ESG Materiality

2022 ◽  
pp. 217-240
Author(s):  
Matthew D. Worthington-Smith ◽  
Stephanie Giamporcaro

Sustainable finance proponents argue that integrating environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors into investment decisions should have a positive long-term material impact on financial performance and ultimately benefit wider society as a whole. This chapter is based on interviews and an ESG materiality survey that was run among 20 prominent South African asset managers. The results demonstrate that if there is a growing awareness of ESG factors among the respondents, there are some perceived tensions around how to practically embed ESG factors within investment processes. In addition, the results show that the integration of ESG factors into financial valuation are not yet mainstream and that more needs to be done to demonstrate how the integration of ESG factors within investment processes materially impacts financial performance and meanwhile contributes to the sustainable development of economies.

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Darelle Groenewald ◽  
Jonathan Powell

Orientation: Companies are under ever-increasing pressure from both internal and external stakeholders to consider the environmental and social impacts of their operations and to mitigate these impacts. This necessitates an investigation into the effect of sustainability initiatives on the financial performance (FP) of a company.Research purpose: The study analysed the relationship between sustainability performance and FP in South African listed companies.Motivation for the study: Some South African listed companies acknowledge in their sustainability reports that there is a link between sustainability development and long-term shareholder value. This implies that FP is linked to sustainable development performance. This relationship has not been researched for South African listed companies and therefore needs to be investigated.Research design, approach and method: A similar research method was used as for an international study. Forty-five listed South African companies were selected as the sample. Their sustainable development reports were used for analysis. Data were analysed with the use of content and a canonical correlation analysis.Main findings: The results of the study revealed that an overall positive relationship exists between sustainability performance and FP. Practical implications: South African companies that have a high involvement and focus on specific sustainable development initiatives that are integrated into overall sustainable development strategy can deliver improved FP for the organisation and deliver long-term value to its shareholders.Contribution: Six sustainable development aspects were found to be significantly correlated with improved FP and if incorporated into a company’s sustainable development strategy can lead to increased successes.


2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 133-136
Author(s):  
R. N. Ibragimov

The article examines the impact of internal and external risks on the stability of the financial system of the Altai Territory. Classification of internal and external risks of decline, affecting the sustainable development of the financial system, is presented. A risk management strategy is proposed that will allow monitoring of risks, thereby these measures will help reduce the loss of financial stability and ensure the long-term development of the economy of the region.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (15) ◽  
pp. 8316
Author(s):  
Camelia Mirela Baba ◽  
Constantin Duguleană ◽  
Marius Sorin Dincă ◽  
Liliana Duguleană ◽  
Gheorghița Dincă

The Covid-19 induced economic crisis has significantly affected almost all businesses from nearly every sector, causing severe financial problems, lack of cash assets, and decrease of revenues. In this context, the economic entities were forced to look for adjustment and rescue solutions of their activities. One possible solution for the recovery and reorganization of economic entities’ activities is demerger. This paper evaluates the impact of demerger upon the sustainable development of economic entities in terms of economic efficiency and financial performances. To achieve this goal, a statistical analysis of profitability ratios before and after the demerger, as well as a structural analysis of 268 demerger projects for the April 2012–April 2021 period, were performed. The results attest there are no significant differences between the ex-ante and ex-post financial performances. However, demerger seems to have a positive effect upon analyzed companies helping them to overcome economic hardships, rethink their business strategies, and continue their activity in the medium and long-term time horizon.


2013 ◽  
Vol 869-870 ◽  
pp. 786-790
Author(s):  
Chen Chen Zhang

The strategies for sustainable development have been included in the medium and long term plan of 2010 for national economic and social development. Protecting the environment is the most important prerequisite and safeguards for the sustainable development strategy. In the study, we described the history of the environmental problems in the world, the proposal and implications of sustainable development, and outlined the dialectical relationship of development with the environment. The environmental protection measures for sustainable development were proposed here, according to the environmental situation severely affecting its biophysical environment.


2012 ◽  
Vol 524-527 ◽  
pp. 3264-3268 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhao Feng Lei ◽  
Bang Yan Li ◽  
Xu Li Lei ◽  
Lun He

Yulin City, which is rich in energy, is one of the national energy and chemical bases. But with the process of exploitation of resources, it causes serious ecological damage and has grim living environment situation in the local environment. It is in long-term about the sustainable development of city very urgent. This paper analyzes the reputation, ruin and its treatment of the development of energy resources in Yulin City, trying to explore the sustainable development mode which is suit in resource-dependent of area.


