AUTHOR=Catalfo Pierluigi , Virgillito Daniele , Messina Giuseppe , Ledda Caterina 
  
TITLE=Integrating ESG indicators into public health governance as a policy innovation for institutional accountability: a scoping review
  
JOURNAL=Public Health Reviews
  
VOLUME=Volume 47 - 2026
  
YEAR=2026
  
URL=https://www.ssph-journal.org/journals/public-health-reviews/articles/10.3389/phrs.2026.1609720
  
DOI=10.3389/phrs.2026.1609720
  
ISSN=2107-6952
  
ABSTRACT=ObjectivesTo examine how ESG indicators and related frameworks are being translated from corporate disclosure into public health governance.MethodsFollowing PRISMA-ScR and the PCC framework, we synthesized 25 studies and grey-literature documents to map definitions, implementation levels, governance uses, barriers, and research gaps. ESG integration was defined as the use of environmental, social, and governance indicators to support accountability, transparency, stakeholder engagement, sustainability alignment, and strategic control in health systems.ResultsESG-related frameworks may strengthen reporting practices, multisectoral coordination, and alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals when supported by leadership, technical capacity, harmonized indicators, and standardized reporting systems. However, the evidence remains heterogeneous and exploratory. Direct effects on governance performance, health outcomes, or equity are rarely demonstrated. Key gaps include unclear conceptual boundaries between ESG, CSR, SDG monitoring, and sustainability reporting, limited appraisal of reporting versus actual performance, measurement inconsistency, and under-representation of low-resource and Global South contexts.ConclusionFuture research should validate sector-specific ESG indicators and evaluate whether ESG integration improves accountability, equity, and sustainable public health governance.