Triple Bottom Line in Sustainable Development: A Comprehensive Bibliometric Analysis

Abstract

This study provides a bibliometric analysis of the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) framework in sustainable development, highlighting its ethical dimensions and corporate responsibility. Using R Studio and VOSviewer, we examine research trends from 2001 to 2023, revealing a 23.23% annual growth in publications, strong global engagement, and increasing interdisciplinarity. Thematic analysis shows a shift from broad management concepts to specialized areas such as circular economy, life cycle assessment, and climate impact, demonstrating TBL’s transition from a theoretical model to an actionable sustainability framework. Our findings provide practical insights for policymakers and organizations, supporting data-driven decision-making in sustainability strategies. By integrating ethical accountability with economic, social, and environmental goals, TBL offers a structured approach to guiding sustainable business practices and informing policy development.

1. Introduction

Triple Bottom Line (TBL) framework in sustainable development has fundamentally shifted how organizations and policymakers understand and measure performance. Expanding beyond traditional economic success, TBL integrates economic, social, and environmental objectives, creating a tripartite framework for assessing the long-term impacts of business decisions [1]. Originating from John Elkington’s concept in the 1990s, this approach has evolved into a cornerstone for corporate sustainability strategies and public policy frameworks. Also, TBL framework brings a distinctly ethical dimension to corporate strategies by highlighting that organizations bear a responsibility toward their stakeholders, the environment, and society at large. From multinational corporations to local initiatives and government policies, TBL has become a key criterion for evaluating sustainability and social responsibility [2]. However, while TBL has been widely adopted, concerns persist about its consistent application and the challenges of quantifying its social and environmental impacts [3]. These challenges raise questions about whether TBL is used purely as a strategic tool or as a true commitment to ethical accountability across sectors.

This study is motivated by the growing importance of sustainability research and the need for a structured bibliometric analysis of the TBL framework. While TBL has been widely applied in corporate strategies and sustainability policies, there is a lack of a comprehensive mapping of its evolution, interdisciplinary connections, and empirical applications across industries. Addressing these gaps will provide a clearer understanding of how TBL is operationalized in different domains and its potential for informing sustainability strategies.

Paradoxically, the extensive use of TBL in academic literature and practice has not always led to a unified understanding of the methodologies employed or its actual impact on sustainable development. For instance, in the academic scope, significant differences remain regarding the consistent integration of the three dimensions and the operational challenges associated with quantifying social and environmental effects [4]. Additionally, regional and sectoral differences further complicate the global applicability of TBL, raising questions about the standardization of practices and the transferability of results [5]. In this context, a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of TBL’s evolution and application becomes essential for identifying unexplored areas and emerging trends shaping the sustainable development landscape.

While TBL research has grown significantly, existing literature lacks a comprehensive bibliometric analysis that synthesizes:

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Thematic trends in TBL research overtime: prior studies have examined sector-specific applications, but there is limited research tracking how the TBL framework has evolved conceptually and methodologically.

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Global collaboration patterns: the extent of international research cooperation and the regional diffusion of TBL principles is not well-documented.

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Interdisciplinary focus: While TBL is inherently multidimensional, few studies map its integration across various research fields, such as circular economy, corporate social responsibility, and environmental management.

By addressing these gaps, this study provides a systematic overview of TBL’s evolution, identifies emerging research areas, and highlights its practical applications in sustainability strategies. To address these gaps, this study is guided by the following research questions (RQs):

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RQ1: How has research on the TBL framework evolved over time?

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RQ2: What are the key thematic trends and interdisciplinary connections in TBL research?

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RQ3: How the global research collaborations shape the development of TBL studies?

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RQ4: What practical implications do the findings have for organizations and policymakers implementing TBL-based sustainability strategies?

The application of the TBL framework extends across various fields, reflecting its versatility and relevance in multiple domains. In corporate governance, TBL has become a critical tool for companies seeking to balance profitability with social responsibility and environmental stewardship, often informing sustainability reports and corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategies. In the public sector, governments and policymakers utilize TBL to design and assess policies aimed at achieving sustainable development, such as urban planning initiatives that integrate economic growth, social equity, and environmental conservation. The framework has also become increasingly influential in academic research, where it is applied to evaluate the sustainability practices of educational institutions [6], incorporating aspects like resource management [7], social impact [8,9], and community engagement [10].

In the context of international sustainable development policies, TBL plays a key role in supporting the implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) [11]. The TBL framework, which incorporates economic, social, and environmental dimensions, aligns well with global objectives such as SDG 12 (Responsible consumption and production), SDG 13 (Climate action), and SDG 8 (Decent work and economic growth). By applying TBL, organizations can contribute directly to achieving these global goals, ensuring that their operations integrate sustainability at every level. For instance, TBL can guide businesses and governments in adopting sustainable production practices, reducing carbon footprints, and enhancing social welfare.

TBL’s alignment with international sustainability frameworks, such as the Paris Agreement [12] and Agenda 2030 [13], further enhances its applicability. These global policies focus on integrating sustainability across all sectors of the economy, and TBL provides a structured framework for addressing the economic, social, and environmental dimensions of these challenges. TBL can be used by governments and corporations to shape national and international policies that aim to reduce emissions, promote clean energy, and create equitable social systems. For example, the Paris Agreement’s highlighting on climate action can be supported by TBL’s focus on environmental sustainability, while the SDGs’ push for social equity aligns with TBL’s social dimension.

Furthermore, TBL’s influence can be observed in specific industries, such as manufacturing [14,15], where companies implement TBL principles to minimize waste [16], optimize resource usage [17], and enhance worker benefit. In the energy sector, the framework is used to measure the trade-offs between economic performance, social benefits, and environmental impacts in projects like renewable energy development [18]. The healthcare industry employs TBL to assess the economic viability of medical interventions while considering patient outcomes and environmental implications [19,20]. Despite these diverse applications, challenges remain in consistently applying TBL across different sectors due to varying standards and the complexity of balancing all three dimensions effectively. This multifaceted utilization of TBL across disciplines highlights the need for further research to refine its implementation and optimize its impact on sustainable development practices. Also, sustainable urban planning has gained significant importance as a field where the TBL framework plays a significant role [21]. As urban populations continue to grow and the demand for sustainable cities intensifies, TBL provides a valuable lens through which urban planning can balance the economic, social, and environmental challenges of modern cities.

Thus, this study proposes a critical review of how TBL contributes to achieving the SDGs, discussing potential synergies and trade-offs that arise when integrating economic, social, and environmental dimensions. By exploring the practical impact of TBL applications, this bibliometric analysis will highlight gaps in the existing literature and propose a consolidated framework for the effective integration of TBL into future sustainability policies, offering both theoretical insights and practical implications for the field of sustainable economics.

