At the Crossroads of Sustainability and Digital Transformation: Exploring Synergies and Challenges in Global Development

The trajectory of global development, industry, and society highlights two pivotal aspects: digital development and sustainability. These dimensions are at the core of all significant policies shaping global progress and societal advancement. However, a critical question arises: how can the digital environment be advanced while simultaneously fostering sustainable practices? While policies provide clear guidelines for digital development and sustainability, they often fail to address how to integrate these objectives effectively. This article seeks to bridge this gap by identifying the intersections between digital development and sustainability, exploring how ecological, economic, and social sustainability dimensions intertwine with digital innovation. It examines the boundaries, opportunities, and implications of combining digital advancements with sustainable practices for businesses and the environment. The research involved a comprehensive review of scientific literature from the Web of Science database, complemented by an analysis of key development policies. The findings reveal that the synergy between sustainability and digital development can be analyzed through three contexts: (i) sustainable performance of digital development, (ii) digital development for sustainable practices, and (iii) management and control of sustainable practices.