Linking ethics and CSR with business sustainability as a strategy for achieving the SDGs: A aystematic review from 2016 to 2025

In sustainability research, the understanding of the links between corporate social responsibility (CSR), business ethics, business sustainability, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is gaining in importance. However, the literature remains fragmented, with these themes being addressed in isolation rather than as interrelated facets of responsible business conduct. This study, therefore, attempts to analyze the role of ethics and CSR in business sustainability and in making the attainment of the SDGs possible. A systematic literature review (SLR) was performed following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) format, including publications published between 2016 and 2025. The review synthesizes significant methods, difficulties, and emerging patterns in the literature and suggests an integrated framework that explains the links among ethics, CSR, business sustainability, and SDG attainment. The report also sets a future research agenda based on these findings to deepen theoretical and empirical understanding of these interrelated areas.