2. Data Collection and Methodology

Bibliometric analysis utilizes statistical techniques and specialized software tools to extract, process, and interpret data related to scientific publications. This approach aims to offer an objective overview of a research field’s development, assess contributions from individual authors or institutions, and identify potential directions for future research. In our bibliometric analysis, we used R Studio (version 2024.04.2), employing the bibliometrix package and the “biblioshiny()” function to enhance data visualization and interpretation [22,23]. As noted by Donthu et al. [24], the popularity of bibliometric analysis has grown significantly due to the availability of user-friendly software tools like VOSviewer and Gephi, alongside comprehensive databases such as Scopus and Web of Science (WoS) that catalog high-quality scientific publications.

We also utilized VOSviewer software, version 1.6.20, for network analysis. VOSviewer is a specialized tool for analyzing and visualizing networks within bibliometric data [25]. As highlighted in the work by Ionescu et al. [26], VOSviewer facilitates the exploration and visualization of complex networks in bibliometric studies. In the section dedicated to mixed analysis, we examine the interconnections between various elements, such as keywords within our bibliometric dataset. Widely adopted by the academic community [27,28], VOSviewer supports the identification of trends, relationships, and patterns in scientific literature by providing detailed visual representations of data networks.

We selected R Studio and VOSviewer due to their specific advantages in bibliometric analysis. R Studio allows for advanced data processing, integration of various statistical packages, and reproducibility of results [29], which is essential for research transparency. Additionally, VOSviewer was chosen for its ability to generate clear and intuitive network maps for co-citation analysis, thematic relationships, and field evolution [30,31]. Compared to other tools, these two provide an optimal combination of analytical flexibility and interactive visualization, making them widely used in the literature for this type of analysis.

Over the years, literature reviews have revealed that bibliometric analysis has been applied across a wide range of research fields, including: sustainable development [32,33], management [34], digital economy [35], business economics [36], digital educational environments [37], social inequality [38], cybernetics [23], environmental, social, and governance (ESG) [39], policy-making [40], financial contagion [41] or renewable energy [42].

In our study, we selected the most significant articles from the WoS database, considering its comprehensive indexing and the relevant information it provides for bibliometric research. While other sources such as Scopus, Crossref, and Dimensions also offer scientific research data, we selected WoS for its extensive database, which includes over 18 million documents, as emphasized by Visser et al. [43]. WoS, founded by Eugene Garfield in 1960 [44], has expanded over the years to include various indexes such as the Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Arts & Humanities Citation Index (A&HCI), and Conference Proceedings Citation Index, as well as a citation index for books, aiming to offer a broad overview of the literature across different formats [45,46]. Technological advancements have significantly transformed the distribution and analysis of Science Citation Index (SCI) data, enhancing access to information and accelerating bibliometric research based on publication and citation data [47]. It is important to note that WoS access is subscription-based, and the quality of analysis depends on the number of indexes available. For our research, we had full access, utilizing all indexes on the platform, including:

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Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE)—1900-present;

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Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI)—1975-present;

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Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI)—2005-present;

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Arts & Humanities Citation Index (A&HCI)—1975-present;

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Conference Proceedings Citation Index—Social Sciences and Humanities (CPCI-SSH)—1990-present;

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Conference Proceedings Citation Index—Science (CPCI-S)—1990-present;

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Book Citation Index—Science (BKCI-S)—2010-present;

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Book Citation Index—Social Sciences and Humanities (BKCI-SSH)—2010-present;

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Current Chemical Reactions (CCR-Expanded)—2010-present;

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Index Chemicus (IC)—2010-present.

Additionally, we chose WoS because of the Journal Impact Factor (JIF), a metric used in InCites Journal Citation Reports (JCR) for assessing the influence of scientific journals, particularly for SCI and SSCI [48,49], based on citation data from the past two years [50,51].

Table 1. Refined data selection workflow.

Step	Query Description	Criteria Applied	Number of Results
1	Initial search in titles for relevant keywords.	TI=(“triple_bottom_line*”) AND TI=(“economic*”) AND TI=(“social*”) AND TI=(“environment*”)	3
2	Expanded search in abstracts for broader coverage of relevant keywords.	AB=(“triple_bottom_line*”) AND AB=(“economic*”) AND AB=(“social*”) AND AB=(“environment*”)	1.114
3	Search in author keywords to capture studies classified with relevant keywords.	AK=(“triple_bottom_line*”) AND AK=(“economic*”) AND AK=(“social*”) AND AK=(“environment*”)	31
4	Combined results from steps 1, 2, and 3.	#1 OR #2 OR #3	1.128
5	Filtered results to include only articles.	#4 AND DT= (Article)	884
6	Further refinement by restricting the language to English.	#5 AND LA= (English)	853
7	Final filter applied to exclude publications from the year 2024.	#6 NOT PY= (2024)	768

outlines a systematic approach to data refinement aimed at building a targeted dataset for bibliometric analysis on the TBL in sustainable development. The process begins with an initial search in titles, aiming to identify studies where keywords such as “triple bottom line”, “economic”, “social”, and “environment” appear explicitly. This narrow search yielded only 3 results, indicating the specialized nature or varied terminology of relevant studies. In addition to the keyword “triple bottom line”, we selected the other keywords as they reflect the three essential dimensions of sustainability: economic, social, and environmental. These represent the fundamental pillars of the TBL approach, which is used to measure and evaluate sustainability across various fields [52].

To broaden the scope, the second step involved searching in abstracts, capturing studies that discuss TBL concepts more contextually, resulting in a significant increase to 1.114 articles. The third step focused on author-provided keywords, which are often used to represent the main themes of a paper. This search yielded 31 results, reflecting a subset of studies where TBL principles are explicitly acknowledged by the authors. The fourth step combined the results from titles, abstracts, and keywords using an “OR” logic, consolidating a comprehensive dataset of 1.128 potential articles. This step was followed by filtering to include only document type “Article”, which ensured that the dataset focused on peer-reviewed, research-oriented content, reducing the number of results to 884 documents. The dataset was further refined by restricting the language to English, bringing the count down to 853 scientific articles. Finally, articles from the year 2024 were excluded to ensure that only completed and published research up to the previous year was considered, resulting in a final dataset of 768 articles.

The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) methodology provides a set of recommendations that guide the reporting of systematic reviews and meta-analyses [53,54]. Although this methodology is traditionally used for conducting and reporting systematic reviews, in our study, it has been adapted to the context of bibliometric analysis. The goal is to provide a structured and organized approach to literature searches while also ensuring the selection of relevant articles. Figure 1 visualizes the process described in Table 1 and the explanatory paragraph, detailing each step of dataset selection and refinement. It clearly highlights the progressive reduction in the number of articles to ensure the relevance and quality of the bibliometric data used in the study.

To ensure the quality and completeness of the dataset used in this study, we performed an automated metadata analysis using the Bibliometrix package in R.

Table 2. Completeness of metadata.

