Global Trends in Greenwashing Research Within Sustainability Reporting: A Bibliometric Analysis (2008–2026)

Abstract

This study aims to uncover the intellectual evolution and global dynamics of greenwashing practices in sustainability reporting and to identify shifts toward more technical detection mechanisms. The methodology used is a quantitative descriptive bibliometric approach to 174 Scopus-indexed journal articles from 2008 to 2026 through analysis of trends, citation networks, and conceptual structures. The results show that greenwashing has transformed from a marginal issue to a strategic topic with exponential growth since 2023, accompanied by a shift in focus from symbolic legitimacy to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) based transparency and disclosure. Furthermore, the integration of technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and Natural Language Processing is beginning to be utilized to detect discrepancies between claims and actual performance. The study's conclusion confirms that greenwashing has developed into a systemic risk that impacts the credibility of sustainability reporting and financial market performance. The limitations of this study lie in the use of a single database and the lack of cross-sector empirical validation. The contribution of this study is to provide a comprehensive mapping of the trends, structure, and future directions of greenwashing research and provide a basis for the development of more adaptive policies and detection instruments.

Keywords

Bibliometric Analysis Greenwashing Sustainability Reporting