Measuring and Assessing Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Reporting by Pakistani Listed Companies: A Capital Markets Perspective

This study is an exploratory piece of work in the nascent ESG reporting and investing market in Pakistan. The primary aim of this study is to measure and assess the ESG information provided by a sample of companies listed on the Pakistani Stock Exchange, from the perspective of an investor. Using th...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: MEMON, SHUNAID AHMED
Format: Dissertation (University of Nottingham only)
Language:English
Published: 2020
Online Access:https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/66304/
_version_ 1848800315198930944
author MEMON, SHUNAID AHMED
author_facet MEMON, SHUNAID AHMED
author_sort MEMON, SHUNAID AHMED
building Nottingham Research Data Repository
collection Online Access
description This study is an exploratory piece of work in the nascent ESG reporting and investing market in Pakistan. The primary aim of this study is to measure and assess the ESG information provided by a sample of companies listed on the Pakistani Stock Exchange, from the perspective of an investor. Using the Borsa Sustainability Index as a model, an index was constructed which ranked the sample across multiple criteria within the pillars of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) dimensions. The results of the study find considerable diversity in the ESG performance of the Pakistani companies included in the sample, however, there is a clear impetus to engage in ESG activities at the part of the managements in these companies. Using the case study method, companies evaluated for the quality of their ESG information showed that high scoring companies are likely to also have high quality ESG information. Further interrogating the value of ESG ratings through portfolio analyses found that Pakistani investors act myopically, as shown through a negative relationship between ESG ratings and stock prices, similar to the result found by studies conducted in similar institutional contexts. However, the study also shows a positive relationship between ESG rating and company accounting returns, indicating a significant management effect vis-à-vis operational decisions taken at these companies. This study provides a plethora of opportunities for future studies to be undertaken in this area, with extensions possible in the scope of the inquiry.
first_indexed 2025-11-14T20:49:36Z
format Dissertation (University of Nottingham only)
id nottingham-66304
institution University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus
institution_category Local University
language English
last_indexed 2025-11-14T20:49:36Z
publishDate 2020
recordtype eprints
repository_type Digital Repository
spelling nottingham-663042023-04-19T15:13:55Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/66304/ Measuring and Assessing Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Reporting by Pakistani Listed Companies: A Capital Markets Perspective MEMON, SHUNAID AHMED This study is an exploratory piece of work in the nascent ESG reporting and investing market in Pakistan. The primary aim of this study is to measure and assess the ESG information provided by a sample of companies listed on the Pakistani Stock Exchange, from the perspective of an investor. Using the Borsa Sustainability Index as a model, an index was constructed which ranked the sample across multiple criteria within the pillars of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) dimensions. The results of the study find considerable diversity in the ESG performance of the Pakistani companies included in the sample, however, there is a clear impetus to engage in ESG activities at the part of the managements in these companies. Using the case study method, companies evaluated for the quality of their ESG information showed that high scoring companies are likely to also have high quality ESG information. Further interrogating the value of ESG ratings through portfolio analyses found that Pakistani investors act myopically, as shown through a negative relationship between ESG ratings and stock prices, similar to the result found by studies conducted in similar institutional contexts. However, the study also shows a positive relationship between ESG rating and company accounting returns, indicating a significant management effect vis-à-vis operational decisions taken at these companies. This study provides a plethora of opportunities for future studies to be undertaken in this area, with extensions possible in the scope of the inquiry. 2020-12-01 Dissertation (University of Nottingham only) NonPeerReviewed application/pdf en https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/66304/1/20265834_BUSI4020_2021.pdf MEMON, SHUNAID AHMED (2020) Measuring and Assessing Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Reporting by Pakistani Listed Companies: A Capital Markets Perspective. [Dissertation (University of Nottingham only)]
spellingShingle MEMON, SHUNAID AHMED
Measuring and Assessing Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Reporting by Pakistani Listed Companies: A Capital Markets Perspective
title Measuring and Assessing Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Reporting by Pakistani Listed Companies: A Capital Markets Perspective
title_full Measuring and Assessing Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Reporting by Pakistani Listed Companies: A Capital Markets Perspective
title_fullStr Measuring and Assessing Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Reporting by Pakistani Listed Companies: A Capital Markets Perspective
title_full_unstemmed Measuring and Assessing Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Reporting by Pakistani Listed Companies: A Capital Markets Perspective
title_short Measuring and Assessing Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Reporting by Pakistani Listed Companies: A Capital Markets Perspective
title_sort measuring and assessing environmental, social, and governance (esg) reporting by pakistani listed companies: a capital markets perspective
url https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/66304/