Environmental finance under ESG: A literature review and synthesis

Chee Kong Yap, Chee Seng Leow, Aria Putra Ismail

Article ID: 2481
Vol 2, Issue 2, 2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.54517/ssd.v2i2.2481
VIEWS - 4895 (Abstract)

Download PDF

Abstract

This paper aims to review the literature on ESG (environment, social, and governance) finance based on the Scopus database and synthesize the review. Three advantages of embracing ESG in corporate finance are identified based on the literature reviewed. First, this positively influences financial investment decisions; second, it can leverage advancements in technology and innovations; and third, it can create proactive risk management. Overall, it is still believed and conceptually accepted that integrating ESG criteria within the investment decision-making process brings a consolidated approach to the investment strategy, aligning social and environmental benefits with financial returns and driving positive performance and shareholder value in the long run.


Keywords

finance; ESG; environment; business


References

1. Kim S, Li Z (Frank). Understanding the Impact of ESG Practices in Corporate Finance. Sustainability. 2021, 13(7): 3746. doi: 10.3390/su13073746

2. Zeng L, Lau WY, Abdul Bahri EN. Can the modified ESG-KMV logit model explain the default risk of internet finance companies? Frontiers in Environmental Science. 2022, 10. doi: 10.3389/fenvs.2022.961239

3. Bosone C, Bogliardi SM, Giudici P. Are ESG Female? The Hidden Benefits of Female Presence on Sustainable Finance. Review of Economic Analysis. 2022, 14, 253-274.

4. Xue Q, Wang H, Bai C. Local green finance policies and corporate ESG performance. International Review of Finance. 2023, 23(4): 721-749. doi: 10.1111/irfi.12417

5. Khalil RG, Damrah S, Bajaher M, Shawtari FA. Unveiling the relationship of ESG, fintech, green finance, innovation and sustainability: case of Gulf countries. Environmental Science and Pollution Research. 2023, 30(54): 116299-116312. doi: 10.1007/s11356-023-30584-8

6. Thouvenot, Z. Sustainable Finance: The Hindered Potential of ESG Investing in Funding Climate Mitigation, Climate Adaptation and Resilience. In: Climate Adaptation and Resilience: Challenges and Potential Solutions: Anticipatory Governance, Planning and Dialogue. Peter Lang; 2022. pp. 297–318.

7. Bril H, Kell G, Rasche A. Sustainability, Technology, and Finance. Routledge; 2022. doi: 10.4324/9781003262039

8. Sun X, Zhou C, Gan Z. Green Finance Policy and ESG Performance: Evidence from Chinese Manufacturing Firms. Sustainability. 2023, 15(8): 6781. doi: 10.3390/su15086781

9. Gillan SL, Koch A, Starks LT. Firms and social responsibility: A review of ESG and CSR research in corporate finance. Journal of Corporate Finance. 2021, 66: 101889. doi: 10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2021.101889

10. Sosa M, Ortiz E, Cabello A. ESG Green Equity Finance Risk and Links in Mexico: Conditional Volatility and Markov Switching Vector Analyses. Octubre - Diciembre 2022: Current Issues on Globalization and Sustainable Development. 2022, 17(4): 1-21. doi: 10.21919/remef.v17i4.788

11. Branco MC. CSR research in corporate finance: a comment on Gillan et al., “firms and social responsibility: a review of ESG and CSR research in corporate finance.” Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal. 2023, 15(1): 85-95. doi: 10.1108/sampj-05-2023-0269

12. Ng AW. Emerging green finance hubs in Asia: Regulatory initiatives for ESG investing and green bond development by the Four Tigers. In: Nguyen DK (editor). Handbook of Banking and Finance in Emerging Markets. Edward Elgar Publishing; 2022. pp. 539-552. doi: 10.4337/9781800880900.00039

13. Rachev S (Zari), Lindquist WB. Editorial on the Volume “ESG Investing and ESG Finance.” Journal of Risk and Financial Management. 2023, 16(10): 422. doi: 10.3390/jrfm16100422

14. Daroshka V, Aleksandrov I, Fedorova M, et al. Agriculture and ESG transformation: Domestic and foreign experience of green agribusiness finance. In: Beskopylny A, Shamtsyan M, Artiukh V (editors). XV International Scientific Conference “INTERAGROMASH 2022”. Springer; 2023. pp. 2357–2368.

