The Nexus Between Sustainability and Industry 5.0: A Hybrid Systematic Review and Future Research Agenda

Industry 5.0 has emerged as a paradigm shift that pursues sustainability, intended as an economic, environmental, and social one. Researchers have been deepening Industry 5.0 and its sustainable implications, but they mostly adopted a single perspective (e.g., workplace, technological innovations, production processes), falling short in providing a holistic and comprehensive understanding of sustainability in Industry 5.0. Therefore, by conducting a systematic literature review, this study aims to present an updated overview of academic research about how Industry 5.0 can support sustainability at large and to articulate future research avenues. Methodologically, a bibliometric analysis is carried out, and the theory-contexts-characteristics-methodology (TCCM) framework is employed to map the intercorrelations between sustainability and Industry 5.0. The findings indicate a remarkable expansion of research activities, which focused on manufacturing and developed countries. Concurrently, present research themes have emerged, which are mostly related to sustainable development. Finally, antecedents and related outcomes of sustainability in Industry 5.0 have been identified, theoretically offering an encompassing investigation of their interconnections at human, corporate, and societal levels. Managerially, the study deploys the value of Industry 5.0 to improve environmental performance and enhance workers’ well-being.