IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/wly/sustdv/v33y2025i1p565-579.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Unleashing digital transformation to achieve the sustainable development goals across multiple sectors

Author

Listed:
  • Vincenzo Varriale
  • Mark Anthony Camilleri
  • Antonello Cammarano
  • Francesca Michelino
  • Julian Müller
  • Serena Strazzullo

Abstract

Digital technologies have the potential to support achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Existing scientific literature lacks a comprehensive analysis of the triple link: “digital technologies – different industry sectors – SDGs”. By systematically analyzing extant literature, 1098 sustainable business practices have been collected from 578 papers, using 11 digital technologies in 17 industries to achieve the 17 SDGs. For instance, find that artificial intelligence can be used to achieve affordable and clean energy (SDG 7), responsible consumption and production (SDG 12) as well as to address climate change (SDG 13). Further, geospatial technologies may be applied in the agricultural industry to reduce hunger in various domains (SDG 2), to foster good health and well‐being (SDG 3), to improve the availability of clean water and sanitation facilities (SDG 6), raise awareness on responsible consumption and production (SDG 12), and to safeguard life on land (SDG 15), among other insights.

Suggested Citation

  • Vincenzo Varriale & Mark Anthony Camilleri & Antonello Cammarano & Francesca Michelino & Julian Müller & Serena Strazzullo, 2025. "Unleashing digital transformation to achieve the sustainable development goals across multiple sectors," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(1), pages 565-579, February.
  • Handle: RePEc:wly:sustdv:v:33:y:2025:i:1:p:565-579
    DOI: 10.1002/sd.3139
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.3139
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1002/sd.3139?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Joseph Sarkis & Sherwat Ibrahim, 2022. "Building knowledge beyond our experience: integrating sustainable development goals into IJPR’s research future," International Journal of Production Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 60(24), pages 7301-7318, December.
    2. Di Vaio, Assunta & Palladino, Rosa & Hassan, Rohail & Escobar, Octavio, 2020. "Artificial intelligence and business models in the sustainable development goals perspective: A systematic literature review," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 121(C), pages 283-314.
    3. Angélica Pigola & Priscila Rezende da Costa & Luísa Cagica Carvalho & Luciano Ferreira da Silva & Cláudia Terezinha Kniess & Emerson Antonio Maccari, 2021. "Artificial Intelligence-Driven Digital Technologies to the Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals: A Perspective from Brazil and Portugal," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(24), pages 1-28, December.
    4. Mark Anthony Camilleri & Ciro Troise & Serena Strazzullo & Stefano Bresciani, 2023. "Creating shared value through open innovation approaches: Opportunities and challenges for corporate sustainability," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(7), pages 4485-4502, November.
    5. Licong Xing & Edmund Ntom Udemba & Merve Tosun & Ibrahim Abdallah & Imed Boukhris, 2023. "Sustainable development policies of renewable energy and technological innovation toward climate and sustainable development goals," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(2), pages 1178-1192, April.
    6. Gonzalo Hernández Soto, 2024. "Falling behind: Evaluating projected sustainable development goals progress across varied income countries," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(3), pages 2194-2207, June.
    7. Martín-Martín, Alberto & Orduna-Malea, Enrique & Thelwall, Mike & Delgado López-Cózar, Emilio, 2018. "Google Scholar, Web of Science, and Scopus: A systematic comparison of citations in 252 subject categories," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 12(4), pages 1160-1177.
    8. Sujoy Subroto & Ranjan Datta, 2024. "Perspectives of racialized immigrant communities on adaptability to climate disasters following the UN Roadmap for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(2), pages 1386-1400, April.
    9. Qi, Bitian & Shen, Yanbo & Xu, Tieyu, 2023. "An artificial-intelligence-enabled sustainable supply chain model for B2C E-commerce business in the international trade," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    10. Muhammad Salman Pathan & Edana Richardson & Edgar Galvan & Peter Mooney, 2023. "The Role of Artificial Intelligence within Circular Economy Activities—A View from Ireland," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-18, June.
    11. Serena Strazzullo & Sérgio Moro & Livio Cricelli, 2023. "Unveiling the relationship between sustainable development and Industry 4.0: A text mining literature analysis," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(4), pages 2851-2862, August.
    12. R. Stefanini & G. Vignali, 2024. "The influence of Industry 4.0 enabling technologies on social, economic and environmental sustainability of the food sector," International Journal of Production Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 62(10), pages 3800-3817, May.
    13. Chunguang Bai & Hua Zhou & Joseph Sarkis, 2023. "Evaluating Industry 4.0 technology and sustainable development goals – a social perspective," International Journal of Production Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 61(23), pages 8094-8114, December.
    14. Anulipt Chandan & Michele John & Vidyasagar Potdar, 2023. "Achieving UN SDGs in Food Supply Chain Using Blockchain Technology," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-21, January.