Author(s):  
Katina Popova ◽  
◽  
Miroslava Malcheva ◽  

Tourism in Bulgaria is a cross cutting sector of particular importance for unemployment and poverty eradication. As a source of foreign exchange earnings and direct investments it ensures viable medium and long-term economic benefits for both the destination and the local community. In recent years, the sustainable development of tourism on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast is seriously threatened, mainly due to the consequences of mass sea tourism, the short-sighted use of available resources and the territorial concentration of accommodation facilities. The aim of the present study is to establish the achievements of the hospitality business on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast in terms of sustainability and environmentally friendly lifestyle.


The purpose of the article is to consider the theoretical foundations, applied aspects, concepts and goals of sustainable development, as well as the study of factors and threats to the sustainable development of Pridnestrovie. Main material. The authors conducted a brief analysis of the main stages of introducing the conceptual apparatus used to assess the degree of world stability as a whole, regions and countries. Various approaches to defining the essence of sustainable development are considered. The author gives an extended interpretation of the "sustainable development" concept, which assumes that it is determined not only by environmental and economic aspects, but also has political, military, informational and other components. Groups and particular examples of indicators that characterize the degree of sustainable development are given. A list of factors that directly or indirectly affect the sustainability of countries and regions has been compiled and analyzed. Hierarchical levels of research on sustainable development issues are highlighted. Emphasis is placed on the study of the features of ensuring sustainable development of regions. Didactic aspects of studying the problems and mechanisms of ensuring sustainable development in educational institutions of different hierarchical levels are also considered. The applied aspects reflected in the article include assessment and analysis of a number of indicators reflecting development sustainability of the Transnistrian region of post-Soviet Moldova. Retrospective, modern and long-term threats to the sustainable development of the Transnistrian region are identified. Conclusions and further research. Some tools (measures) to ensure long-term sustainable development in the context of globalization and high turbulence of the international environment are proposed. Tools aimed at increasing the sustainability of the territorial units’ development of Pridnestrovie, the following are proposed: - diversification and growth of industrialization of economic systems; - preferential support for the development of high-tech material and energy-saving industries; - differentiation minimization of financial and property stratification of the population; - implementation of environmental standards and environmental management (ISO 14000) in industrial enterprises.


2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 8-20
Author(s):  
Anthony O. Nwafor

The quest to maximize profits by corporate administrators usually leaves behind an unhealthy environment. This trend impacts negatively on long term interests of the company and retards societal sustainable development. While there are in South Africa pieces of legislation which are geared at protecting the environment, the Companies Act which is the principal legislation that regulates the operations of the company is silent on this matter. The paper argues that the common law responsibility of the directors to protect the interests of the company as presently codified by the Companies Act should be developed by the courts in South Africa, in the exercise of their powers under the Constitution, to include the interests of the environment. This would guarantee the enforcement of the environmental interests within the confines of the Companies Act as an issue of corporate governance.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jelena Ignjatovic

The Sustainable Development Strategy implies a targeted long-term process that affects economic, social, environmental and institutional aspects of life. The goal is to meet the social and economic interests of citizens, reduce poverty, reduce unemployment and gender inequalities and reduce negative impacts on natural resources and the environment, resulting in long-term economic growth with economic efficiency, technology and innovation. Accordingly, in 2015, the United Nations adopted Resolution A / RES / 70/1 - Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, based on three dimensions of sustainable development: economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection. At the end of the 20th century, parallel with the theory of development, which turned into the concept of sustainable development, there was globalization that integrated the entire world regions in order to gain as strong economic and financial positions as possible on the world stage. Today, Serbia is not in a position to choose whether to engage in modern globalization processes, but it must continue the initiated transitional reforms and accession to the European Union, regardless of the economic, political or environmental consequences. By implementing national policies, Serbia should aim at national and economic sovereignty, which will further influence sustainable development. Only by changing the current economic policy, by creating a national strategy based on the exploitation of domestic economic and industrial potentials, by reducing unemployment, social responsibility and individual freedom, economic growth and sustainable development can be achieved. This work, besides the introduction, consists of materials based on the presentation of the sustainable development strategy of the Republic of Serbia and also presents the results and discussion that draft the current situation with possible solutions to achieve sustainable development in the future. Finally, the final ratifications are provided.      


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