15. Makhkambaev AT, Karanina EV, Sinyavsky NG, Sotivaldiyeva DA. Development of Green Finance Based on ESG Tools of Investment Management in Russia and Central Asia. In: Popkova EG, Sergi BS (editors). ESG Management of the Development of the Green Economy in Central Asia. Springer; 2023. pp. 439-447. doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-46525-3_46

16. Karahan E. Regulatory Actions in Finance and How It Can Help Adopting ESG Criteria. In: Özkul F, Bayram S (editors). Great Reset and The New Deal After Covid-19. Peter Lang; 2022. pp. 123-148.

17. Morgan WR. Finance Must Be Defended: Cybernetics, Neoliberalism and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG). Sustainability. 2023, 15(4): 3707. doi: 10.3390/su15043707

18. Blaschke, T. Taxonomy Regulation, Sustainable Finance, ESG Data and Geoinformatics. gis. Business, 2022, 45–46.

19. Boiral O, Brotherton MC, Talbot D. What you see is what you get? Building confidence in ESG disclosures for sustainable finance through external assurance. Business Ethics, the Environment & Responsibility. 2023. doi: 10.1111/beer.12630

20. Poyser A, Daugaard D. Indigenous sustainable finance as a research field: A systematic literature review on indigenising ESG, sustainability and indigenous community practices. Accounting & Finance. 2023, 63(1): 47-76. doi: 10.1111/acfi.13062

21. Application of an Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Course to Enhance the Knowledge of Sustainable Finance of International Chinese College Students in Thailand. Journal of Higher Education Theory and Practice. 2022, 22(11). doi: 10.33423/jhetp.v22i11.5411

22. Zhang D. Does green finance really inhibit extreme hypocritical ESG risk? A greenwashing perspective exploration. Energy Economics. 2023, 121: 106688. doi: 10.1016/j.eneco.2023.106688

23. Chang X, Fu K, Jin Y, Liem PF. Sustainable Finance: ESG/CSR, Firm Value, and Investment Returns*. Asia-Pacific Journal of Financial Studies. 2022, 51(3): 325-371. doi: 10.1111/ajfs.12379

24. Egorova D. ESG-finance principles as the key drivers of Russian regions’ investment potential. E3S Web of Conferences. 2020, 208: 01013. doi: 10.1051/e3sconf/202020801013

25. Zioło M, Filipiak BZ, Bąk I, Cheba K. How Do Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Factors Impact on Public Finance Performance? Risk, Efficiency, and Public Financial System Perspectives. In: Bem A, Daszynska-Zygadlo K, Hajdíková T, et al. (editors). Sustainable Finance in the Green Economy: The 3rd Finance and Sustainability Conference, Wrocław 2019. Springer; 2022. pp. 261-275.

26. Pasch S, Ehnes D. NLP for Responsible Finance: Fine-Tuning Transformer-Based Models for ESG. In: Proceedings of the 2022 IEEE International Conference on Big Data (IEEE BigData 2022); 17-20 December; Osaka, Japan. doi: 10.1109/bigdata55660.2022.10020755

27. Morphett A, Lau J, Gabig N, et al. Incorporating ESG in Structured Finance. The Journal of Structured Finance. 2023, 29(1): 65-76. doi: 10.3905/jsf.2023.1.154

28. Zeidan R. Why don’t asset managers accelerate ESG investing? A sentiment analysis based on 13,000 messages from finance professionals. Business Strategy and the Environment. 2022, 31(7): 3028-3039. doi: 10.1002/bse.3062

29. Starks LT. Presidential Address: Sustainable Finance and ESG Issues—ValueversusValues. The Journal of Finance. 2023, 78(4): 1837-1872. doi: 10.1111/jofi.13255

