SYSTEMATIC REVIEW article
Front. Sustain. Cities
Sec. Innovation and Governance
Governance of Digital Transformation for Sustainable Development: Aligning Digital Innovation with the Sustainable Development Goals
1. American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
2. Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
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Abstract
The accelerating pace of digital innovation presents new governance challenges, necessitating the establishment of robust policy, legislative, and institutional frameworks to mitigate risks and maximize sustainability benefits. This study examines the intersection between digital transformation (DT), governance, and sustainability within the context of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The purpose of this study is to synthesize and critically evaluate the evidence on how DT governance influences progress toward the SDGs. Using a systematic mapping and structured qualitative evidence synthesis, aligned with PRISMA 2020 guidelines, the study reviews peer-reviewed literature published between 2015 and 2024 on the governance of DT in relation to the SDGs. Sixty-five studies were analyzed across governance scales, digital technologies, and sustainability dimensions. The findings reveal strong optimism regarding DT contributions to the SDGs, alongside persistent governance gaps, contextual inequalities, and underexamined trade-offs. To address these gaps, the study proposes an evidence-informed framework for sustainable DT governance that integrates inclusivity, adaptability, transparency, and multi-stakeholder collaboration. The framework is positioned relative to existing digital and sustainability governance models and highlights implementation challenges, particularly in low-and middle-income country contexts. The results advance policy-relevant insights for aligning digital innovation with long-term sustainability objectives.
Summary
Keywords
digital transformation, governance, Qualitative evidence synthesis, sustainability, Sustainable development goals, Systematic mapping
Received
10 November 2025
Accepted
04 February 2026
Copyright
© 2026 Ghazal Masri and El-Fadel. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Sarah Ghazal Masri; Mutasem El-Fadel
Disclaimer
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.