Board Gender Diversity and ESG Performance: A Bibliometric Review

Abstract

Board gender diversity has become an important topic in corporate governance literature due to its potential role in enhancing Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) performance and supporting corporate sustainability. Although studies on the relationship between board gender diversity and ESG have increased considerably, a comprehensive understanding of the research landscape remains limited. Therefore, this study aims to map the development of research on board gender diversity and ESG performance using a bibliometric approach. The analysis was conducted on 104 research articles indexed in the Scopus database published between 2015 and 2025. Bibliometric analysis was performed using VOSviewer to examine publication trends, leading countries and authors, keyword co-occurrence, and thematic evolution through network, overlay, and density visualizations. The results indicate a substantial increase in publications over the last decade, reflecting growing scholarly interest in this field. Italy was identified as the most productive country, while Bel-Oms, I. was the most productive author. Keyword analysis revealed that board gender diversity is the central research theme, strongly associated with ESG performance, corporate governance, ESG disclosure, sustainability, and corporate social responsibility. Overall, this study provides a comprehensive overview of the intellectual structure and emerging research trends, while identifying potential directions for future studies on board gender diversity and ESG performance.

Keywords:  Board Gender Diversity, ESG Performance, Corporate Governance, Sustainability