30. Usul N, Yılmaz IS. Corporate Sustainability: The Use of ESG Scores in Finance Research. In: Corporate Sustainability as a Tool for Improving Economic, Social, and Environmental Performance. IGI Global; 2023. doi: 10.4018/978-1-6684-7422-8.ch001

31. Daroshka V, Aleksandrov I, Trushkin V, et al. Climate bonds and their role in the development of ESG-finance banking practice: Global and Russian experiences. E3S Web of Conferences. 2023, 431: 07021. doi: 10.1051/e3sconf/202343107021

32. Paltrinieri A, Dreassi A, Migliavacca M, Piserà S. Islamic finance development and banking ESG scores: Evidence from a cross-country analysis. Research in International Business and Finance. 2020, 51: 101100. doi: 10.1016/j.ribaf.2019.101100

33. Wang J, Ma M, Dong T, Zhang Z. Do ESG ratings promote corporate green innovation? A quasi-natural experiment based on SynTao Green Finance’s ESG ratings. International Review of Financial Analysis. 2023, 87: 102623. doi: 10.1016/j.irfa.2023.102623

34. Kazachenok OP, Stankevich GV, Chubaeva NN, Tyurina YG. Economic and legal approaches to the humanization of FinTech in the economy of artificial intelligence through the integration of blockchain into ESG Finance. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications. 2023, 10(1). doi: 10.1057/s41599-023-01652-8

35. Chang K, Cheng X, Wang Y, et al. The impacts of ESG performance and digital finance on corporate financing efficiency in China. Applied Economics Letters. 2021, 30(4): 516-523. doi: 10.1080/13504851.2021.1996527

36. Pisani F, Russo G. Sustainable Finance and COVID-19: The Reaction of ESG Funds to the 2020 Crisis. Sustainability. 2021, 13(23): 13253. doi: 10.3390/su132313253

37. Mahomed AMZ, Mohamad S. Sustainable Finance and a Shari’ Analysis of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Criteria. In: Hassan MK, Saraç M, Khan A (editors). Islamic Finance and Sustainable Development: A Sustainable Economic Framework for Muslim and Non-Muslim Countries. Palgrave Macmillan; 2021. pp. 193-217. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-76016-8_9

38. Sairally BS. Integrating Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Factors in Islamic Finance: Towards the Realisation of Maqāṣid al-Sharīʿah. ISRA International Journal of Islamic Finance. 2015, 7: 145-154.

39. Zhang D. Can digital finance empowerment reduce extreme ESG hypocrisy resistance to improve green innovation? Energy Economics. 2023, 125: 106756. doi: 10.1016/j.eneco.2023.106756

40. Mo Y, Che Y, Ning W. Digital Finance Promotes Corporate ESG Performance: Evidence from China. Sustainability. 2023, 15(14): 11323. doi: 10.3390/su151411323

41. Weston P, Nnadi M. Evaluation of strategic and financial variables of corporate sustainability and ESG policies on corporate finance performance. Journal of Sustainable Finance & Investment. 2021, 13(2): 1058-1074. doi: 10.1080/20430795.2021.1883984

42. Park YS, Lee HS. The Roles of Finance in ESG Management. Asia-Pacific Journal of Financial Studies. 2023, 52(3): 354-373. doi: 10.1111/ajfs.12436

43. Mu W, Liu K, Tao Y, Ye Y. Digital finance and corporate ESG. Finance Research Letters. 2023, 51: 103426. doi: 10.1016/j.frl.2022.103426

44. Archer M. The ethics of ESG. Focaal. 2022, 2022(93): 18-31. doi: 10.3167/fcl.2022.930102

45. Li W, Pang W. The impact of digital inclusive finance on corporate ESG performance: based on the perspective of corporate green technology innovation. Environmental Science and Pollution Research. 2023, 30(24): 65314-65327. doi: 10.1007/s11356-023-27057-3

46. Ren X, Zeng G, Zhao Y. Digital finance and corporate ESG performance: Empirical evidence from listed companies in China. Pacific-Basin Finance Journal. 2023, 79: 102019. doi: 10.1016/j.pacfin.2023.102019

