Corporate Sustainability Assessments in the Information Communication Technology Sector in Malaysia

Abstract

The United Nations’ 2030 Agenda has further propelled the need for the private sector to engage with sustainable development. Corporate sustainability research seeks to specifically address this; however, extant literature highlights a paucity of research on how this occurs. In this study, we utilise an emerging process that has been identified to support managers in addressing sustainability—the corporate sustainability assessment (CSA). Utilising an in-depth case study and qualitative data collection, this study highlights how CSAs are a systematic and comprehensive approach to guide managers in how they can address sustainability. This study empirically examines three distinct but interconnected aspects of the CSA including the sustainability governance system, measurement of sustainability performance and sustainability reporting. With scant empirical studies on both CSAs and multinational enterprises (MNEs) operating in emerging markets, this study provides unique insights into two key traits of MNEs to understand the interplay between home- and host-country contexts and the industrial sector the MNE is operating within.

The role of trade liberalization in promoting regional integration and sustainability: The case of regional comprehensive economic partnership

“…(e.g., References [ 14 – 16 ]). After World War II, East Asian countries and Southeast Asian countries relied on sufficient manpower to form an economic structure dominated by export processing, which became a production link in the global division of labor (e.g., References [ 17 – 20 ]). In that process, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore have reached high development levels and become developed countries (e.g., References [ 21 ]).…”

Sustainable development goals and corporate strategy: A map of the field

“…As mentioned, the second category of papers identified is related to standards & measures, although the lack of indicators to correctly measure the business contribution to sustainable development is still evident (Pranugrahaning et al, 2020), avoiding negative effects such as the greenwashing (Bager & Lambin, 2020). Since the measurement of impact does not entail any punishment or social reward, there is no interest in having the information available (Vázquez‐Maguirre & Benito, 2022).…”

Exploring Corporate Sustainability in the Insurance Sector: A Case Study of a Multinational Enterprise Engaging with UN SDGs in Malaysia

“…A corporate sustainability assessment (CSA) is a management process including tools and techniques that are adopted by companies to address sustainability within their business activities [15,16]. It has emerged in response to the practical challenges faced by companies in managing sustainability practices across their business operations.…”

“…More empirical studies across industry sectors and geographical areas are expected to provide more significant value in the research domain as the existing empirical studies in CSA are dominated by the manufacturing sector (for example [6,22]). More in-depth information was identified that examined the intersection between global strategy and local operations, with a specific focus on the Information Communication Technology sector [16]. Empirical studies focusing on financial services, and especially the insurance sector, are needed to support global initiatives related to this sector and its contribution towards achieving sustainable development.…”

“…Looking more closely at how a company can establish their sustainability governance system, previous studies indicate that it is the company commitment to a range of sustainability principles, standards and guidelines that set the foundational base to embark on the journey towards sustainability [14,16,17]. This determines the broader corporate sustainability strategy, including the sustainability goals and issues to be addressed [5].…”