About the Special Issue
ESG, which stands for environmental, social, and governance, represents a structured, data-driven approach that links environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and governance integrity to organizational performance and risk management. Since its inception in 2004, ESG has gained significant attention across various sectors. International agencies and organizations have played a key role in establishing and disseminating ESG standards and norms. Investors are increasingly relying on ESG criteria to inform their investment decisions, while companies utilize these metrics to demonstrate their commitment to sustainable practices and social responsibility. Governments worldwide are enacting policies that incorporate ESG practices when awarding contracts, and consumers increasingly favor providers with strong sustainability credentials.
Although many nonprofit organizations have long been dedicated to addressing social and environmental issues as part of their core missions, the nonprofit sector has only recently begun to engage with ESG frameworks. While some nonprofit organizations recognize the potential benefits of ESG principles for enhancing operations and impact, many struggle to grasp its complexities and implement its tenets effectively. As donors, beneficiaries, and regulatory bodies increasingly emphasize transparency, ethical governance, and sustainability, nonprofits will likely face growing expectations to adopt ESG standards in their operations and engage in ESG-related work in various ways.
Studies on ESG are proliferating. Some studies delve into the origins and ecosystem of ESG (e.g., Bowley & Hill, 2024; Eccles et al., 2020), while others examine ESG policies, strategies, impact measurement, governance system, and performance (e.g., Lam et al., 2024; Liu et al., 2022; Pratici et al., 2024; Singhania & Saini, 2023; Saharti et al., 2024), as well as its impact on performance, innovation, and sustainability (e.g., Agapova & Garanina, 2024; Baratta et al., 2023; Jain & Tripathi, 2023; Mgbame et al., 2020). Despite the growing attention to ESG principles in the private and public sectors, there is a noticeable lack of research examining ESG within the nonprofit sector. This void in knowledge has motivated us to focus on asking the following question, which will guide submissions for this special issue: How does the nonprofit sector intersect with ESG?
Guest editors: Professor Wai-Fung LAM, Centre for Civil Society and Governance, and Professor Hui LI, Department of Politics and Public Administration, The University of Hong Kong
Workshop Format and Schedule
Authors have 15 minutes to present the paper, followed by 5-10 minutes for discussion and an additional 5-10 minutes for questions and comments from the audience.
09:30-09:35
Workshop Opens and Welcoming
- Professor Kwan Nok CHAN, Acting Dean of Social Sciences, The University of Hong Kong
09:35-09:45
Introduction to the Workshop
- Professor Wai-Fung LAM, Director of Centre for Civil Society and Governance, The University of Hong Kong
09:45-11:15
Panel 1 Philosophical and Cultural Perspectives on ESG
When ESG Meets Daoism: Uncovering Philosophical and Jurisdictional Challenges in FaithInvest’s Strategy
– Ziwei FAN, Martin PALMER, David A PALMER, The University of Hong Kong
The need for an ESG Framework for Sustainable Volunteer Energy: Rethinking Volunteer Resource Stewardship
– Lucas MEIJS, Philine van OVERBEEKE, Stephanie KOOLEN-MAAS, Erasmus University Rotterdam
ESG as Investor Logic, Not Moral Calling: Rethinking Nonprofits’ Embrace of the ESG Trend through Institutional Logics
– Ke LU, The University of Hong Kong
Moderator:
– Hui LI, The University of Hong Kong
11:15-11:30
Coffee Break
11:30-12:30
Panel 2 Governance and Sustainability
Open Data and Environmental Governance: Nonprofit Engagement with ESG Implementation in Taiwan
– Natalie WONG, National Chengchi University
Re-evaluating the Effects of Private Land Conservation (PLC) in Hong Kong: Third Sector Collaboration for Higher Social and Ecological Value
– Vivian H. Y. CHU, Wai Fung LAM, Winnie W. Y. LAW, Jessica M. WILLIAMS, The University of Hong Kong
Moderator:
– Yongdong SHEN, Zhejiang University
12:30-14:15
Lunch
14:15-15:15
Panel 3 Public Perceptions of Nonprofits and ESG
Do ESG Ratings Shift Consumer Demand and Prosocial Support? Evidence from an Incentivized Online Survey Experiment
– Yuhao BA, National University of Singapore
Who Governs, Who Collaborates, and What Coproduces? Linking Governance Composition and Coproduction in Nonprofit-based Social Enterprises from an ESG Perspective
– Bok Gyo JEONG, Kean University and Misun LEE, Florida State University
Moderator:
– Chengcheng SONG, Fudan University
15:15-15:30
Coffee Break
15:30-17:00
Panel 4 Collaboration and Cross-Sector Partnerships in ESG
Leveraging ESG for Social Good? Perspectives from NGO and Corporates in Nonprofit-Business Collaborations
– Cheryl CHUI, The University of Hong Kong
Gradual Mission Drift in ESG-Related Cross-Sector Collaboration: Evidence from a Survey Experiment in China
– Chengcheng SONG and Doudou CHEN, Fudan University
What Makes Us Partner? A Dual-Sided Investigation of NGO–Enterprise Collaboration in ESG Practices
– Lin NIE, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Wai Fung LAM, The University of Hong Kong, and Ruiyu ZHANG, The University of Hong Kong
Moderator:
– Winnie LAW, The University of Hong Kong
End of Day 1
09:30-11:00
Panel 5 ESG Metrics, Reporting, and Evaluation in the Nonprofit Sector
From Mission to Metrics: ESG Narratives in 400,000 UK Charity Reports (2017–2023)
– Dominik S. MEIER, University of Basel and Diarmuid McDONNELL, University of the West of Scotland
Assessing and Explaining ESG Sustainability Performance in Nonprofit Organizations: An Empirical Exploration and Framework Proposal
– Marta REY-GARCIA, University of A Coruña, Luis Ignacio ÁLVAREZ-GONZALEZ, Universidad of Oviedo and Alejandro FERNANDEZ-MARZOA, University of A Coruña
ESG Ratings, Greenwashing, and Environmental NGO Dynamics in China
– Liuqing REN, Xiamen University, Stefan TOEPLER, George Mason University, and Renhe WANG, South China Normal University
Moderator:
– Emily PAN, The University of Hong Kong
11:00-11:15
Coffee Break
11:15-12:15
Concluding Discussion and Way Forward
Moderator:
– Wai-Fung LAM, The University of Hong Kong
12:15-14:00
Lunch
14:30-16:30
Field Visit
End of Workshop