A narrative review of economic, Social and Governance (ESG)-driven rural connectivity in developing countries' telecom sector

Aim: This paper reviews academic literature on environmental, social and governance (ESG) adoption within developing countries' telecom sector to expand rural connectivity. Methodology: A narrative review methodology was adopted. A systematic search was undertaken spanning electronic databases, web searches and reference harvesting to identify scholarly peer-reviewed articles. The capability approach provides the theoretical framework for analysis. Results: Findings show basic infrastructure rollout dominates over sophisticated affordability, needs-based and participatory ESG policies. Compliance and signaling, not intrinsic rural commitment, drive most initiatives facing financial, demand and coordination barriers. Still, progressive collaborations balancing viability and social impact signal increasing recognition of shared value. Context-specific solutions integrating regulation, financing, multi-stakeholder participation and grassroots insights can resolve tensions. Conclusion: Despite deficiencies, cautious optimism exists of gradual improvement in ESG integration and rural connectivity, needing further research on ideal strategies.