IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v17y2025i16p7469-d1727142.html

Tracing the Shifting Materiality of ESG Issues: Insights from Media Attention

Author

Listed:
  • Farah Sraj

    (Department of Accounting, HEC-Montréal, 3000, Chemin de la Côte-Sainte-Catherine, Bureau 5509, Montréal, QC H3T 2A7, Canada)

  • Eduardo Schiehll

    (Department of Accounting, HEC-Montréal, 3000, Chemin de la Côte-Sainte-Catherine, Bureau 5509, Montréal, QC H3T 2A7, Canada)

Abstract

We analyze ESG-related news coverage to examine media attention patterns as a reflection of stakeholders’ perceived salience of ESG issues at both the industry and firm levels, offering insights into the evolving nature of ESG materiality. Using longitudinal data visualization over an 11-year period, we show that media attention to ESG issues varies significantly over time and across firms within the same industry. While some issues receive consistent attention, others exhibit shifting patterns, signaling changing stakeholders’ perceived salience. Focusing on SASB-informed financially material ESG issues, we also show that perceived salience varies even among high-relevance topics. Some firms align with their industry’s patterns, while others diverge markedly, reinforcing the view that ESG materiality is both dynamic and firm-specific. These insights suggest that static ESG materiality assessment frameworks may be insufficient for informing long-term sustainability strategies or corporate disclosure practices. For investors, our results underscore the value of media-based ESG signals in complementing traditional materiality assessments. Acknowledging the evolving nature of ESG materiality is essential for firms and investors aiming to develop ESG strategies that respond to shifts in stakeholders’ perceived salience of ESG issues.

