Corporate governance and green innovation performance: a TCCM-based systematic literature review

This study reviews and synthesizes literature linking corporate governance mechanisms to green innovation performance. It examines how board structure, ownership patterns, executive incentives, and ESG practices shape firms' pursuit of sustainability-driven innovation across institutional contexts. Using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis) protocol and TCCM (Theory-Context-Characteristics-Methodology) framework, the review analyses 213 articles published between 2015 and 2025. Bibliometric mapping and content analysis identify foundations, methodological trends, and differences in the governance-innovation nexus. Findings show that board diversity, independence, and environmental competence improve green innovation performance by supporting perspectives and stakeholder responsiveness. Ownership structure, CEO duality, and ESG disclosure influence innovation outcomes, with effects varying by institutional quality and industry context. Quantitative and single-theory approaches dominate, highlighting the need for integrated frameworks and methods. The study positions governance as both a compliance mechanism and a driver of competitiveness and value creation, providing a synthesis and a research agenda for sustainability-focused corporate governance.