47. Jiang W, Dong L, Chen Y. Time-frequency connectedness among traditional/new energy, green finance, and ESG in pre- and post-Russia-Ukraine war periods. Resources Policy. 2023, 83: 103618. doi: 10.1016/j.resourpol.2023.103618

48. Xue L, Dong J, Zha Y. How does digital finance affect firm environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance?—Evidence from Chinese listed firms. Heliyon. 2023, 9(10): e20800. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e20800

49. Ning Y, Zhang Y. Does Digital Finance Improve Corporate ESG Performance? An Intermediary Role Based on Financing Constraints. Sustainability. 2023, 15(13): 10685. doi: 10.3390/su151310685

50. Bertelli, F. ESG risks in banking and finance. Actual. Juridica Iberoam. 2023, 1680-1707.

51. Harengel, J. Three Letters in Order to Operate More Sustainably: ESG - Why Every Company Can Benefit from ESG-Linked Finance. Stahl Eisen 2022, 142, 30-32.

52. Gözlügöl AA. The clash of ‘E’ and ‘S’ of ESG: just transition on the path to net zero and the implications for sustainable corporate governance and finance. The Journal of World Energy Law & Business. 2022, 15(1): 1-21. doi: 10.1093/jwelb/jwab039

53. Causevic A, Beslik S, Causevic S. Quo vadis sustainable finance: Why defensive weapons should never be classified as an ESG investment. Journal of Sustainable Finance & Investment. 2022, 1-9. doi: 10.1080/20430795.2022.2135965

54. Chen CD, Su CH (Joan), Chen MH. Understanding how ESG-focused airlines reduce the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on stock returns. Journal of Air Transport Management. 2022, 102: 102229. doi: 10.1016/j.jairtraman.2022.102229

55. Zheng J, Khurram MU, Chen L. Can Green Innovation Affect ESG Ratings and Financial Performance? Evidence from Chinese GEM Listed Companies. Sustainability. 2022, 14(14): 8677. doi: 10.3390/su14148677

56. Ellegaard O, Wallin JA. The bibliometric analysis of scholarly production: How great is the impact? Scientometrics. 2015, 105(3): 1809-1831. doi: 10.1007/s11192-015-1645-z

57. van Eck NJ, Waltman L. Software survey: VOSviewer, a computer program for bibliometric mapping. Scientometrics. 2009, 84(2): 523-538. doi: 10.1007/s11192-009-0146-3

58. Guz AN, Rushchitsky JJ. Scopus: A system for the evaluation of scientific journals. International Applied Mechanics. 2009, 45(4): 351-362. doi: 10.1007/s10778-009-0189-4

59. Glazerman G, Cohen J. “Non‐Financial” Is a Misnomer, but Doesn’t Have to Be a Missed Opportunity. Journal of Applied Corporate Finance. 2020, 32(2): 108-116. doi: 10.1111/jacf.12410

60. Kotsantonis S, Pinney C, Serafeim G. ESG Integration in Investment Management: Myths and Realities. Journal of Applied Corporate Finance. 2016, 28(2): 10-16. doi: 10.1111/jacf.12169

61. Lydenberg S. Integrating Systemic Risk into Modern Portfolio Theory and Practice. Journal of Applied Corporate Finance. 2016, 28(2): 56-61. doi: 10.1111/jacf.12175

62. Schramade W. Bridging Sustainability and Finance: The Value Driver Adjustment Approach. Journal of Applied Corporate Finance. 2016, 28(2): 17-28. doi: 10.1111/jacf.12170

63. Verheyden T, Eccles RG, Feiner A. ESG for All? The Impact of ESG Screening on Return, Risk, and Diversification. Journal of Applied Corporate Finance. 2016, 28(2): 47-55. doi: 10.1111/jacf.12174

64. Raman N, Bang G, Nourbakhsh A. Mapping ESG Trends by Distant Supervision of Neural Language Models. Machine Learning and Knowledge Extraction. 2020, 2(4): 453-468. doi: 10.3390/make2040025

65. Salampasis, D. Leveraging robo-advisors to fill the gap within the SRI marketplace. Available online: https://scite.ai/reports/10.24840/2183-0606_005.003_0002 (accessed on 5 January 2024).

