1 Research Scholar , VIT Bhopal University, Bhopal-Indore Highway, Kothrikalan, Sehore - 466 114, Madhya Pradesh.
2 Dean, VIT Bhopal University, Bhopal-Indore Highway, Kothrikalan, Sehore - 466 114, Madhya Pradesh.
Purpose: The objective was to analyze ESG performance and firms’ corporate financial performance using bibliometric and meta-analytic methods to identify the most influential authors, journals, and articles in the field and to calculate the financial impact of environmental, social, and governance (ESG).
Methodology: A total of 1,128 documents were sourced from the Scopus database and refined using PRISMA to conduct a bibliometric analysis. Of these, 550 articles were included in the meta-analysis using a random-effects model.
Findings: We reported a growing trend in the publication examining the relation between ESG and Corporate Financial Performance (CFP) literature. The meta-analysis results indicated a positive relationship between ESG and CFP. Practical
Implications: The findings suggested that managers, investors, and policymakers should recognize firms’ practice of ESG criteria as it creates long-term firm value and sustainable financial performance.
Originality: This study was among the first to integrate bibliometric, thematic, and meta-analysis to examine ESG–CFP relationship, thereby advancing previous literature.
Payal Saxena, Prasad Begde (2026). Mapping the ESG – CFP Nexus : Bibliometric, Thematic, and Meta-Analytical Synthesis. Indian Journal of Finance, 20(2), 26–49. https://doi.org/10.17010/ijf/2026/v20i2/175363