Abstract

This review examines the intersection of corporate financial strategy, Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria, ethical tax planning, and digitalization. Amid digital transformation, the central question is how firms align financial decisions with sustainability and innovation for long-term value. To address this, the study conducts a Systematic Literature Review (SLR), synthesizing 63 Scopus-indexed Q1/Q2 articles (2015–2025). Using thematic analysis, the review identifies four core themes: strategic financial-ESG alignment, the highly contested relationship between ethical tax planning and CSR transparency, the impact of digital decision-support tools, and sectoral and regional differentiation. The synthesis reveals two critical findings: first, the literature is fundamentally divided on whether ESG performance reduces tax avoidance (ethical alignment) or increases it (greenwashing). Second, digitalized tax administration (Big Data) is emerging as a significant external mechanism that inhibits corporate tax avoidance. This synthesis highlights current fragmentation and clarifies the need for holistic frameworks integrating ESG, taxation, and digitalization to advance sustainable financial strategies in the digital era.