Description	Missing (%)	Status
Abstract	0.00	Excellent
Author	0.00	Excellent
Document Type	0.00	Excellent
Journal	0.00	Excellent
Language	0.00	Excellent
Publication Year	0.00	Excellent
Science Categories	0.00	Excellent
Title	0.00	Excellent
Total Citation	0.00	Excellent
Cited References	0.13	Good
Corresponding Author	0.78	Good
Affiliation	0.91	Good
DOI	4.82	Good
Keywords	7.03	Good
Keywords Plus	14.06	Acceptable

presents the completeness of metadata for 768 selected documents, highlighting that essential attribute such as abstracts, author names, document type, journal names, publication years, science categories, and total citations are fully available. The classifications follows a predefined scale: “Excellent” (0% missing), “Good” (up to 10% missing), “Acceptable” (10.01–20% missing), “Poor” (20.01–50% missing), “Critical” (50.01–99.99% missing), and “Completely missing” (100% missing) [55]. This ensures a robust foundation for bibliometric analysis. Additionally, cited references, corresponding author details, and affiliations exhibit minimal missing values (under 1%), further reinforcing data reliability. However, DOI information is absent for approximately 4.82% of the records, while Keywords Plus has the highest proportion of missing data (14.06%). While these gaps may slightly affect keyword-based trend analysis, they do not compromise the overall validity of the study. The high completeness of core metadata fields ensures a comprehensive and consistent bibliometric evaluation.

3. Results

Our results provide insight into the ethical dimensions embedded within TBL research. Fields such as corporate governance, environmental management, and social responsibility reveal how TBL is utilized to foster ethical accountability [56,57], transparency [57,58], and social impact across sectors [59,60,61]. Thematic analyses reveal that while early studies focused primarily on general applications, recent research emphasizes sector-specific ethical challenges, including fair labor practices in supply chains, environmental justice in manufacturing, and equitable resource distribution in public sector policies. Furthermore, the rise of interdisciplinary collaborations, evident in international co-authorships, demonstrates a collective ethical commitment to sustainability across regions, aligning with the goals of TBL to balance profit with broader societal benefits.

The analysis from

Table 3. Main information about data.

Description	Results
Timespan	2001:2023
Sources	394
Documents	768
Annual Growth Rate %	23.23
Document Average Age	6.03
Average citations per doc	40.55
References	41.07
Keywords Plus	1.480
Author’s Keywords	2.324
Authors	2.219
Authors of single-authored docs	89
Single-authored docs	93
Co-Authors per Doc	3.24
International co-authorships %	30.86

provides a strong foundation for understanding the evolution and trajectory of TBL research within the context of sustainable development. We can observe that the 23.23% annual growth rate indicates a burgeoning interest in this field. This suggests that the TBL concept is gaining traction and relevance in academic and practical spheres. The average citations per document (40.55) and the substantial number of references (41.072) highlight the significance and influence of research in this area. This suggests that the existing body of work is well-cited and has a notable impact on the field. Also, the high percentage of international co-authorships (30.86%) underscores the global nature of TBL research. This indicates that scholars from diverse backgrounds are contributing to the field, fostering cross-cultural exchange and knowledge sharing.

Table 4. Most global cited documents.

No.	First Author; Year; Journal; References	Total Citations (TC)	TC Per Year	Normalized TC
1	Carter; 2008; International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistic Management; [62]	2077	122.8	7.75
2	Carter; 2011; International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management; [66]	926	66.14	6.89
3	Govindan; 2013; Journal of Cleaner Production; [63]	688	57.33	7.90
4	Milne; 2013; Journal of Business Ethics; [67]	626	52.17	7.19
5	Pope; 2004; Environmental Impact Assessment Review; [65]	623	29.67	5.22
6	Gimenez; 2012; International Journal of Production; [68]	561	43.15	6.94
7	Wu; 2011; Journal of Operations Management; [69]	471	33.64	3.51
8	Tate; 2010; Journal of Supply Chain Management; [70]	423	28.20	4.71
9	Sarkis; 2020; International Journal of Operations & Production Management; [64]	401	100.25	13.90
10	Zaid; 2018; Journal of Cleaner Production; [71]	387	55.29	7.37

highlights the top-cited research articles in the field, providing valuable insights into the most influential works relevant to sustainability and related topics, such as supply chain management, environmental assessment, and business ethics. The table lists the documents according to total citations (TC), citations per year (TC per year), and normalized citations (Normalized TC), which help gauge the impact and relevance of each study over time. The most cited work is by Carter and Rogers [62], published in the International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, with 2.077 total citations and an annual average of 122.18 citations. This paper’s high citation count suggests it has had a foundational impact on sustainability and logistics, aligning with the principles of the TBL, which emphasizes economic, social, and environmental dimensions. Similarly, the study by Govindan et al. [63] in the Journal of Cleaner Production reflects strong engagement with sustainable practices in production, closely related to TBL frameworks, with 688 citations and a normalized TC of 7.90. More recent articles, such as Sarkis [64], show a rapid rise in citations, with a TC per year of 100,25 and the highest normalized TC of 13.90 in the table. This indicates a growing interest in sustainability-oriented research, particularly in operational and production management, reinforcing the significance of TBL principles in contemporary discourse. Conversely, older papers, like Pope et al. [65], though still influential with 623 citations, exhibit lower annual citation rates (29.67), suggesting that while foundational, newer studies have gained prominence in recent sustainability discussions. Overall, the citation patterns in Table 3 reflect the evolving focus in research towards integrating economic, social, and ecological considerations, as promoted by the TBL approach, underscoring its role as a central framework in advancing sustainability practices across various disciplines.

Table 4 lists the most globally cited documents in TBL research, highlighting their total citations, annual citation rates, and normalized citation counts. The most influential works in the field of TBL and sustainability focus on integrating economic, social, and environmental dimensions into sustainable practices, particularly in supply chain management and corporate reporting. For instance, Carter and Rogers [62] were pioneers in defining Sustainable Supply Chain Management (SSCM), introducing a theoretical framework based on resource dependence theory, transaction cost economics, and the resource-based view. This was one of the first studies to conceptualize TBL from a supply chain management perspective, significantly influencing subsequent research. Similarly, Govindan et al. [63] brings a different methodological approach, applying fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) to evaluate supplier sustainability, combining fuzzy logic and TOPSIS methods. This provides a more technical approach, addressing the issue of sustainability performance assessment in a practical manner. Additionally, Milne and Gray [67] offer a critique of how TBL is implemented in corporate reporting, arguing that many companies use Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and TBL as strategic tools rather than as a genuine commitment to sustainability. Furthermore, it is notable that the most cited works [62,63,66,69,70,71] primarily focus on TBL implementation in supply chains. This suggests that sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) is one of the most developed subdomains of TBL research. Additionally, while some articles are highly application-oriented [63,69,71] and offer quantitative approaches for sustainability assessment, others take a more critical perspective [65,67], questioning the actual effectiveness of TBL in practice. An interesting perspective is brought by Sarkis [64], who introduces a contemporary dimension by discussing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on supply chains and its implications for sustainability. This highlights an emerging research direction regarding sustainable resilience.

