Quality assessment of ESG reporting among listed maritime companies: Quality assessment of ESG reporting…: M. Tsatsaronis et al.

Regulatory obligations and market trends connected to environmental sustainability issues have lately intensified their effect on the shipping industry. New standards are continuously being established, such as IMO’s 2050 aim of lowering greenhouse gas emissions by 50% compared to 2008 levels. These rules have an impact on capital markets and on investors’ ship financing decisions. The standards now include Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) components. These are not only concerned with the environmental impact of shipping, but also with the social and governance dimensions of firms, which are typically associated with maritime transport risks, such as accidents, ship reservations, and marine pollution. Considering the intricacies of the shipping sector, our previous research (Tsatsaronis et al. in Maritime Policy and Management 51(5):698–716, 2024) has developed a unified ESG reporting framework customized for shipping. The present study conducts a quality assessment of existing ESG reporting in various sectors of maritime transport companies, on a large sample of firms listed at major stock exchanges, while it also identifies their level of compliance and areas for improvement. Based on a comprehensive methodological framework for reporting and assessing ESG in shipping (Tsatsaronis et al. in Maritime Policy and Management 51(5):698–716, 2024), the research delivers important, pertinent information to aid management decision-making, stakeholders, and debtholders.