Sustainable Finance and Measuring International Business Performance on the Example of ESG Reporting in the Food Sector

Katarzyna BORATYŃSKA

Abstract:

Research background:  In light of the critical role of the financial sector in providing sufficient capital, sustainable finance and measuring international business performance are receiving more attention in academic research, business practice, and the financial sector. On the other hand, the field of ESG investing and reporting is still early and needs a consistent theory and application to the food sector practice.

The food sector is essential considering the ESG concept, which is a leading area of sustainable finance development. Poland’s food industry is one of the most critical sectors of the national economy. The measurement of the results of the food industry enterprises’ activity is also relevant to maintaining the country’s food security.

Purpose of the article:

This study aims to indicate and evaluate the main challenges for the business sector from a sustainability finance perspective, including ESG reporting as a tool of non-financial business performance measurement.

Methods: It employs innovative methodologies such as the ESG framework, extending the latter within ESG reporting, a novel approach in this context. The article also uses the retrospective and comparative analysis methods. The primary source of material was the articles collected from the Scopus database using the SciVal bibliometric analysis tool.

Findings & Value added:

The study contributes to both theory and practice in addressing contemporary risk factors facing international business performance measuring. The findings provide actionable insights into building resilience in food supply chains and adapting policies for future crises, thereby filling critical gaps in the literature. The study systematically identifies and evaluates the multidimensional risks, emphasizing the role of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Companies engage in sustainable finance to reduce costs, improve time-to-market, and enhance their environmental impact, which is particularly relevant in the food sector.

The results of the conducted analyses are essential in shaping the sectoral policy toward ESG investing and reporting in the food sector. Companies, banks, financial institutions, the government, and self-government administration representatives may find the analysis crucial.