The analysis of these highly cited documents also reveals certain gaps that future research could address. While many studies use fuzzy MCDM, structural equation modeling (SEM), or theoretical frameworks, there are limited studies integrating AI and machine learning methods in sustainability analysis. Moreover, most articles focus on TBL integration in business and supply chains, but there is little research on the impact of TBL on social inequality. Addressing these gaps could lead to a more comprehensive understanding of how TBL can be leveraged to promote equity and technological advancements in sustainability research.

In

Table 5. Summary of recent articles (2022–2023).

No.	First Author; Year; Journal; References	Total Citations (TC)	No.	First Author; Year; Journal; References;	Total Citations (TC)
1	Khan, S.A.; 2023; Journal of Cleaner Production; [72]	65	6	Jum’a, L.; 2022; International Journal of Production Economics; [76];	71
2	Azmat, F.; 2023; Journal of Business Research; [73]	37	7	Lim, W. M.; 2022; Australasian Marketing Journal; [77];	68
3	Camilleri, M.A.; 2023; Business Strategy and the Environment; [6]	33	8	Fathollahi-Fard, A.M.; 2022; Symmetry; [78]	49
4	Henry, M.; 2023; Business Strategy and the Environment; [74]	26	9	Wang, M.; 2022; Operations Management Research; [79];	42
5	Bonfanti, A.; 2023; Business Strategy and the Environment; [75]	25	10	Mastrocinque, E.; 2022; Technological Forecasting and Social Change; [80];	38

, ten articles were extracted and classified based on the number of citations from recent literature. These articles highlight the role of emerging technologies and innovation in integrating economic, social, and environmental sustainability across various industries. For example, Khan et al. [72] analyzes the impact of Industry 4.0 on the economic, social, and environmental performance of sustainable supply chains (SSCPs). The study employs Smart-PLS and SEM modeling, emphasizing the need for a practical perspective in implementing these supply chains. Azmat et al. [73] conduct a bibliometric analysis to investigate the relationship between business innovation and SDGs, identifying existing gaps and future research directions. Camilleri et al. [6] propose a collaborative approach, demonstrating that firms collaborating with external entities can innovate more effectively but face risks related to the leakage of sensitive information. Henry et al. [74] highlighted the role of circular entrepreneurs, based on an empirical study of 57 startups, emphasizing the need for scaling innovation. Bonfanti et al. [75] show that many companies voluntarily adopt sustainable practices to achieve SDGs, particularly focusing on the social dimension, such as employee well-being. Jum’a et al. [76] analyze the impact of Lean practices and sustainability-oriented innovation (SOI), using SEM modeling on a sample of 392 managers, demonstrating that both have a positive effect on TBL. Lim [77] introduce a hierarchical prioritization of TBL, arguing that economic profitability is essential for fostering sustainable behavior among consumers.

These recent studies demonstrate a diversification of technological and methodological approaches in assessing sustainability, revealing a general trend where Industry 4.0 and digitalization play a central role in promoting sustainability. Furthermore, new methodologies such as SEM modeling, fuzzy analysis, and multi-objective optimization are increasingly being used in TBL-related research.

Figure 2 presents a citation analysis at the document level, highlighting key reference articles in TBL-related research through their connections and accumulated citation counts. In this citation network, each node represents an article, and the size of the node reflects the total number of citations. The most cited and impactful articles are located at the center of the network, with strong connections and influence in TBL research. From this network, it is evident that Carter and Rogers [62], Govindan et al. [63], Milne and Gray [67] and Pope et al. [65] are central references, playing an important role in shaping the field. Moreover, the color gradient from dark blue to yellow indicates the temporal evolution of citations, showing how research themes have shifted. Earlier works such as Milne and Gray [67] and Pope et al. [65] laid the groundwork for critical perspectives on TBL, while more recent studies (e.g., Khan [72], Azmat [73]) focus on technological advancements, Industry 4.0, and AI-driven sustainability assessments.

Figure 3 indicates a steady and significant increase in the number of scientific articles published annually in the field studied, with some minor fluctuations in certain years. In the early years, the number of articles published annually was relatively low, with fewer than 10 articles per year. This indicates an emerging interest in the topic of TBL and sustainable development, without yet having a significant impact on literature. Starting in 2011, a significant increase in the number of articles can be observed, reaching 41 publications in 2015. This surge can be attributed to the consolidation of concepts related to TBL and sustainability within global academic and political agendas. International events and initiatives related to sustainable development, such as the adoption of the UN Sustainable Development Goals in 2015, may have contributed to the growing interest in these topics. In recent years, the number of published articles has continued to grow steadily, surpassing 90 publications per year between 2021 and 2023. This suggests a maturation of the field, with a consolidated academic interest. The consistent growth reflects that TBL has become a central theme in sustainability research, being integrated across various fields, from economics and environment to management and engineering.

The Sankey diagram in Figure 4 represents a Three-Field Plot illustrates the relationships between three domains: Keywords (DE), Countries (AU_CO), and Keywords Plus (ID). It shows how research themes in the field of TBL and sustainable development are interconnected. On the left, the Keywords field includes terms such as sustainability, triple bottom line, sustainable development, and circular economy, which are central themes in the research. These keywords are linked to various countries, presented in the central field, including the USA, China, the United Kingdom, India, and Brazil, suggesting that these nations are leaders in producing literature on these topics. While the USA and UK are major contributors in terms of corporate sustainability policies and governance frameworks, countries like China and India often focus on supply chain sustainability, industrial applications, and environmental regulations. This suggests that sustainability research is shaped by national economic and industrial contexts. On the right, the Keywords Plus field offers additional terms that reflect related research directions, such as management, performance, framework, and systems. These additional terms suggest practical applications of sustainability research, indicating how core sustainability principles are operationalized in business management, performance assessment, and supply chain logistics. The flows between these three fields highlight the global diffusion of sustainability research, showing how certain thematic clusters dominate in specific countries and how research evolves from conceptual discussions (Keywords) to practical applications (Keywords Plus). This visualization highlights the geographical distribution of interest in TBL and sustainable development, showing how major themes are approached in various national contexts and influence diverse areas of application.

