The Effect of Environmental, Social, And Governance (ESG) Disclosure on Corporate Value: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

Over the past few years, the need for disclosing non-financial information has increased significantly, particularly regarding Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) aspects, as investors increasingly seek transparency in corporate practices beyond conventional financial reporting. This study aimed to analyze the relationship between ESG principles and corporate value, with an emphasis on how effective ESG implementation can enhance long-term value creation and sustainability. The research employed a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) approach, which involved identifying, evaluating, and synthesizing relevant evidence related to the research topic. A total of 30 selected articles were synthesized from an initial screening of 92 eligible articles based on predefined inclusion criteria. The findings, presented through a classification matrix, revealed that the impact of ESG disclosure on corporate value remained inconsistent across studies. These variations were influenced by regional contexts—for example, positive governance effects were more evident in Indonesia, varied across studies in Thailand, and remained significant in China even after the COVID-19 pandemic—as well as industry characteristics and external economic conditions, such as financial crises and macroeconomic uncertainty. Although the findings differed, the impact of ESG disclosure that was weak or insignificant in isolation was often strengthened when moderated by factors such as competitive advantage, governance mechanisms, and financing constraints. This study concluded that ESG disclosure alone was not sufficient to drive corporate value; instead, companies needed to integrate ESG practices with strategic advantages to achieve optimal outcomes. Future research is recommended to expand regional coverage and include broader industry sectors to generate more generalizable and comparable findings across different markets.Over the past few years, the need for disclosing non-financial information has increased significantly, particularly regarding Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) aspects, as investors increasingly seek transparency in corporate practices beyond conventional financial reporting. This study aimed to analyze the relationship between ESG principles and corporate value, with an emphasis on how effective ESG implementation can enhance long-term value creation and sustainability. The research employed a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) approach, which involved identifying, evaluating, and synthesizing relevant evidence related to the research topic. A total of 30 selected articles were synthesized from an initial screening of 92 eligible articles based on predefined inclusion criteria. The findings, presented through a classification matrix, revealed that the impact of ESG disclosure on corporate value remained inconsistent across studies. These variations were influenced by regional contexts—for example, positive governance effects were more evident in Indonesia, varied across studies in Thailand, and remained significant in China even after the COVID-19 pandemic—as well as industry characteristics and external economic conditions, such as financial crises and macroeconomic uncertainty. Although the findings differed, the impact of ESG disclosure that was weak or insignificant in isolation was often strengthened when moderated by factors such as competitive advantage, governance mechanisms, and financing constraints. This study concluded that ESG disclosure alone was not sufficient to drive corporate value; instead, companies needed to integrate ESG practices with strategic advantages to achieve optimal outcomes. Future research is recommended to expand regional coverage and include broader industry sectors to generate more generalizable and comparable findings across different markets.