Understanding sustainable leadership through an integrative systematic review of definitions boundaries and metrics

Abstract Sustainable leadership emerges from the foundational principles of sustainability, which emphasize long-term value creation, ethical responsibility, and the integration of environmental, social, and economic priorities. This integrative systematic literature review aims to analyze the evolution and conceptualization of sustainable leadership, addressing the development of the literature, its key trends, and the attributes associated with sustainable leadership. Combining network and content analyses examines a sample of 145 peer-reviewed articles obtained from ProQuest, Scopus, and Web of Science. The study explores the theoretical foundations and empirical evidence on sustainable leadership, specifically investigating how sustainable leaders’ attributes and practices promote responsible growth, social equity, and environmental stewardship. It enhances the understanding of sustainable leadership by clarifying its definition and distinguishing it from related concepts such as transformational, servant, authentic, and responsible leadership. It achieves this by identifying sustainable leaders’ specific behavioral qualities, thereby shedding light on their distinct role in promoting organizational sustainability. This review serves as a foundational resource, guiding scholars and practitioners in managing the complexities of sustainable leadership and its implications for sustainable organizational strategies and practices.