Do ESG and SDG-9 innovations enhance financial performance? Empirical evidence from India’s Top 100 listed firms (2019–2023)

Non-financial factors including quality of services, the flexibility of a company, utilization of resources, and market orientation are regarded as significant determinants that enhance the profitability-based performance of a service company or a hotel. The study investigated the interaction between these factors and hotel operating performance measured by the hospitality performance and results indicators. Data on 346 executives of Vietnam’s hospitality companies were collected. A structural equation modeling (SEM) method was utilized to examine the positive-direct and moderating effects of non-financial factors on hotel performance in terms of occupancy rate (OCR), average daily rate (ADR), and the revenue per available room (RevPAR). The findings showed that service quality ( = 0.118, p < 0.05), flexibility ( = 0.173, p < 0.05) and resource utilization (= 0.172, p < 0.05) positively affected the performance of Vietnam’s hospitality companies. Meanwhile, innovation showed no direct influence (p = 0.068) but an indirect impact on the performance through service quality ( = 0.311, p < 0.05). Market orientation did not impact the performance (p = 0.076) but it positively affected both innovation ( = 0.322, p < 0.05) and service quality ( = 0.146, p < 0.05). The study contributed to a theoretical enhancement of the current level of knowledge on the factors that affect the performance and developed a reliable scale for measuring the performance of hotels in Vietnam.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the problems of the sustainable development, to explore the level of innovation in the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) manufacturing SMMEs sectors, which most affects on the state of the environment, to identify the causes of low innovation in the industry and to examine these factors influence on the effectiveness of SMMEs manufacturers innovation strategies, as well as to invent a new innovation strategic approach to overcome innovation problems in the economic growth of fast moving consumer goods SMMEs manufacturers. The study is aimed to determine the level of innovation and factors contributing to low innovation in fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) SMMEs manufacturers, which hinder their economic performance. Mixed approach of quantitative and qualitative questionnaire is used for primary data collection. Sample consists of 120 SMMEs. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) (23.0) was employed for data analysis. The study results are presented with figures and diagrams. This study will be a useful tool for general public and relevant stakeholders in this sector.

Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) disclosure becomes vital for banks to be transparent and accountable for their investments and lending decisions to shareholders, regulators, and society. The potential enhancement of shareholder value through ESG disclosure is still inconsistent. Empirical studies on the association between ESG disclosure and financial performance are mixed and limited in emerging economies. This study aims to examine whether ESG disclosure impacts the financial performance of 24 Vietnamese commercial banks in terms of return on assets (ROA), return on equity (ROE), and net interest margin (NIM). The study uses the feasible generalized least squares estimation method based on panel data from 2018 to 2022. The study employs content analysis on 12 themes related to environmental, social, and governance pillars to score policy disclosure based on the Fair Finance Guide Methodology. The results highlight the positive effects of ESG policy disclosure, individual environment disclosure (E), and individual governance disclosure (G) on bank financial performance. Notably, ESG, E, and G have the largest influence on ROE, with coefficients of 0.051, 0.036, and 0.027, respectively, at a 5% significance level. However, the study does not provide evidence of a statistically significant association between social disclosure and financial performance. These results provide empirical evidence for regulators and bank managers to shape ESG policies and practices aligning with international standards.

Acknowledgment
ESG disclosure score of 11 banks as primary data in this study is conducted under the project coordinated by the Fair Finance Vietnam coalition, as part of Fair Finance International.