Suggested Citation

  • Farah Sraj & Eduardo Schiehll, 2025. "Tracing the Shifting Materiality of ESG Issues: Insights from Media Attention," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(16), pages 1-25, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:16:p:7469-:d:1727142
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/16/7469/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/16/7469/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Wang, Yao & Sun, Guangfan & Yan, Xu & Zhang, Yunmeng, 2025. "Interest rate marketization and corporate social responsibility," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    2. Katarzyna Piwowar-Sulej & Sakshi Malik & Olatunji A. Shobande & Sanjeet Singh & Vishal Dagar, 2024. "A Contribution to Sustainable Human Resource Development in the Era of the COVID-19 Pandemic," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 191(2), pages 337-355, May.
    3. Robert G. Eccles & Ioannis Ioannou & George Serafeim, 2014. "The Impact of Corporate Sustainability on Organizational Processes and Performance," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 60(11), pages 2835-2857, November.
    4. Susie Ruqun Wu & Changliang Shao & Jiquan Chen, 2018. "Approaches on the Screening Methods for Materiality in Sustainability Reporting," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-16, September.
    5. Eduardo Schiehll & Sam Kolahgar, 2025. "Common ownership and investor‐focused disclosure: Evidence from ESG financial materiality," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34(1), pages 497-515, January.
    6. Amir Amel-Zadeh & George Serafeim, 2018. "Why and How Investors Use ESG Information: Evidence from a Global Survey," Financial Analysts Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 74(3), pages 87-103, July.
    7. Nicolas Madison & Eduardo Schiehll, 2021. "The Effect of Financial Materiality on ESG Performance Assessment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-21, March.
    8. Julian F. Kölbel & Timo Busch & Leonhardt M. Jancso, 2017. "How Media Coverage of Corporate Social Irresponsibility Increases Financial Risk," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(11), pages 2266-2284, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Carlos Estevez‐Mendoza & Juan Infante, 2025. "Evolution and relevance of research on Environmental, Social, and Governance factors," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 32(2), pages 1545-1566, March.
    2. Misra, Shekhar & Mishra, Saurabh, 2026. "Environmental, social, and governance performances, media sentiments, and shareholder wealth," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 203(C).
    3. Ballester, Laura & González-Urteaga, Ana & Shen, Long, 2024. "Green bond issuance and credit risk: International evidence," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    4. Bingler, Julia Anna & Kraus, Mathias & Leippold, Markus & Webersinke, Nicolas, 2024. "How cheap talk in climate disclosures relates to climate initiatives, corporate emissions, and reputation risk," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 164(C).
    5. Hadiqa Ahmad & Muhammad Yaqub & Seung Hwan Lee, 2024. "Environmental-, social-, and governance-related factors for business investment and sustainability: a scientometric review of global trends," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 26(2), pages 2965-2987, February.
    6. Ruixin Su & Na Li, 2024. "Environmental, Social, and Governance Performance, Platform Governance, and Value Creation of Platform Enterprises," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(17), pages 1-21, August.
    7. Arthur, Joseph & Bilson Darku, Francis & Owusu, Abena Fosua, 2025. "Does corporate ESG news impact firm productivity?," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    8. Mirela Sichigea & Laura Vasilescu & Lauren?iu Mihai & Catalina Sitnikov, 2025. "Modeling ESG Relationships with the Employability-Operational Growth-Profitability Trilogy in the European Food System," The AMFITEATRU ECONOMIC journal, Academy of Economic Studies - Bucharest, Romania, vol. 27(69), pages 329-329, April.
    9. Banerjee, Pradip & Bose, Sudipta & Dhole, Sandip & Truong, Cameron, 2025. "Greening up their act: Corporate carbon emissions reduction in response to political risk," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).
    10. Oscar V. De la Torre-Torres, 2024. "The cost of doing nothing: Testing the benefits of water disposal risk reduction with water management Activism investing in Latin America," Remef - Revista Mexicana de Economía y Finanzas Nueva Época REMEF (The Mexican Journal of Economics and Finance), Instituto Mexicano de Ejecutivos de Finanzas, IMEF, vol. 19(2), pages 1-27, Abril - J.
    11. Zhang, Dongna & Dai, Xingyu & Wang, Qunwei, 2025. "Do green assets enhance portfolio optimization? A multi-horizon investing perspective," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 57(5).
    12. Paolo Capelli & Federica Ielasi & Angeloantonio Russo, 2021. "Forecasting volatility by integrating financial risk with environmental, social, and governance risk," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 28(5), pages 1483-1495, September.
    13. Pascal Nguyen & Nahid Rahman & Ruoyun Zhao, 2024. "Do firms adjust their payout policy to public perception of their social irresponsibility ?," Post-Print hal-05075880, HAL.
    14. Mark R. DesJardine & Jody Grewal & Kala Viswanathan, 2023. "A Rising Tide Lifts All Boats: The Effects of Common Ownership on Corporate Social Responsibility," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 34(5), pages 1716-1735, September.
    15. Murat Doğan & Muhammed Aslam Chelery Komath & Özlem Sayilir, 2025. "Credit rating prediction with ESG data using data mining methods," Future Business Journal, Springer, vol. 11(1), pages 1-14, December.
    16. Wang Xueqing & Shi Yongdong & Wang Jianxiang & Wang Guiliang & Wei Zeshuai & Li Jingyi, 2025. "Does Corporate ESG Performance Enhance Sustained Green Innovation? Empirical Evidence from China," Economics - The Open-Access, Open-Assessment Journal, De Gruyter, vol. 19(1), pages 1-18.
    17. Inten Meutia & Shelly F. Kartasari & Zulnaidi Yaacob, 2022. "Stakeholder or Legitimacy Theory? The Rationale behind a Company’s Materiality Analysis: Evidence from Indonesia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-20, June.
    18. Maretno A. Harjoto & Andreas G. F. Hoepner & Marcus A. Nilsson, 2022. "Bondholders’ returns and stakeholders’ interests," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 59(4), pages 1271-1301, November.
    19. Chau, Le & Anh, Le & Duc, Vo, 2025. "Valuing ESG: How financial markets respond to corporate sustainability," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 34(3).
    20. Bolognesi, Enrica & Burchi, Alberto, 2023. "The impact of the ESG disclosure on sell-side analysts’ target prices: The new era post Paris agreements," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:16:p:7469-:d:1727142. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager The email address of this maintainer does not seem to be valid anymore. Please ask MDPI Indexing Manager to update the entry or send us the correct address (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.