Assessing environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance of global electronics industry: an integrated MCDM approach-based spherical fuzzy sets

Abstract

The integrity of environmental, social and governance (ESG) data in corporate sustainability reports is of heightened importance to socially responsible investors. This study aims to define essential ESG criteria influencing investment and assess corporate ESG performance. A novel method, combining Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Weighted Aggregated Sum Product Assessment (WASPAS) in a spherical fuzzy context, is introduced to address uncertainties linked to imprecision and subjectivity in ESG evaluations. Employing Spherical Fuzzy-AHP (SF-AHP) to determine evaluation criteria for global electronics companies, followed by Spherical Fuzzy-WASPAS (SF-WASPAS) to finalize rankings, this approach was examined within the global electronics industry. The research underscores the method’s value in gauging ESG performance and guiding executives in investment decisions. Furthermore, comparative analysis (SF-WASPAS, SF-TOPSIS and Fermatean Fuzzy WASPAS) supports the framework’s reliability, suggesting its applicability in resource management for attracting investors and enhancing stakeholder interaction. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed SF-AHP-WASPAS method in assessing corporate ESG performance under uncertainty, providing executives with a robust decision-making framework for sustainable investment strategies.

Keywords:

• MCDM
• spherical fuzzy
• electronics industry
• ESG
• sustainability

Reviewing Editor:

• Sanjay Kumar Shukla, Edith Cowan University, Australia

Subjects:

• Environmental Management
• Environment & Business
• Advanced Mathematics
• Applied Mathematics
• Manufacturing Industries

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Phi-Dinh Hoang

Phi Dinh Hoang (Assoc. Prof. Dr.) has been the Rector of Hanoi School of Business and Management (HSB) under Vietnam National University Hanoi (VNU) since 2013. He is a reputable researcher and lecturer of interdisciplinary studies in Vietnam for both schools of thoughts on IMB (Integrated Management of Business) and MNS (Management of Nontraditional Security). He is also acting as the Vice Director of the Institute of Nontraditional Security (INS).

Ly-Thi Nguyen

Thi Ly Nguyen (Ph.D) is currently a Lecturer at HSB under VNU. She has a distinguished track record in research and significant skills in Industrial Engineering and Management, Sustainable Management, TRIZ, Data Envelopment Analysis, Technology Forecasting and Multiple-Criteria Decision Making.

Binh-Quoc Tran

Binh Quoc Tran (PhD Candidate) is a visiting lecturer at HSB under VNU. His main research focuses on State Policy, Management of SOEs, Management of Nontraditional Security and Management of Sustainable Development.