Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide insights into the mechanisms through which ethical leadership impacts organizational resilience and fill the gap in the existing literature that has largely studied the two variables in isolation. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a systematic literature review, using peer-reviewed articles focused on ethical leadership and organizational resilience published between 2018 and 2024. This study uses databases like Scopus, Google Scholar and Web of Science and keywords including “ethical leadership,” “organizational resilience” and their intersections. Findings The findings of this study are based on the review of 14 selected papers. The review found that ethical leadership significantly enhances organizational resilience by nurturing organizational culture (organizational learning culture, ethical culture, ethical reporting, system thinking and ethical climate), promoting organizational flexibility (ability to adapt and ability to innovate) and positively impacting human capital (employee ethical conduct, trust, readiness to change, citizenship behavior, creativity and commitment). Key findings indicate that ethical leaders influence the organizational culture, supporting resilience strategies. Research limitations/implications This study’s limitations include a limited literature search, restricted to certain databases and peer-reviewed articles in English. The focus on studies conducted between 2018 and 2024 and the methodological diversity of the studies further limited the ability to draw overall conclusions. Originality/value This study’s originality lies in the lack of studies explicitly linking ethical leadership and organizational resilience. Most studies implicitly suggest that ethical leadership promotes organizational resilience through isolated mediating factors. This study contributes to advancing theoretical mechanisms through which ethical leaders impact resilience and suggests practical applications in organizations that want to achieve sustainability in turbulent times.