Integrating ESG Practices and Building Stakeholder Trust in the Hotel Industry of Uzbekistan

Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices have become increasingly important in the hotel industry as sustainability expectations from international travelers, investors, and policymakers continue to rise. This study examines the relationship between ESG practices and perceived stakeholder trust in the hotel industry of Uzbekistan, an emerging tourism destination undergoing institutional, digital, and sustainability transformation. Drawing on sustainability and hospitality management literature, ESG is conceptualized as a multidimensional construct encompassing environmental practices, social responsibility, and governance mechanisms. The study employs a quantitative, cross-sectional research design based on survey data collected from managerial representatives of three- to five-star hotels in major tourist destinations of Uzbekistan. The findings reveal a generally positive level of ESG implementation across the sector, with social and governance practices demonstrating stronger development compared to environmental practices. Among ESG dimensions, social practices, particularly those related to employee well-being, equal treatment, and professional development, received the highest evaluations, while environmental practices, such as waste reduction and recycling, appeared comparatively less institutionalized. The results further indicate consistently high levels of perceived stakeholder trust, suggesting that hotels are viewed by managers as reliable, responsible, and capable of maintaining long-term stakeholder relationships. The findings provide preliminary support for a positive association between ESG practices and perceived stakeholder trust, highlighting the role of responsible business conduct in strengthening organizational legitimacy and stakeholder confidence. The study contributes to the sustainability literature by extending ESG research to an underexplored emerging tourism context and by introducing perceived stakeholder trust as a managerial-level construct. It also offers practical implications for hotel managers and policymakers, emphasizing the need to strengthen environmental sustainability practices and to further institutionalize ESG governance and reporting mechanisms to support long-term, trust-based development in the hospitality sector.