    15. Gabriel Andy Szalkowski & Christian Johansen, 2024. "Defining and measuring the effects of digital technologies on social sustainability: A systematic literature review," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(3), pages 1678-1699, June.
    16. Cammarano, Antonello & Varriale, Vincenzo & Michelino, Francesca & Caputo, Mauro, 2023. "Employing online big data and patent statistics to examine the relationship between end product's perceived quality and components' technological features," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Huynh Thi Thuy Giang & Luu Tien Dung, 2025. "Sharing economy and retailer sustainable performance: the mechanisms via business model innovation and digital capabilities," Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 14(1), pages 1-33, December.
    2. Ritika Mahajan & Satish Kumar & Weng Marc Lim & Monica Sareen, 2024. "The role of business and management in driving the sustainable development goals (SDGs): Current insights and future directions from a systematic review," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(5), pages 4493-4529, July.
    3. Roslyn Cameron & Heinz Herrmann & Alan Nankervis, 2024. "Mapping the evolution of algorithmic HRM (AHRM): a multidisciplinary synthesis," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-14, December.
    4. Jingqi Gao & Xiang Wu & Xiaowei Luo & Shukai Guan, 2021. "Scientometric Analysis of Safety Sign Research: 1990–2019," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(1), pages 1-15, January.
    5. Ciurea Iulia-Cristina, 2024. "The Impact of the EU AI Act on the UN Sustainable Development Goals for 2030 – A Text Analysis," Proceedings of the International Conference on Business Excellence, Sciendo, vol. 18(1), pages 2857-2870.
    6. Henrik Skaug Sætra, 2021. "AI in Context and the Sustainable Development Goals: Factoring in the Unsustainability of the Sociotechnical System," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-19, February.
    7. Mi Sook Lee, 2024. "The relationship between green innovation and sustainable growth in Korean companies: Moderated mediation effect of ESG score by industry," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(3), pages 2797-2810, June.
    8. Francisco Díez-Martín & Giorgia Miotto & Cristina Del-Castillo-Feito, 2024. "The intellectual structure of gender equality research in the business economics literature," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 18(6), pages 1649-1680, June.
    9. Pantea Kamrani & Isabelle Dorsch & Wolfgang G. Stock, 2021. "Do researchers know what the h-index is? And how do they estimate its importance?," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 126(7), pages 5489-5508, July.
    10. Perez-Vega, Rodrigo & Hopkinson, Paul & Singhal, Aishwarya & Mariani, Marcello M., 2022. "From CRM to social CRM: A bibliometric review and research agenda for consumer research," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 151(C), pages 1-16.
    11. Sampene, Agyemang Kwasi & Li, Cai & Wiredu, John, 2024. "An outlook at the switch to renewable energy in emerging economies: The beneficial effect of technological innovation and green finance," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 187(C).
    12. Idiano D'Adamo & Alessandro Dell'Aguzzo & Marco Pruckner, 2024. "Residential photovoltaic and energy storage systems for sustainable development: An economic analysis applied to incentive mechanisms," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(1), pages 84-100, February.
    13. Zoltán Krajcsák, 2021. "Researcher Performance in Scopus Articles ( RPSA ) as a New Scientometric Model of Scientific Output: Tested in Business Area of V4 Countries," Publications, MDPI, vol. 9(4), pages 1-23, October.
    14. Tianlong Yu & Hao Yang & Xiaowei Luo & Yifeng Jiang & Xiang Wu & Jingqi Gao, 2021. "Scientometric Analysis of Disaster Risk Perception: 2000–2020," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(24), pages 1-19, December.
    15. V. Sruthy & P. K. Preetha, 2024. "Implementation and operational feasibility of an offshore floating charging station for sustainable marine transportation," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 26(8), pages 20931-20962, August.
    16. Tan Yigitcanlar & Rashid Mehmood & Juan M. Corchado, 2021. "Green Artificial Intelligence: Towards an Efficient, Sustainable and Equitable Technology for Smart Cities and Futures," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-14, August.
    17. Agnieszka Bezat-Jarzębowska & Stephanie Krieger-Güss & Sebastian Jarzębowski & Brigitte Petersen, 2024. "Integration of the Food Supply Chain as a Driver of Sustainability: A Conceptual Framework," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-20, August.
    18. Mehmet Çağlar & Cem Gürler, 2022. "Sustainable Development Goals: A cluster analysis of worldwide countries," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 24(6), pages 8593-8624, June.
    19. Zamani, Mehdi & Yalcin, Haydar & Naeini, Ali Bonyadi & Zeba, Gordana & Daim, Tugrul U, 2022. "Developing metrics for emerging technologies: identification and assessment," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    20. Zhentao Liang & Jin Mao & Kun Lu & Gang Li, 2021. "Finding citations for PubMed: a large-scale comparison between five freely available bibliographic data sources," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 126(12), pages 9519-9542, December.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:wly:sustdv:v:33:y:2025:i:1:p:565-579. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1099-1719 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.