Assessment of investment attractiveness of agricultural companies on the basis of ESG factors

In modern conditions, the course of sustainable development of the agro-industrial complex (AIC) is considered by the country’s leadership both in the context of solving global socio-economic problems (including improving the demographic situation) and in the logic of protecting state sovereignty. The adoption of new federal initiatives to support the industry in the near future is facilitated by the vector’s focus on import substitution in the agricultural sector and increasing agricultural exports. However, it is impossible to ensure the implementation of strategically important tasks of agricultural companies without attracting the required amount of investment. Under conditions of sanctions pressure the activity of investors may decrease. Therefore, agricultural companies need to develop a methodological approach to assessing the investment attractiveness, the use of which will allow them to get an objective picture of the current level and make appropriate management decisions. Further research to improve the methodology for assessing the investment attractiveness of agricultural companies is relevant and aimed at enhancing the investment activity in the sector. The scientific novelty of the research lies in the development of methodological approaches to the formation of a system of non-financial indicators in the context of two elements: the market environment and ESG factors for assessing the investment attractiveness of agricultural companies. The results of the research are as follows: the approaches to assessing the attractiveness have been systematized; the blocks of the methodology for assessing the investment attractiveness of agricultural companies on the basis of ESG factors have been proposed; the system of indicators for assessing the implementation of sustainable development objectives of agricultural companies and indicators for assessing the market environment has been formed; the proposed methodology has been tested at PJSC Cherkizovo Group.

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