Advancing ESG through 4IR technologies: Innovating for a sustainable and inclusive future
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Date
2025
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
De Gruyter
Abstract
The integration of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles with Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies have gained traction recently with several debates suggesting AI integration into ESG may offer transformative po- tential for sustainable development. On this premise, this chapter explores the trans- formative role of 4IR technologies in enhancing ESG principles by examining how the 4IR technologies can be leveraged upon to address critical sustainability challenges and foster inclusive development for all. We acknowledged that the integration of ESG principles with AI will drive innovation, improve transparency, and enable effec- tive decision-making across industries. We equally highlighted that 4IR technologies integration into ESG initiatives are not without challenges especially on issues per- taining to data integrity, privacy, bias, transparency, accountability and over-reliance on AI. Hence, we noted that strong regulatory framework and collaborative efforts among stakeholders are essential to mitigate risks of over-reliance on AI, ensure re- sponsible AI usage and maximizing its impact. This chapter therefore concludes that leveraging 4IR technologies to advance ESG initiatives is not merely a moral impera- tive but a strategic necessity to enhance ESG for any business as it presents an innova- tive pathway toward a sustainable and inclusive future.