A Systematic Review of the Literature on Integrated Reporting and Sustainability with an Emphasis on Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises

Integrated and sustainability reporting has emerged as an innovative approach in corporate reporting, aiming to provide a transparent and comprehensive view of both financial and non-financial performance. By integrating financial, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) information, this approach not only enhances organizational transparency and accountability but also fosters sustainable value creation for stakeholders. Despite the global adoption of international frameworks such as IIRC, GRI, and ISSB, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)—which represent over ۹۰% of businesses and ۶۰–۷۰% of global employment—have limited participation in integrated reporting. Key barriers include resource constraints, weak technological infrastructure, and lack of specialized knowledge. This study employs a systematic literature review of publications from ۲۰۱۵ to ۲۰۲۴, combined with qualitative content analysis and VOSviewer for keyword co-occurrence and thematic clustering. The analysis identified three main research themes: corporate social responsibility (CSR), sustainable value creation, and climate disclosure. The findings suggest that enhancing educational capacities, adopting advanced technologies, and establishing institutional incentives can facilitate the adoption and development of integrated reporting in SMEs. This study provides a comprehensive overview of theoretical and practical aspects and offers recommendations for future research and policy-making, serving as a basis for developing localized reporting frameworks in Iran and other developing countries.

کلیدواژه ها:

Integrated Reporting ، Sustainability ، SMEs ، Corporate Social Responsibility ، Sustainable Value Creation ، Climate Disclosure