S. H., Silva, H. R. O., Terra da Silva, M., Franco Gonçalves, R., & Sacomano, J. B. (2018). Industry 4.0 and sustainability implications: A scenario-based analysis of the impacts and challenges. Sustainability, 10(10), 3740. https://doi.org/10.3390/su10103740
Braig, P., & Edinger-Schons, L. M. (2020). From Purpose to Impact - An Investigation of the Application of Impact Measurement and Valuation Methods for Quantifying Environmental and Social Impacts of Businesses. Sustainable Production and Consumption, 23, 189–197. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2020.04.006
Brand, F. S., Berger, V., Hetze, K., Schmidt, J. E. U., Weber, M.-C., Winistörfer, H., & Daub, C.-H. (2018). Overcoming current practical challenges in sustainability and integrated reporting: insights from a Swiss field study. NachhaltigkeitsManagementForum | Sustainability Management Forum, 26(1), 35–46. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00550-018-0474-y
Busco, C., Granà, F., & Izzo, M. F. (2018). Sustainable development goals and integrated reporting. Routledge.
Camilleri, M. A. (2017). Corporate sustainability, social responsibility and environmental management. Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-46849-5
Castka, P., Searcy, C., & Mohr, J. (2020). Technology-enhanced auditing: Improving veracity and timeliness in social and environmental audits of supply chains. Journal of Cleaner Production, 258, 120773. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.120773
Charles, V., Emrouznejad, A., & Gherman, T. (2023). A critical analysis of the integration of blockchain and artificial intelligence for supply chain. Annals of Operations Research, 327(1), 7–47. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10479-023-05169-w
Costa, E., & Pesci, C. (2016). Social impact measurement: why do stakeholders matter? Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal, 7(1), 99–124. https://doi.org/10.1108/SAMPJ-12-2014-0092
Dathe, T., Helmold, M., Dathe, R., & Dathe, I. (2024). Introduction: ESG and Corporate Accountability BT - Implementing Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Principles for Sustainable Businesses: A Practical Guide in Sustainability Management (T. Dathe, M. Helmold, R. Dathe, & I. Dathe (eds.); pp. 1–4). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-52734-0_1
Deegan, C. M. (2019). Legitimacy theory: Despite its enduring popularity and contribution, time is right for a necessary makeover. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, 32(8), 2307–2329. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1108/AAAJ-08-2018-3638
Di Carlo, E. (2020). The Real Entity Theory and the Primary Interest of the Firm: Equilibrium Theory, Stakeholder Theory and Common Good Theory BT - Accountability, Ethics and Sustainability of Organizations: New Theories, Strategies and Tools for Survival and Growth (S. Brunelli & E. Di Carlo (eds.); pp. 3–21). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-31193-3_1
Eccles, R. G., & Serafeim, G. (2017). Corporate and integrated reporting: A functional perspective. In Corporate stewardship (pp. 156–171). Routledge.
Freeman, R. E. (2010). Strategic management: A stakeholder approach. Cambridge university press.
Harrer, T., & Lehner, O. M. (2024). Assuring the unknowable: a reflection on the evolving landscape of sustainability assurance for financial auditors. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, 67, 101413. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cosust.2023.101413
Hazaea, S. A., Zhu, J., Khatib, S. F. A., Bazhair, A. H., & Elamer, A. A. (2022). Sustainability assurance practices: a systematic review and future research agenda. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 29(4), 4843–4864. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-17359-9
Herremans, I. M., Nazari, J. A., & Mahmoudian, F. (2016). Stakeholder Relationships, Engagement, and Sustainability Reporting. Journal of Business Ethics, 138(3), 417–435. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-015-2634-0
Hristov, I., & Chirico, A. (2019). The role of sustainability key performance indicators (KPIs) in implementing sustainable strategies. Sustainability, 11(20), 5742. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11205742
Jeremiah, M. S., & Beta, K. W. (2023). The Role of Accountability in Corporate Environmental Sustainability Framework BT - Corporate Sustainability in Africa: Responsible Leadership, Opportunities, and Challenges (S. Adomako, A. Danso, & A. Boateng (eds.); pp. 349–374). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-29273-6_16
Kah, S., & Akenroye, T. (2020). Evaluation of social impact measurement tools and techniques: a systematic review of the literature. Social Enterprise Journal, 16(4), 381–402. https://doi.org/10.1108/SEJ-05-2020-0027
Kaur, A., & Lodhia, S. (2018). Stakeholder engagement in sustainability accounting and reporting. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, 31(1), 338–368. https://doi.org/10.1108/AAAJ-12-2014-1901
Kitchenham, B., & Charters, S. (2007). Guidelines for performing systematic literature reviews in software engineering. UK.