Figure 5 shows the distribution of article frequencies according to the rank of journals based on Bradford’s Law. Bradford’s Law is a bibliometric principle used to analyze the distribution of scientific publications within a given research field [81,82]. This law classifies sources into distinct zones based on publication frequency, ensuring that the most influential sources contribute the majority of articles [83]. In our study, the data is divided into three primary zones. Zone 1 (core journals) consists of a small number of highly prolific sources that form the foundational literature of the field. Zone 2 (intermediate sources) includes a broader range of journals with moderate publication frequencies, still contributing significantly but not as dominantly as those in Zone 1. Zone 3 (peripheral sources) comprises a large number of journals with low publication frequencies, forming a long tail of dispersed contributions that, while less central, may still offer niche insights or specialized perspectives [41,82,84]. Zone 1 contains the top 20 journals, with the highest frequencies of published articles. Journals such as Sustainability, Journal of Cleaner Production, and Management of Environmental Quality dominate this zone, indicating that they are the primary research sources for topics related to the TBL framework and sustainability. The journals in Zone 1 account for a significant portion of the scientific production. For example, Sustainability has the highest frequency (76 articles), followed by Journal of Cleaner Production (63 articles), underscoring the importance of these journals in the field. The topics covered by these journals include sustainability, environmental quality, sustainable supply chains, corporate social responsibility, and resource recycling. This indicates a strong academic interest in integrating sustainability across various fields and business practices. Zone 2 includes the next 66 journals, which have a moderate frequency of published articles. Although these journals make a substantial contribution to scientific literature, they do not hold the same level of dominance as those in Zone 1. The journals in this zone cover a wide range of interdisciplinary subjects, including environmental management, engineering, sustainable tourism, and energy policies. For example, Environmental Impact Assessment Review and European Journal of Operational Research are representative of research related to impact assessment and optimization in business processes. The presence of many journals from various fields highlights the interdisciplinary nature of research in sustainability and TBL. This diversity suggests that implementing sustainability requires collaboration across different disciplines. Zone 3 comprises 308 journals with a lower frequency of articles. Journals in this zone contribute sporadically to scientific literature and often focus on specific niches or applied fields. These journals contribute to the field of TBL and sustainability through case studies, regional approaches, or specific methodologies. For example, Marine Policy and Ecological Modelling provide insights into ecological aspects and modeling in the context of sustainability. Even though the article frequency is lower, these journals play an essential role in enriching the knowledge base and providing alternative perspectives.

The dominance of Zone 1 journals suggests that a limited number of highly influential sources shape sustainability research. This indicates that researchers in the field often rely on well-established publication outlets for disseminating findings. However, the presence of Zone 2 and Zone 3 journals highlights the interdisciplinary and evolving nature of sustainability studies, emphasizing the need for continued diversification in publication sources.

Figure 6 presents the 15 most relevant scientific journals in which studies related to the TBL theme are published. Sustainability leads with 76 documents, followed by the Journal of Cleaner Production with 63 documents. Other journals, such as Management of Environmental Quality (12 documents), Sustainable Production and Consumption (9 documents), and Business Strategy and the Environment (8 documents), also contribute significantly. These journals not only focus on sustainable practices but also emphasize the ethical dimensions of corporate actions, highlighting the importance of transparency, accountability, and social responsibility in sustainable development. The chart illustrates that while Sustainability and the Journal of Cleaner Production dominate in terms of the volume of publications, there is still a considerable diversity of sources that contribute to the specialized literature. Journals such as the Journal of Business Ethics play an important role in framing sustainability discussions within an ethical context, advocating for practices that balance economic goals with social and environmental responsibility. Journals like International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, Annals of Operations Research, and Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy each have a smaller but meaningful number of publications, reflecting the multifaceted nature of research in sustainability and environmental management. The distribution highlights a mix of generalist and specialized journals that collectively shape the field’s knowledge base.

Figure 7 displays a bar chart of the most relevant affiliations contributing to the literature. The x-axis represents the number of articles published, while the y-axis lists the institutions. The State University System of Florida and the Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha lead with 13 articles each, followed closely by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and the Universidade de São Paulo, both with 12 articles. Other prominent contributors include Arizona State University and the National Institute of Technology (NIT System), each with 11 articles. Institutions like the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Kristiania University College are also noted, each with 9 publications. The distribution of articles across various institutions highlights a diverse range of affiliations actively involved in sustainability research, with significant contributions from universities, research organizations, and technical institutes worldwide. This diversity indicates a global interest in sustainability topics and the broad academic involvement in advancing the field.

Figure 8 describes the distribution of corresponding authors by country, highlighting the number of published documents and the extent of international collaboration. The chart distinguishes between Single Country Publications (SCP) and Multiple Country Publications (MCP), with SCP represented in blue and MCP in red. The USA leads with the highest number of documents, mostly in SCP, indicating a strong domestic research base. China follows, showing a significant portion of MCP, reflecting a higher level of international collaboration. Other leading countries include Australia, United Kingdom, and Brazil, each displaying a mix of domestic and collaborative publications. The chart highlights that while some countries, like the USA and Brazil, tend to focus more on national research, others, such as China, Germany, and Italy, exhibit a greater emphasis on international collaboration. This distribution suggests varying strategies in research dissemination, with some countries prioritizing domestic output and others fostering global partnerships in sustainability-related studies.

Figure 9 illustrates the most cited countries in the context of research on the TBL domain. The USA stands out as the most cited country, with 8973 citations, indicating its significant influence and leadership in this field of research. Australia and the United Kingdom follow, with 2243 and 1375 citations respectively, reflecting strong contributions to the literature and impactful research outputs. China and Brazil also appear prominently, with 769 and 517 citations, suggesting growing recognition of their research in sustainability topics. European countries such as Denmark, Germany, and Spain show a steady presence, though with fewer citations, indicating a regional yet important contribution to the academic discourse. This distribution suggests that while the USA remains the dominant force in shaping the research landscape on TBL, other countries are also contributing valuable perspectives and knowledge. The diverse range of countries cited highlights global interest and collaborative efforts to address sustainability challenges, with varying degrees of impact across regions.

Figure 10 shows the word cloud based on Keywords Plus used in the analyzed research, with the size and color of terms indicating their frequency and importance. This visualization provides an overview of recurring topics but does not exclusively define the themes of the study. The primary themes highlighted include terms such as management, performance, framework, impact, and model, suggesting that managerial approaches and performance evaluation are central topics in studies related to the TBL. Ethically significant terms like corporate social responsibility and responsibility appear prominently, reflecting an increased focus on transparency and accountability in corporate actions. Terms like sustainability, supply chain management, and green points to a focus on integrating sustainable practices into corporate strategies and assessing environmental performance. Additionally, terms associated with life-cycle assessment and innovation appear, indicating that these concepts are frequently addressed in literature to minimize environmental impact and promote ethical resource use. The emphasis on performance, impact, and framework suggests a holistic approach to TBL, where ethical considerations of environmental and social dimensions are embedded in the evaluation of corporate success. Overall, the word cloud reflects a strong orientation toward sustainability management and impact assessment across various industries, aligning with the TBL’s goals of balancing economic, social, and environmental dimensions.

Figure 11 presents a co-occurrence network of keywords plus related to the TBL domain, generated in VOSviewer. Keywords Plus are automatically extracted by the WoS database based on frequently occurring terms in article titles and abstracts [47]. This network visualization highlights the most common and interconnected terms in TBL research, offering insights into broad research trends and emerging themes within the field. The connections between keywords indicate how frequently they appear together in published literature, providing a systematic overview of the key topics shaping the domain. In this network, each node represents a keyword, and the size of the node indicates the frequency of this keyword in the analyzed literature. The links between nodes reflect the co-occurrence of keywords in the same documents, and the thickness of these links indicates the strength of the connection between them. We observe that the keywords sustainability, triple bottom line, sustainable development, performance, and corporate social responsibility are among the largest and most central terms, indicating their significant importance and high frequency in the specialized literature. These central terms form the conceptual core of TBL research, reflecting the main concerns of this field: sustainability, social responsibility, and integrated performance across multiple dimensions.

