Public management for a sustainable future: Insights from a systematic literature review

Abstract

IMPACT: Public managers have a critical role in advancing sustainable development. Managing sustainability in public administration requires fostering shared visions, building coalitions, and adapting strategies to evolving challenges. Public managers balance global and local objectives to ensure that localized actions reinforce broader sustainability goals. This literature review underscores the importance of multi-stakeholder governance networks that enable co-design, trust-building, and dialogue across sectors. Also, institutional frameworks and ethical safeguards are important to harness sustainability data responsibly, ensuring inclusivity, transparency, and alignment with democratic values. Furthermore, integrated sustainability accounting and reporting systems should extend beyond financial metrics to ecological and social indicators, embedding accountability mechanisms that uphold ecological and social priorities. Collectively, these insights call for adaptive, collaborative, and data-informed approaches that strengthen legitimacy, trust, and impact in sustainability governance. By reinforcing co-operation, openness, and continuous learning, sustainability can become an integral part of everyday management and decision-making in the public sector.