Evaluation of ESG Implementation Performance in the Textile Industry from a Transparency and Accountability Perspective Based on MCDM and Cluster Analysis

Effective management of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices within the framework of transparency and accountability in businesses is crucial for enhancing their compliance capacity in the face of regulatory pressures and contributing to the early detection of environmental and social risks. This study aims to evaluate the ESG disclosure-based performance of businesses operating in the textile, clothing, and leather sectors in Turkey by examining their ESG indicators from a transparency and accountability perspective. The CRITIC (Criteria Importance Through Intercriteria Correlation) method was used to determine the relative importance levels of the indicators, while the MABAC (Multi-Attributive Border Approximation Area Comparison) and COPRAS (Complex Proportional Assessment) methods were used to rank the performance of businesses within the framework of these indicators. Finally, clustering analysis was used to classify businesses with similar characteristics. The findings show that corporate governance principles are the most important indicator, and that Kordsa Teknik Tekstil A.Ş. and Söktaş Tekstil Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş. exhibit a significant and positive difference in terms of transparency and accountability in their ESG practices compared to other businesses. The combined use of CRITIC, MABAC, COPRAS, and cluster analysis offers an innovative, robust decision-making approach and holistic methodological integration for assessing ESG disclosure-based performance in the context of transparency and accountability for businesses.