Strategic Approaches to ESG Reporting
Analysing ESG Disclosures of Listed Companies
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22418129 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Cintia Kulzer Sacilotto (0009-0007-1267-7472, College of Business and Economics United Arab Emirates University Al Ain UAE), Kathy Ning Shen (0000-0002-3686-7568, College of Business and Economics United Arab Emirates University Al Ain UAE) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Publication date | 2026-07-12 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Business Strategy and the Environment (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0964-4733 • E-ISSN: 1099-0836 |
| Publisher | Wiley (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1002/bse.71256 |
| OpenAlex | W7168086209 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 63 |
This study adopts an exploratory approach to examine how firms communicate strategic orientation through ESG disclosures. Using a validated dictionary of exploration and exploitation language, we analyse 278 ESG reports from all UAE‐listed companies between 2020 and 2023, classifying ESG disclosures as exploration‐dominant, exploitation‐dominant, ambidextrous or low orientation. We construct quantitative indices and complementary typologies that enable comparisons across industries, firms, governance structures and time. The findings indicate a gradual increase in discourse around exploration and ambidextrous orientations over time, reflecting shifts in how firms articulate ESG‐related strategic intent within a mandatory reporting context. Industry‐level comparisons indicate that financial firms tend to articulate more exploration‐oriented ESG discourse, while resource‐based industries focus more on exploitation. In addition, exploration‐ and ambidextrous‐oriented ESG discourse co‐vary positively with external ESG performance assessments and selected governance characteristics, including board gender diversity. Overall, the results suggest that ESG reporting functions not only as a compliance mechanism but also as a strategic communicative space through which firms signal priorities, legitimacy and orientation. This study contributes to ESG research by introducing the exploration–exploitation framework as a systematic, discourse‐based lens that links ESG communication to strategic orientation while highlighting the continued discretion firms retain under mandatory disclosure regimes.
Corporate governance · Discretion · Exploratory research · Legitimacy · Auditing, Earnings Management, Governance · Corporate Social Responsibility Reporting · Environmental Sustainability in Business
Stakeholder Pressures And Environmental Performance
The Influence of Firm Size on the ESG Score
The Concept of Fit in Strategy Research
Ambidexterity as a dynamic capability
Exploration vs. Exploitation
Exploration and Exploitation in Organizational Learning
Managing Legitimacy
The relationship between knowledge management strategies and corporate social responsibility
| Highly cited | No |
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