The nodes are organized into various colored clusters, each representing a specific subdomain or theme within the TBL literature. Relevant themes include environmental management, green supply chain management, corporate governance, financial performance, and innovation, suggesting that TBL research addresses multiple aspects of sustainability and its impact on organizations.

The strong links between terms like sustainability and corporate social responsibility show a frequent association of TBL with social and environmental responsibility initiatives of companies. Terms such as life cycle assessment, green strategies, and decision-making are closely linked to the TBL domain, suggesting a major focus on impact assessment methods and the integration of green strategies into decision-making management.

The color bars at the edge of the graph show a time interval from 2017 to 2021. Thus, the colors of the nodes also reflect trends of interest over time. Other terms, marked with a lighter color (2020–2021), include algorithm, optimization, and machine learning, indicating a recent interest in integrating advanced technologies and analytical methods into the study of TBL.

Figure 12, also created in VOSviewer, presents the co-occurrence network of keywords used by authors in research related to the TBL field. These keywords are more specific and reflect the direct focus of individual studies, providing a researcher-driven perspective on critical themes within TBL research. Sustainability and triple bottom line are the largest and most central nodes, reflecting the importance and high frequency of these concepts in TBL research. Keywords such as corporate social responsibility, environmental management, life cycle assessment, and supply chain management are also prominent and connected, indicating that these are topics of great interest within TBL and frequently appear together in the same body of research. The nodes are organized into various colored groups, each representing specific themes related to TBL. Among these, notable themes include corporate governance, innovation, circular economy, environmental sustainability, and social sustainability. These themes indicate areas of interest focused on different dimensions of TBL, such as social sustainability, environmental sustainability, and sustainable business models. Terms like corporate social responsibility and sustainability have strong connections, highlighting the close relationship between corporate social responsibility and sustainability in TBL research. We also observe keywords such as fuzzy set theory, TOPSIS, multi-criteria decision analysis, and economic performance. These contribute to an advanced and structured evaluation framework for TBL, providing complex assessment methods and techniques that support sustainability decisions. The appearance of these terms in the network highlights the interest in solutions based on multi-criteria analysis and adaptable evaluation methods in the face of the uncertainty and complexity characteristic of sustainability.

The color bars at the edge of the graph indicate the time range of 2016–2022. The colors of the nodes also reflect the evolution of interest over time. More terms, colored in yellow (2021–2022), include multi-objective optimization, industry 4.0, and environmental sustainability, indicating a recent interest in advanced technologies and the integration of sustainability in industrial processes.

Figure 13 illustrates a clustering analysis using coupling measured by Keywords Plus, with impact measured by the global citation score and clustering labels assigned by authors’ keywords. The plot is divided into four quadrants, representing combinations of high/low impact and high/low centrality.

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Top-left quadrant (High impact, Low centrality): Terms such as performance evaluation, sustainability, and triple bottom line appear here, suggesting that while these topics are influential, they may not be as central in connecting various research themes. For instance, performance evaluation shows a high confidence level (75%), indicating its strong impact in this cluster.

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Top-right quadrant (High impact, High centrality): This quadrant includes terms like corporate social responsibility, triple bottom line, and sustainability, with higher confidence scores (e.g., corporate social responsibility at 52.6%). These terms are both influential and well-connected, indicating that they are key topics in the scientific literature and play a central role in linking different research areas.

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Bottom-left quadrant (Low impact, Low centrality): Terms such as sustainable development are found here, with moderate confidence (39.1%). This placement suggests that these topics may not be as widely cited or central within the broader research network.

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Bottom-right quadrant (Low impact, High centrality): Terms like corporate social responsibility and sustainability are present in this quadrant, indicating that, while these terms are central in connecting research themes, they may not have as high an impact in terms of global citations.

The analysis reveals that corporate social responsibility, triple bottom line, and sustainability are prominent topics in sustainability research, with varying degrees of influence and centrality across different clusters.

Figure 14 illustrates the thematic evolution of research topics over four time periods: 2001–2006, 2007–2009, 2010–2019, and 2020–2023. The diagram shows how research themes have shifted and evolved, connecting keywords across these intervals.

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2001–2006: The focus was predominantly on management, indicating that early research was centered around managerial aspects of sustainability.

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2007–2009: Thematic diversification began, with new topics emerging such as performance, strategy, management, indicators, and biodiversity. This indicates a broadening of sustainability research to include different approaches and measures.

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2010–2019: The themes further expanded to encompass more specific areas like impact, education, energy, climate change, and data envelopment analysis. This period reflects a shift toward quantifying and analyzing sustainability outcomes, with increased attention to environmental and educational factors.

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2020–2023: The most recent period shows a rich diversity of themes, including performance, development goals, modeling, consumption, and financial performance. The introduction of topics such as climate change, analytic hierarchy process, and human resource management suggests a growing emphasis on integrating sustainability into broader strategic frameworks and addressing pressing global challenges.

Overall, the thematic evolution highlights a progression from general management topics toward more specialized and diverse themes, reflecting the increasing complexity and multidimensional nature of sustainability research over the years.

Figure 15 and Figure 16 present a factorial analysis and a dendrogram for examining the conceptual structure of the research topics. These visualizations help identify clusters of related themes and show how different concepts are grouped together.

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Red Cluster (Top-Left): This group focuses on topics such as corporate social responsibility, financial performance, triple bottom line, and environmental performance. It represents a business-oriented approach, highlighting the integration of sustainability strategies in corporate governance and financial evaluation. From an ethical perspective, this cluster underscores the importance of transparency and accountability in corporate actions, particularly in how businesses address social and environmental impacts. CSR and TBL provide frameworks for companies to balance profitability with ethical responsibility, ensuring that business practices contribute positively to society and the environment.

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Blue Cluster (Top-Right): This cluster is associated with themes like circular economy, sustainability, quality, and life-cycle assessment. It emphasizes sustainable practices, industry-level impacts, and optimization in environmental management, suggesting a technical and methodological focus. Ethically, this cluster reflects the commitment to resource efficiency and waste reduction, key principles of the circular economy that seek to minimize environmental harm. Life-cycle assessment further strengthens this commitment by evaluating the long-term impacts of production and consumption, promoting ethical accountability for the entire lifecycle of products.

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Green Cluster (Bottom-Left): The themes here include environmental management, corporate sustainability, supply chain management, and logistics. This group reflects an operational perspective on sustainability, dealing with green practices, implementation, and integration in supply chain management. From an ethical standpoint, this cluster highlights the importance of responsible resource use and fair labor practices throughout the supply chain. Environmental management and green logistics are essential for minimizing ecological footprints, while corporate sustainability encourages companies to adopt ethical policies that support both environmental protection and social equity in their operations.