66. Höck A, Klein C, Landau A, et al. The effect of environmental sustainability on credit risk. Journal of Asset Management. 2020, 21(2): 85-93. doi: 10.1057/s41260-020-00155-4

67. Liang H, Renneboog L. Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainable Finance: A Review of the Literature. SSRN Electronic Journal. 2020. doi: 10.2139/ssrn.3698631

68. Qi Y, Li X. On Imposing ESG Constraints of Portfolio Selection for Sustainable Investment and Comparing the Efficient Frontiers in the Weight Space. SAGE Open. 2020, 10(4): 215824402097507. doi: 10.1177/2158244020975070

69. Gillan SL, Koch A, Starks LT. Firms and social responsibility: A review of ESG and CSR research in corporate finance. Journal of Corporate Finance. 2021, 66: 101889. doi: 10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2021.101889

70. Repetto R. Protecting investors and the environment through financial disclosure. Utilities Policy. 2005, 13(1): 51-68. doi: 10.1016/j.jup.2004.07.001

71. Atz U, Van Holt T, Liu Z. Do corporate sustainability and sustainable finance generate better financial performance? Available online: https://clsbluesky.law.columbia.edu/2020/12/15/do-corporate-sustainability-and-sustainable-finance-generate-better-financial-performance/ (accessed on 5 January 2024).

72. Kumar S, Sharma D, Rao S, et al. Correction to: Past, present, and future of sustainable finance: insights from big data analytics through machine learning of scholarly research. Annals of Operations Research. 2022. doi: 10.1007/s10479-022-04535-4

73. Atz U, Van Holt T, Liu ZZ, Bruno CC. Does sustainability generate better financial performance? review, meta-analysis, and propositions. Journal of Sustainable Finance & Investment. 2022, 13(1): 802-825. doi: 10.1080/20430795.2022.2106934

74. Gillan SL, Koch A, Starks LT. Firms and social responsibility: A review of ESG and CSR research in corporate finance. Journal of Corporate Finance. 2021, 66: 101889. doi: 10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2021.101889

75. Kulal A, Abhishek N, Dinesh S, Divyashree MS. Impact of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Factors on Stock Prices and Investment Performance. Macro Management & Public Policies. 2023, 5(2): 14-26. doi: 10.30564/mmpp.v5i2.5659

76. Donthu N, Kumar S, Mukherjee D, et al. How to conduct a bibliometric analysis: An overview and guidelines. Journal of Business Research. 2021, 133: 285-296. doi: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.04.070

77. Sibbald SL, MacGregor JCD, Surmacz M, Wathen CN. Into the gray: A modified approach to citation analysis to better understand research impact. Journal of the Medical Library Association: JMLA. 2015, 103(1): 49-54. doi: 10.3163/1536-5050.103.1.010

78. Rousseau S, Rousseau R. Bibliometric techniques and their use in business and economics research. Journal of Economic Surveys. 2021, 35(5): 1428-1451. doi: 10.1111/joes.12415

79. Agarwal A, Durairajanayagam D, Tatagari S, et al. Bibliometrics: tracking research impact by selecting the appropriate metrics. Asian Journal of Andrology. 2016, 18(2): 296. doi: 10.4103/1008-682x.171582

80. Belter CW. Bibliometric indicators: opportunities and limits. Journal of the Medical Library Association: JMLA. 2015, 103(4): 219-221. doi: 10.3163/1536-5050.103.4.014

81. Davis T, Lescott B. ESG as a Value‐Creation Tool for Active Investors: A Profile of Inherent Group. Journal of Applied Corporate Finance. 2019, 31(2): 42-49. doi: 10.1111/jacf.12345

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2024 Chee Kong Yap, Chee Seng Leow, Aria Putra Ismail

License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/


This site is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).