An Economic Study on the Relationship Between Corporate Value and ESG Scores of Listed Companies in China

Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party, China has made significant progress in achieving an organic integration of green transformation and high-quality development. The introduction of the ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) concept has not only expanded the scope of green development but also provided new support for sustainable economic growth, especially after the proposal of carbon peak and carbon neutrality goals. The guiding role of ESG investment has become increasingly prominent. As one of the key factors for corporate sustainable development, ESG performance has attracted widespread attention. Incorporating ESG factors into investment decisions and business strategies can help enhance a company's competitiveness, achieve long-term sustainable growth, and ultimately increase its overall value. This paper uses a sample of listed companies from 2000 to 2022 to empirically analyze the impact of ESG performance on corporate value. Through a literature review and empirical analysis, combined with relevant data and models, this study explores the relationship between ESG performance and corporate value in depth. The research shows that excellent ESG performance contributes to enhancing corporate value; however, in non-state-owned enterprises, there is an inverse relationship between ESG performance and corporate value. Similarly, smaller companies exhibit this reverse relationship, whereas state-owned enterprises and larger companies do not show such an association.