Mohammad, A. S., Brohi, M. N., & Khan, I. A. (2021). Integration of IoT and blockchain.
Osei, V., Asante-Darko, D., & Quayson, M. (2024). Stakeholder Pressure, Circular Economy Practices, and Sustainability Performance: The Moderating Effect of Ecological Innovation Capabilities. Circular Economy and Sustainability, 4(4), 3139–3170. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43615-024-00373-7
Poniachek, H. A. (2021). Mergers and Acquisitions: Principles and Practices BT - Encyclopedia of Finance (C.-F. Lee & A. C. Lee (eds.); pp. 1–44). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-73443-5_105-1
Priyanka Aggarwal. (2022). Sustainability Reporting and its Impact on Corporate Financial Performance: A Literature Review. Indian Journal of Commerce and Management Studies, 4(3 SE-Articles), 51–59. https://ijcms.in/index.php/ijcms/article/view/484
Purbawangsa, I. B. A., Solimun, S., Fernandes, A. A. R., & Mangesti Rahayu, S. (2020). Corporate governance, corporate profitability toward corporate social responsibility disclosure and corporate value (comparative study in Indonesia, China and India stock exchange in 2013-2016). Social Responsibility Journal, 16(7), 983–999. https://doi.org/10.1108/SRJ-08-2017-0160
Raj, A. A. H., Union, A. H., & Shaker, A. S. (2024). Sustainable performance audits: Integrating environmental and social indicators. International Journal of Financial Management and Economics, 7(2), 55–60. https://doi.org/10.33545/26179210.2024.v7.i2.338
Rawhouser, H., Cummings, M., & Newbert, S. L. (2019). Social impact measurement: Current approaches and future directions for social entrepreneurship research. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 43(1), 82–115. https://doi.org/10.1177/1042258717727718
Rendtorff, J. D. (2020). Corporate citizenship, stakeholder management and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in financial institutions and capital markets. Journal of Capital Markets Studies, 4(1), 47–59. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCMS-06-2020-0021
Richter, F., Gawenko, W., Götze, U., & Hinz, M. (2023). Toward a Methodology for Social Sustainability Assessment: a Review of Existing Frameworks and a Proposal for a Catalog of Criteria. Schmalenbach Journal of Business Research, 75(4), 587–626. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41471-023-00174-y
Scelles, N., Inoue, Y., Perkin, S. J., & Valenti, M. (2024). Social Impact Assessment of Corporate Social Responsibility Initiatives: Evaluating the Social Return on Investment of an Inclusion Offer. Journal of Business Ethics. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-024-05786-w
Sharma, R., & Gupta, K. (2019). Life cycle modeling for environmental management: a review of trends and linkages. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 192(1), 51. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-019-8026-7
Soh, D. S. B., & Martinov‐Bennie, N. (2018). Factors associated with internal audit’s involvement in environmental and social assurance and consulting. International Journal of Auditing, 22(3), 404–421. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijau.12125
Valentinov, V. (2023). Sustainability and stakeholder theory: a processual perspective. Kybernetes, 52(13), 61–77. https://doi.org/10.1108/K-05-2023-0819
Wijesinghe, N., Abhayawansa, S., & Adams, C. (2023). Reporting on Key Performance Indicators Related to Non-financial Capitals: Evidence from Sri Lankan Integrated Report Preparers BT - Integrated Reporting (IR) for Sustainability: Business Cases in South Asia (K.-H. Lee, S. Senaratne, & N. Gunarathne (eds.); pp. 327–351). Springer Nature Switzerland. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-41833-4_14
Yadav, P., & Jain, A. (2023). Sustainability disclosures and corporate boards: a stakeholder approach to decision-making. Journal of Applied Accounting Research, 24(5), 1027–1047. https://doi.org/10.1108/JAAR-10-2022-0279