Journal of Telecommunications and the Digital Economy

Call for Papers
Special Issue on ESG Compliance in Digital Economy, Society and Technology

The rapid digital transformation of economies and societies creates major opportunities for innovation, growth and improved wellbeing, but also raises new ethical, environmental, social and economic challenges. As digital technologies become embedded in almost every aspect of business operations and everyday life, integrating Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles into digital contexts is no longer optional, but essential. Organisations are increasingly expected to align technological innovation with responsible and sustainable practices.

The digital economy brings specific ESG issues that traditional approaches do not always address well. These include the environmental footprint of digital infrastructure, social impacts of algorithmic decision-making and AI, questions of digital inclusion and accessibility, and concerns about data privacy, cybersecurity and accountability. At the same time, digitalisation enables new forms of ESG reporting, performance measurement, sustainable finance and public policy tools that can support more sustainable and inclusive outcomes.

This special issue aims to explore the evolving landscape of ESG compliance in digital economies, societies and technologies. It seeks to examine how ESG principles are interpreted and implemented across different sectors and jurisdictions, how standards, metrics and governance frameworks are developing, and how public policies and taxation can support sustainable and inclusive digital transformation. We are particularly interested in how ESG information is measured and reported, how it is used for decision-making, and how education and skills development prepare organisations and individuals for ESG-oriented digital technologies.

We welcome empirical, theoretical, and case-study-based contributions that analyse ESG frameworks, reporting practices, regulatory approaches, and management tools in digital contexts, as well as studies that investigate sustainable ESG principles in digital finance, impact investing, and cross-sectoral applications. The special issue encourages cross-disciplinary perspectives that connect technological developments with their broader economic, societal, and environmental implications and shed light on the future trajectories of ESG compliance in emerging digital technologies.

The topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

Environmental impacts and sustainability of digital infrastructure
Social responsibility in algorithmic decision-making and AI deployment
Digital inclusion and accessibility as ESG imperatives
Governance frameworks for ethical development of technology
ESG reporting and metrics specific to digital businesses
Regulatory approaches to digital ESG across global jurisdictions
Cross-sectoral applications of digital ESG principles
ESG performance measurement and management in the digital economy
Digital and AI-enabled organisational and sustainability reporting
Sustainable digital finance and impact investing in the digital economy
Public policies, taxation and governance for sustainable and inclusive digital transformation
Education, skills and capacity-building for ESG-oriented digital technologies across sectors
Future trajectories of ESG compliance in emerging technologies

Guest Editors

Dražen Šimleša, PhD
Institute of Social Sciences Ivo Pilar, Zagreb, Croatia
Simmy Kurian, PhD
JAIN Deemed-to-be University, Kochi, Kerala, India
Verica Budimir, PhD
Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Faculty of Tourism and Rural Development in Požega, Požega, Croatia
Krešimir Šolić, PhD
Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Faculty of Medicine Osijek, Osijek, Croatia

Important Dates:

Manuscript submission: June 30, 2026
Acceptance notification: September 30, 2026
Revised manuscript due: October 31, 2026
Publication In Volume 14, Issue 4, December 2026

Writing for the Journal

The Journal of Telecommunications and the Digital Economy accepts papers on a wide range of topics related to technology and services that support the digital economy and digital society. Papers that describe novel developments — whether existing or envisaged — and their benefits are particularly welcome. Submissions should be original, unpublished work and not under review elsewhere. Papers should be about 5000–6000 words in length, excluding references.

Papers should be written for knowledgeable readers who are not necessarily experts in the relevant field of research. Authors should carefully situate their work within the context of telecommunications, the digital economy, and society.

Paper Submission

Prior to paper submission, authors are required to register through the JTDE website: https://jtde.telsoc.org/index.php/jtde. Please ensure the author(s) name, email address and affiliation are correctly inserted.
Paper submissions in JTDE format through the JTDE website: https://jtde.telsoc.org/index.php/jtde. Please follow the checklist and author's guidelines.
When submitting a research paper, please choose “ESG Compliance in Digital Economy, Society and Technology” as the topic for the JTDE section. A notification email will confirm the submission's success.

Any further inquiries can be directed to the Editor-in-Chief at editor@jtde.telsoc.org.