Experimental Evaluation of Most Sustainable Companies: Impact on Economic Growth, Return on Equity (ROE) and Methodological Comparison

Abstract

Research purpose.: The study aims to analyse, how the sustainable performance of the company impacts the economy and businesses' economic performance, and to build a model, using environmental, social, and financial indicators. Design / Methodology / Approach.: To achieve this goal such methods as the Pearson correlation, Multiple Linear Regression, Cook's distance method, K-nearest neighbour and COPRAS technique were implemented. Findings.: The results indicate no significant correlation between the sustainability activities of companies and the GDP of their respective countries, nor between companies' ROE and their sustainability performance. These findings suggest that conventional methods of evaluating corporate sustainability may not accurately reflect its economic impacts. Furthermore, discrepancies observed between the Corporate Knights rankings and those calculated using the COPRAS method highlight the critical need for a deeper examination of assessment methodologies. This outcome calls for a reassessment of sustainability practices and methodologies to better understand and leverage their benefits in the corporate and economic realms. While the study provides initial insights into the current sustainability assessments, further research should explore alternative evaluative models and their implications across different industries. Originality / Value / Practical implications.: Companies have a significant impact on the environment and society, and sustainability is important not only for ethical concerns but also for financial and economic reasons.