The Sustainability Imperative in Emerging Markets
The sustainable development agenda is becoming a trend for developing countries. Research by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) has shown that a number of companies that focus on improving ESG principles in emerging markets have high financial and environmental performance.
They get access to key global markets, increased investment and opportunities to launch new business models. Companies that follow the principles of sustainable development are more in demand among clients, investors and stakeholders.
The very nature of global competition is currently being transformed. Accounting for sustainable development factors becomes decisive, the company's belonging to developed markets fades into the background. The main problem is the inequality of resources and opportunities for the active development of ESG in emerging markets and the use of the same criteria for evaluating all areas of ESG. According to experts' forecasts, emerging markets may lose up to 15% of their GDP by 2050 due to the problems typical for emerging markets and the lack of climate policy change.
In fact, BCG research has shown that consumers in emerging markets are incorporating sustainability factors into their daily decisions far more than in developed markets. Developed countries need to adapt the principles of sustainable development according to their local problems.