Typologization of Regional Sustainability in the ESG Framework: A Matrix-Based Approach to Strategic Models of Spatial Development

The growing relevance of sustainable development goals and the integration of ESG principles into regional agendas necessitate a shift away from uniform strategic models in favor of typology-based approaches to spatial governance that account for institutional specificity, infrastructural development, and resource endowment. Given the high heterogeneity of Russia’s socio-economic space, there is a pressing need to develop tools for differentiated assessment of regional sustainability and the construction of targeted ESG integration trajectories. This study presents an original matrix-based approach to typologizing regional sustainability through the conceptual integration of two composite indices: Institutional Readiness Index for Sustainability (IRIS), which reflects the degree of institutional maturity, and Spatial Sustainability Development Index (SSDI), which measures the spatial resilience of socioeconomic systems. The IRIS×SSDI matrix enables the identification of five strategic ESG transition models: sustainability scaling, spatial rehabilitation, institutional enhancement, integrated stabilization, and institutional-spatial recovery. Each model represents a distinct combination of institutional and spatial potential and serves as the basis for designing tailored architectures of sustainability governance. The proposed approach was empirically tested on the regions of the Central Federal District (excluding Moscow and the Moscow Region due to their statistical incommensurability stemming from significant institutional and resource advantages). The results demonstrate a broad spectrum of regional sustainability configurations — from institutionally and spatially advanced regions with the capacity to scale ESG practices to structurally vulnerable territories requiring standardized interventions and federal support. The findings confirm the analytical robustness of the IRIS×SSDI matrix and its applicability for regional strategizing, spatial planning, digital ESG profiling, monitoring, and scenario-based modeling of sustainable development. The developed typology can serve as a scientifically grounded instrument for ESG stratification at macro- and meso-administrative levels.

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