The dendrogram from Figure 16 shows the hierarchical relationships among the terms based on their similarity. The branches represent the level of similarity between clusters, with shorter branches indicating closer relationships. The colors correspond to the clusters identified in the conceptual structure map:

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Red branches represent terms linked to corporate strategies and corporate social responsibility.

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Blue branches correspond to technical and methodological aspects of sustainability, such as circular economy practices.

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Green branches are associated with operational and logistics-related themes.

The historiographic map from Figure 17 based on Keywords Plus illustrates the evolution and interconnections of research themes over time. It shows how key topics have emerged, developed, and influenced subsequent studies in the field of sustainability and related areas.

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Early Years (2005–2008): Initial research focused on foundational concepts such as transaction-cost economics, resource-based view, and environmental management. Topics like embodied energy and input footprint were addressed, indicating an early emphasis on cost, resource efficiency, and environmental impacts. Although explicit ethical considerations were not a primary focus in this period, these studies laid the groundwork for integrating ethical implications into sustainability discussions, particularly in terms of environmental responsibility.

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2010–2013: The themes shifted toward more strategic and integrated approaches, with terms like supply chain management, corporate social responsibility, and decision-making becoming more prominent. There was also an increasing focus on frameworks and methodologies for measuring performance, reflecting a maturing field moving towards applied and actionable research. During this period, corporate social responsibility emerged as a significant theme, bringing ethical accountability to the forefront by emphasizing the social impact of business decisions.

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2014–2018: Research began to emphasize conceptual frameworks, innovation, and the operationalization of sustainability strategies. Topics like institutional entrepreneurship and business models emerged, indicating a growing interest in understanding how sustainability can be integrated into business operations for competitive advantage.

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2019 and beyond: Recent research topics highlight perspective creation, systems thinking, and innovation frameworks, often with a regional or sector-specific focus (e.g., China). This suggests a shift toward more complex, interdisciplinary approaches that seek to address sustainability challenges through systemic and innovative solutions. Ethics has become a critical component in these frameworks, with an increased focus on transparency, accountability, and fair resource distribution, particularly in the context of global and sectoral sustainability, as highlighted in the studies of Hahn et al. [85] and Schaltegger and Burritt [86].

The map shows progression from foundational theories to strategic implementation and then to innovation and systemic thinking. This trajectory reflects the increasing complexity and integration of sustainability concepts in academic and business contexts. There is a clear connection between early theoretical work (e.g., resource-based view, transaction-cost economics) and later practical applications (e.g., supply chain management, corporate sustainability performance), suggesting that initial theories have shaped the evolution of applied research.

The country collaboration map from Figure 18 illustrates the international research collaboration patterns in sustainability studies. The map uses connecting lines to show collaborative links between countries, with the color intensity representing the level of collaboration.

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Major Collaborators: The map shows strong collaboration networks involving the United States, the United Kingdom, China, and Australia. These countries have numerous connections with other regions, indicating that they play central roles in global sustainability research. The intensity of the lines suggests frequent partnerships, especially between the US and European countries.

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Regional Clusters: There are visible clusters of collaboration in Europe, with significant interactions between the UK, Germany, France, and other European nations. This regional focus suggests a high level of cooperation within Europe on sustainability topics.

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Asia-Pacific Involvement: China and Australia are key players in the Asia-Pacific region, showing many connections to both regional and international partners. Their collaboration extends to North America and Europe, indicating a global reach in research efforts.

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Emerging Partnerships: There are growing collaborations involving countries in Latin America, such as Brazil, which shows connections with the US, Europe, and some Asian countries. This highlights the expanding role of emerging markets in contributing to global sustainability research.

4. Discussions

The findings of this bibliometric analysis provide key insights into the evolution of TBL framework in sustainable development, emphasizing its growing interdisciplinary nature and integration into corporate and policy strategies. Over the past two decades, TBL research has expanded significantly, reflecting a 23.23% annual growth rate, increased global collaboration, and a shift from broad theoretical applications to sector-specific sustainability practices.

The evolution of TBL research (RQ1) reveals a clear transition from early-stage theoretical discussions (2001–2010), primarily focused on corporate governance and sustainability reporting, to sector-specific applications (2020–2023), where methodologies such as circular economy models, life cycle assessment (LCA), and climate impact evaluation are increasingly employed. This suggests a growing emphasis on operationalizing TBL principles beyond conceptual discourse.

A deeper citation and co-occurrence analysis further underscores the thematic diversification of TBL. The analysis of general keywords versus author keywords highlights how sustainability, corporate social responsibility, and performance remain central themes but are now complemented by new interdisciplinary connections, including:

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Sustainability-oriented innovation, where methodologies such as multi-objective optimization, fuzzy logic, and SEM modeling are increasingly used to assess and enhance sustainability performance;

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Integration of Industry 4.0 technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), big data analytics, and digital twins, to improve sustainable supply chains and environmental monitoring.

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Sector-specific applications, particularly in manufacturing, energy, healthcare, and agriculture, where TBL is used to balance financial performance with environmental and social responsibilities.

These insights address RQ2, illustrating how key thematic trends have evolved and how interdisciplinary research has influenced the TBL domain.

Recent research highlights the increasing relevance of sustainable urban planning models in the implementation of the TBL framework, particularly in land use management, smart city development, and resilient infrastructure planning. Locurcio et al. [87] emphasize the necessity of integrating economic, social, and environmental sustainability into urban policies, aligning with global initiatives such as the 2030 Agenda, the European Green Deal, and the Paris Agreement. Smart city frameworks, leveraging technological innovations such as digital twins, geographic information systems (GIS), and AI-driven urban analytics, offer practical pathways for operationalizing TBL in urban environments [88,89,90]. Also, Addas [91] point out the role of smart cities in addressing these challenges by integrating sustainable practices into urban planning. This research highlights the importance of urban green spaces (UGSs) and the need for climate-related goals to ensure healthier urban environments. By comparing cities such as Vienna, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, and Hamburg, the study illustrates the impact of land distribution, mobility, and building standards on sustainability. The findings align with the TBL framework, demonstrating that smart city development can foster environmental sustainability while improving social and economic conditions.

However, challenges remain in balancing development with sustainability goals, reducing land take, and ensuring social inclusiveness. Given the increasing intersection between TBL and urban sustainability, future research could explore policy interventions, financial instruments, and performance metrics to support cities in transitioning toward equitable and resource-efficient urban systems.

