ESG IN CORPORATE STRATEGY A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS ACROSS INDUSTRIES

This research study aims to provide insight into the integration of environmental, social, and governance factors into business strategies within various industries. It examines how companies' ESG practices affect their performance, as well as the challenges faced in executing these practices. With the current growing importance of sustainability, ESG parameters have evolved into a very crucial domain for all companies in order to maintain their long-term profitability while contributing positively to society. The research follows a quantitative approach where data were collected through a structured questionnaire sent to about 400 respondents from different industries in Pune and Mumbai. The study is analyzed using ANOVA and regression analysis in order to find variations in ESG challenges and to examine the relationship between ESG integration and corporate performance.
The analysis shows that ESG strategies have an effect on corporate performance across the disparate industries, with variations in challenges encountered due to sector-specific resource limitations, regulatory pressure, and cost concerns. Industries such as technology and financial services have a lesser load of obstacles; however, energy and manufacturing industries have a higher load of barriers. In spite of the challenges they pose, ESG practices create opportunities for innovation, competitive advantage, and better stakeholder trust. This shows that ESG integration needs to be industry-specific in order to overcome such challenges and maximize long-term value. The study concludes that ESG integration offers significant advantages but requires specific strategies to combat sector-specific challenges. Companies should invest in sustainable technologies and set long-term ESG objectives to make their success tangible. Further, the study recommends that companies engage with stakeholders, build solid ESG frameworks, and align corporate strategies with global sustainability goals. Future research could widen the scope by analyzing other sectors and other regions to render insights into ESG practices in more global markets.