Embrace environmental, social, governance principles - Prof. Mawutor to African govts
The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Professional Studies, Professor John Kwaku Mensah Mawutor, has called on African countries and institutions to embrace environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles as a strategy for industrial transformation, sustainable growth and global competitiveness.
He said sustainability and responsible business practices had become central to investment decisions, access to international markets and participation in global supply chains.
“Across the world, investors, governments, regulators, consumers and international institutions are increasingly demanding responsible business practices, ethical governance systems, climate accountability, social inclusion and sustainable production models,” the V-C added.
Prof. Mawutor was speaking at the 11th International Conference on Business Management and Entrepreneurial Development (ICBMED) at UPSA, Accra, on the theme: “ESG and sustainability in focus: What it means for Africa and global trade.”
Global demands
Prof. Mawutor said ESG principles were now influencing lending conditions, trade arrangements, corporate reputations and global supply chains.
He cautioned that companies and institutions that failed to prioritise sustainability concerns would gradually lose their competitiveness in the global market.
“Today, ESG is influencing investment decisions, access to international markets, global supply chains, lending conditions, trade arrangements and corporate reputations,” the V-C said.
Prof. Mawutor said Africa possessed significant potential to benefit from ESG-driven growth because of its youthful population, renewable energy resources, digital innovation ecosystems and entrepreneurial talent.
He said frameworks such as the African Continental Free Trade Area offered opportunities for African countries to strengthen their participation in global trade through sustainable practices.
“If strategically managed, ESG principles can become a catalyst for industrial transformation, green financing, responsible investment, sustainable agriculture, clean energy development and inclusive economic growth across the continent,” Prof. Mawutor said.
Challenge
The V-C further challenged universities to move beyond theoretical academic work and become centres for sustainability research, innovation and ethical leadership training.
He said higher educational institutions must produce practical and evidence-based solutions to contemporary business challenges.
Prof. Mawutor said UPSA had already integrated sustainability into its institutional agenda, including a university-wide review of academic programmes undertaken last year.
“That is why last year we commissioned a university-wide review of all our programmes and sustainability was central to our discourse,” he added.
He also urged researchers to focus on practical issues such as green accounting, sustainable financing, responsible taxation and sustainable public sector management.
Global trade
The Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission, Elikem Kotoko, also said that global trade was moving away from price-driven competition to strict sustainability and accountability standards that now shape access to international markets.
He said businesses seeking global market entry must now prove how products were produced, not only what they produced.
Mr Kotoko said that international buyers and regulators now demanded clear evidence on product origin, environmental impact, carbon emissions, labour conditions and governance systems before approving trade transactions.
He said ESG had become a key framework used by governments, investors, multinational companies and consumers to assess long-term business sustainability.