The Three-Field Plot and country collaboration analysis highlight the global distribution of TBL research, emphasizing contributions from the United States, China, the United Kingdom, and Australia. The 30.86% international co-authorship rate suggests that sustainability challenges are increasingly tackled through cross-border collaborations. However, despite the increasing global participation, regional disparities in research output and impact remain evident. Countries with strong institutional support for sustainability policies and corporate social responsibility frameworks tend to produce higher-impact research. This suggests the need for further standardization of TBL metrics to enhance their applicability across different economic and regulatory environments. This finding addresses RQ3, demonstrating how global collaborations shape TBL research and drive new interdisciplinary advancements

The citation network and country collaboration analysis indicate that TBL research has become a globally relevant field, with the United States, China, the United Kingdom, and Australia emerging as dominant contributors. The presence of 30.86% international co-authorship suggests that sustainability challenges are being addressed through cross-border research initiatives. The Three-Field Plot analysis further supports this trend, showing strong linkages between sustainability research themes, contributing countries, and emerging topics. However, despite the increasing global participation, regional disparities in research output and impact remain evident. Countries with strong institutional support for sustainability policies and corporate social responsibility frameworks tend to produce higher-impact research. This suggests the need for further standardization of TBL metrics to enhance its applicability across different economic and regulatory environments.

The increasing reliance on advanced bibliometric techniques, citation network analysis, and clustering methodologies highlights the evolution of research methodologies in sustainability studies. The use of R Studio and VOSviewer allowed for a structured assessment of TBL’s development, identifying thematic clusters and tracking conceptual shifts over time. Additionally, the adoption of new analytical approaches, such as machine learning, multi-criteria decision-making, and scenario-based modeling, indicates a methodological shift toward data-driven sustainability strategies. The dominance of high-impact journals, such as the Journal of Cleaner Production and Sustainability, underscores the relevance of TBL in contemporary sustainability research. However, Bradford’s Law analysis shows a dispersion of research across multiple disciplines, highlighting the need for greater interdisciplinary integration to fully capture TBL’s implications across economic, environmental, and social dimensions.

A critical aspect of this study is its practical relevance (RQ4). The findings suggest that TBL is no longer just a conceptual framework, it is increasingly applied in sustainability reporting, corporate governance, and policymaking. The integration of circular economy models, Industry 4.0 technologies, and sustainability-oriented innovation offers a pathway to sustainable business transformation. Also, the results underscore the importance of regulatory support for sustainability reporting, cross-sector collaboration, and the harmonization of sustainability metrics.

An important aspect highlighted in our study is that the application of the TBL model not only supports organizational sustainability but also significantly influences business strategies by integrating the three key dimensions: economic, social, and environmental. Similar to Nogueira et al. [21], we observe that organizations implementing TBL can create strategies that improve financial performance while contributing to social and environmental sustainability. Our study also suggests that while TBL is applicable across various fields, organizations must be mindful of specific challenges, especially those with weaker structures.

5. Conclusions

This bibliometric study provided an overview of the evolution and influence of the TBL concept in research related to sustainable development. The results highlight a significant increase in academic interest in TBL, reflected in the annual publication growth rate of 23.23% and the high number of citations per document. The shift from a theoretical framework to an applied decision-making tool is evident in research trends, particularly in corporate sustainability reporting, circular economy strategies, and life-cycle assessment.

The citation analysis identified a series of foundational works, such as studies by Carter and Rogers [62] and Govindan et al. [63], which have had a lasting impact on defining and consolidating TBL research. At the same time, recent contributions, such as that by Sarkis [64], highlight the integration of new technologies and regulatory adaptations, reflecting an ongoing transformation in sustainability strategies.

The geographical distribution of research reveals that the United States, China, the United Kingdom, and Australia are the most influential contributors, fostering cross-border collaborations that enhance global sustainability discourse. However, regional disparities persist, highlighting the need for standardized TBL metrics to improve applicability across different economic and regulatory environments.

Our findings contribute to literature by clarifying the thematic evolution of TBL (RQ1), from theoretical discussions to applied sustainability strategies. Identifying key research clusters and interdisciplinary connections (RQ2), showing how TBL has expanded into fields such as AI-driven sustainability management, circular economy, and social impact assessment. Analyzing global collaboration trends (RQ3), emphasizing how international co-authorships and institutional backing influence high-impact research. Providing actionable insights for organizations and policymakers (RQ4), highlighting how TBL informs corporate sustainability reporting, policy frameworks, and industry-specific applications.

In any scientific article, it is important to acknowledge potential limitations. This bibliometric analysis relied on a specific set of databases and selection criteria, primarily focusing on articles published in English. This approach may limit the generalizability of the conclusions, as research published in less prominent journals or in other languages might not be included, potentially reducing the complete global perspective on TBL literature. However, we chose to concentrate on English-language articles to ensure that we analyzed the most impactful studies, as English is the predominant language in international scientific publications. Consequently, our selection offers a robust representation of the most influential work in the field. Furthermore, our study focused on the Web of Science (WoS) database due to its rigorous indexing standards, ensuring high-quality and peer-reviewed sources. While this choice strengthens the reliability of our dataset, we acknowledge that it may exclude relevant studies indexed in Scopus, CrossRef, or other bibliometric databases. Additionally, we excluded 2024 publications to maintain consistency in calculating the annual growth rate, allowing for a more accurate trend analysis. However, we have referenced relevant 2024 studies where applicable to incorporate the most recent developments in the field.

Given the global interest in sustainable development, future research could explore the applicability and impact of TBL in emerging economies, where support structures and resources for sustainability are often limited. This could contribute to adapting TBL frameworks for diverse socio-economic realities. Additionally, exploring the synergies between TBL and the SDGs could reveal how this framework supports ethical and sustainable development worldwide. Studies could examine how TBL contributes to the SDGs and how it can be optimized to support the achievement of these global objectives. Also, future research should explore the integration of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in sustainability performance assessment. Additionally, future research could explore how the King report on Corporate Governance, introduced in South Africa [92,93,94], aligns with the TBL framework. Makiwane and Padia’s study [95] highlights the growing importance of integrated reporting in South African companies, emphasizing the interconnectedness of strategies, governance, risk management, financial performance, and sustainability. Their research suggests that while there has been progress, there is still significant room for improvement in achieving the objectives of integrated reporting. This could provide valuable insights into how TBL can enhance corporate governance and sustainability reporting, especially in emerging economies, offering a more comprehensive framework for ethical decision-making and long-term value creation.

The findings suggest that TBL is becoming a more actionable framework, particularly in corporate sustainability reporting and public policy design. Organizations implementing TBL-based sustainability strategies can benefit from sector-specific best practices, such as: (i) Circular economy models that optimize resource efficiency and waste reduction; (ii) Sustainability-oriented innovation (SOI), integrating ethical accountability with economic, social, and environmental goals; (iii) Industry 4.0-driven sustainable supply chain management, leveraging digitalization to enhance environmental performance.

For policymakers, the results highlight the importance of integrating TBL principles into regulatory frameworks, particularly in areas related to corporate responsibility, environmental conservation, and social equity. Standardizing sustainability reporting practices and encouraging cross-sector collaborations can enhance TBL’s effectiveness in guiding sustainable development policies.

This study provides a data-driven perspective on TBL’s evolution, reinforcing its growing relevance in sustainability research. By bridging ethical accountability with economic, social, and environmental goals, TBL continues to shape the future of corporate responsibility and policy development. As this research field progresses, future studies should integrate innovative analytical perspectives to adapt TBL frameworks to the dynamic sustainability challenges of the global economy.