Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship (벤처창업연구)

The Korean Society of Business Venturing (한국벤처창업학회)
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An Exploratory Study on the Strategic Responses to ESG Evaluation of SMEs

중소기업의 ESG평가에 대한 전략적 대응방안 탐색적 연구

  • 박윤수 (군산대학교 융합기술창업학과)
  • Received : 2022.12.23
  • Accepted : 2023.02.22
  • Published : 2023.02.28
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Abstract

As stakeholder demands and sustainable finance grow, ESG management and ESG evaluation are becoming important. SMEs should also prepare for the trends of ESG rating practices that affects supply chain management and financial transactions. However, SMEs have no choice but to focus on survival first, so there are restrictions on putting into ESG management. In addition, there is a lack of research on the legitimacy of ESG management by SMEs, and volatility in ESG evaluation systems and rating grades is also increasing. Accordingly, it is necessary to review ESG evaluation trends and practical guidelines along with the review of previous studies. As a result of the exploratory study, SMEs need to implement ESG management and make efforts to specialize in ESG related new businesses under conditions in which their survival base is guaranteed in terms of implementation strategies. In addition, it is necessary to focus on the strategic use of various evaluation results along with accumulating information favorable for ESG evaluation through organizational learning and software management. The implications of this study are that various studies such as the classification criteria for SMEs and the relationship between ESG evaluation grades and long-term survival rates are needed in ESG evaluation of SMEs. At the government policy level, it is time to consider the ESG evaluation system exclusively for SMEs so that ESG management can be implemented and ESG evaluation at different levels by industry and size.

이해관계자 요구와 지속가능금융 성장에 따라 ESG경영과 이를 반영한 ESG평가 대응이 중요해지고 있다. 중소기업 또한 공급망 관리와 금융거래에 영향을 주는 ESG평가 규범화 흐름에 대비해야 한다. 그러나 중소기업은 생존에 우선 집중할 수밖에 없어 ESG경영 도입에 제약이 따른다. 또한 중소기업의 ESG경영 당위성에 대한 연구가 부족하고 ESG 평가체계 및 평가등급의 변동성 또한 높아지고 있다. 이에 따라 선행연구 고찰과 함께 ESG 평가동향 및 실무지침서의 비판적 검토가 필요하다. 탐색적 연구 결과, 중소기업은 실행전략 차원에서 생존기반이 담보되는 여건 하에 ESG경영을 도입하고 ESG창업에 특화하는 노력이 필요하다. 또한 조직적 학습과 소프트웨어 관리로 ESG평가에 유리한 정보 축적과 함께 다양한 평가결과의 전략적 활용에 중점을 둘 필요가 있다. 본 연구의 시사점은 중소기업의 ESG평가에 있어 중소기업에 대한 분류기준과 ESG 평가등급과 장기 생존률과의 관계 연구 등 다양한 연구가 필요하다는 점이다. 정부정책 차원에서도 생존 가능성과 함께 업종과 규모별로 상이한 수준의 ESG경영 도입 및 ESG평가가 이루어지도록 중소기업 전용 ESG 평가제도의 검토가 필요한 시점이다.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

본 연구는 군산대학교 교내연구비 지원에 의해 이루어짐

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