{"title":"Predictive value of supply chain sustainability initiatives for ESG performance: a study of large multinationals","authors":"Arindam Das","doi":"10.1108/mbr-09-2022-0149","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"\nPurpose\nAlthough the integration of sustainability into business strategies and operations has received considerable scholarly attention, little is known about how sustainability initiatives across the extended value chain affect this integration. This study aims to analyze the impact of multinational corporations’ supply chain sustainability initiatives on their environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) performance and the moderating role of the key country-level factors of the multinational’s headquarters.\n\n\nDesign/methodology/approach\nThis study analyzes data published by the top 201 multinationals among Fortune Global 500 companies over the period 2011–2021 on their attempts to integrate sustainability measures in extended supply chains and the resultant impact on their ESG scores. A fixed-effect model is used in the primary empirical study.\n\n\nFindings\nResults indicate that managerial interventions through a more robust supply chain policy framework, monitoring mechanisms, corrective actions and training initiatives lead to better ESG-environment pillar performance for multinationals. Additionally, the ESG-environment pillar performance is influenced by the socioeconomic model and country-level ESG risks of the nation where the multinational is headquartered.\n\n\nOriginality/value\nThe implications of this study are vital for understanding the criticality of sustainability initiatives in the supply chain for a firm’s overall ESG performance. To attain better levels of sustainable performance, multinationals must assume a stewardship position and deploy sustainability initiatives in their extended supply chain.\n","PeriodicalId":46630,"journal":{"name":"Multinational Business Review","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2000,"publicationDate":"2023-05-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Multinational Business Review","FirstCategoryId":"91","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1108/mbr-09-2022-0149","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"BUSINESS","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Purpose
Although the integration of sustainability into business strategies and operations has received considerable scholarly attention, little is known about how sustainability initiatives across the extended value chain affect this integration. This study aims to analyze the impact of multinational corporations’ supply chain sustainability initiatives on their environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) performance and the moderating role of the key country-level factors of the multinational’s headquarters.
Design/methodology/approach
This study analyzes data published by the top 201 multinationals among Fortune Global 500 companies over the period 2011–2021 on their attempts to integrate sustainability measures in extended supply chains and the resultant impact on their ESG scores. A fixed-effect model is used in the primary empirical study.
Findings
Results indicate that managerial interventions through a more robust supply chain policy framework, monitoring mechanisms, corrective actions and training initiatives lead to better ESG-environment pillar performance for multinationals. Additionally, the ESG-environment pillar performance is influenced by the socioeconomic model and country-level ESG risks of the nation where the multinational is headquartered.
Originality/value
The implications of this study are vital for understanding the criticality of sustainability initiatives in the supply chain for a firm’s overall ESG performance. To attain better levels of sustainable performance, multinationals must assume a stewardship position and deploy sustainability initiatives in their extended supply chain.
期刊介绍:
Multinational Business Review publishes high quality and innovative peer-review research on the strategy, organization and performance of multinational enterprise (MNE), international business history, geography of international business, and the impact of international business on economic growth and development. The journal encourages papers that are cross-disciplinary in nature, and that address new and important issues in international business. Multinational Business Review also promotes research on under-represented regions such as Africa, Central and Eastern Europe, Latin America, and South East Asia and their MNEs, as well as under-studied topics such as the role of trade, investment and other public policies. Specific topics of interest include innovation and entrepreneurship in an international context; corporate governance and ownership; social, environmental and political risk; the role of multilateral institutions; and the nature of emerging market multinationals. The title seeks strong conceptual studies, contributing to the advancement of theories and frameworks, and sound empirical work, whether qualitative or quantitative, suggesting managerial, economic or government policy recommendations. The journal encourages replication studies that contribute to our understanding of the reliability and validity of current knowledge. Finally, Multinational Business Review welcomes proposals for perspectives pieces that offer critical and challenging viewpoints; surveys of the literature particularly those that use new and innovative bibliometric methods; and special issues on topics of relevance to Multinational Business Review.