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ABSTRACT This study presents a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of corporate social responsibility and sustainable development (CSR–SD) research spanning 2003–2025, examining the intellectual, thematic, and geographical evolution of the field in the context of global sustainability agendas. A total of 2099 peer‐reviewed journal articles were retrieved from the Scopus and Web of Science databases to ensure broad coverage and methodological robustness. The dataset was analyzed using the Bibliometrix package in the R programming language. Co‐authorship, co‐citation, and keyword co‐occurrence analyses, complemented by thematic evolution and strategic mapping techniques, reveal five developmental phases reflecting the progression of CSR–SD scholarship from early normative discussions toward governance‐oriented and performance‐driven sustainability frameworks. The findings highlight the growing prominence of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reporting, sustainability reporting, sustainable finance, innovation, and stakeholder engagement, indicating the increasing integration of CSR–SD into corporate strategy, governance systems, and capital markets. China and Spain emerge as leading contributors to the literature, while the geographical distribution of publications reveals opportunities for broader participation from underrepresented regions. Theoretically, the study draws upon Stakeholder Theory, Legitimacy Theory, and the Triple Bottom Line framework to interpret evolving research clusters, intellectual structures, and thematic shifts. By providing a longitudinal, dual‐database assessment of CSR–SD scholarship, this study contributes a theoretically grounded and methodologically rigorous understanding of the field's evolution and offers valuable insights for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers seeking to advance sustainability‐oriented corporate strategies and inclusive sustainable development transitions.
Dash et al. (Mon,) studied this question.