Regional disparities and trends in national ESG performance across africa: A comparative analysis (1990–2020)
This study examines national ESG (environmental, social, and governance) performance across 24 African countries over three decades (1990–2020), employing a disaggregated approach to assess sustainability outcomes. Building on the World Bank's Sovereign ESG Framework and using the entropy weigh...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Innovation and Green Development |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949753125000281 |
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| author | Jeremy Ko Chun Kai Leung Albert Nii Dodoo Favour David Agbajor |
| author_facet | Jeremy Ko Chun Kai Leung Albert Nii Dodoo Favour David Agbajor |
| author_sort | Jeremy Ko |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study examines national ESG (environmental, social, and governance) performance across 24 African countries over three decades (1990–2020), employing a disaggregated approach to assess sustainability outcomes. Building on the World Bank's Sovereign ESG Framework and using the entropy weight method, the research assigns weightings of 42.13 % to environmental factors, 30.39 % to social factors, and 27.47 % to governance factors. By segmenting the period into three decade-based intervals, the study systematically captures long-term trends and short-term disruptions in sustainability performance. The analysis reveals notable regional disparities and temporal shifts in ESG scores, with significant improvements in social and governance dimensions in some regions contrasted by modest gains or even declines in environmental indicators. These outcomes highlight the challenges of measuring sustainability in contexts marked by heterogeneous institutional capacities and diverse socio-economic dynamics. Furthermore, the study identifies that formal metrics often overlook grassroots sustainability practices rooted in informal networks. The findings underscore the need for tailored policy interventions that integrate both conventional and non-traditional sustainability measures, thereby providing nuanced insights for policymakers and practitioners aiming to bridge gaps in conventional ESG frameworks. This research not only contributes to the academic discourse on national sustainability assessments but also offers practical recommendations for enhancing regional ESG strategies in Africa. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a5e10fea1d8b4ebea8ec7345d0c4dfa6 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2949-7531 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Innovation and Green Development |
| spelling | doaj-art-a5e10fea1d8b4ebea8ec7345d0c4dfa62025-08-20T03:31:20ZengElsevierInnovation and Green Development2949-75312025-06-014310023110.1016/j.igd.2025.100231Regional disparities and trends in national ESG performance across africa: A comparative analysis (1990–2020)Jeremy Ko0Chun Kai Leung1Albert Nii Dodoo2Favour David Agbajor3Center for Comparative and International Studies, ETH Zurich, Switzerland; Corresponding author. Haldeneggsteig 4, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland.Global Society and Sustainability Lab, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong; Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong; Corresponding author. Room 221, May Hall, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.Department of Sociology and Anthropology, University of Cape Coast, GhanaSchool of Architecture and Built Environment, Deakin University, Locked Bag 20001, Geelong, VIC 3220, AustraliaThis study examines national ESG (environmental, social, and governance) performance across 24 African countries over three decades (1990–2020), employing a disaggregated approach to assess sustainability outcomes. Building on the World Bank's Sovereign ESG Framework and using the entropy weight method, the research assigns weightings of 42.13 % to environmental factors, 30.39 % to social factors, and 27.47 % to governance factors. By segmenting the period into three decade-based intervals, the study systematically captures long-term trends and short-term disruptions in sustainability performance. The analysis reveals notable regional disparities and temporal shifts in ESG scores, with significant improvements in social and governance dimensions in some regions contrasted by modest gains or even declines in environmental indicators. These outcomes highlight the challenges of measuring sustainability in contexts marked by heterogeneous institutional capacities and diverse socio-economic dynamics. Furthermore, the study identifies that formal metrics often overlook grassroots sustainability practices rooted in informal networks. The findings underscore the need for tailored policy interventions that integrate both conventional and non-traditional sustainability measures, thereby providing nuanced insights for policymakers and practitioners aiming to bridge gaps in conventional ESG frameworks. This research not only contributes to the academic discourse on national sustainability assessments but also offers practical recommendations for enhancing regional ESG strategies in Africa.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949753125000281 |
| spellingShingle | Jeremy Ko Chun Kai Leung Albert Nii Dodoo Favour David Agbajor Regional disparities and trends in national ESG performance across africa: A comparative analysis (1990–2020) Innovation and Green Development |
| title | Regional disparities and trends in national ESG performance across africa: A comparative analysis (1990–2020) |
| title_full | Regional disparities and trends in national ESG performance across africa: A comparative analysis (1990–2020) |
| title_fullStr | Regional disparities and trends in national ESG performance across africa: A comparative analysis (1990–2020) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Regional disparities and trends in national ESG performance across africa: A comparative analysis (1990–2020) |
| title_short | Regional disparities and trends in national ESG performance across africa: A comparative analysis (1990–2020) |
| title_sort | regional disparities and trends in national esg performance across africa a comparative analysis 1990 2020 |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949753125000281 |
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