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In the realm of sustainable development, Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) performance has become a crucial metric for evaluating the long-term viability and ethical conduct of businesses. However, there remains a gap in understanding how these factors operate within the context of developing nations such as Bangladesh. Given the unique socio-economic and environmental challenges faced by such countries, it is imperative to explore the relationship between green tax, energy efficiency, and ESG performance within their manufacturing sectors. Thus, this study investigates direct and mediated effects of green tax and energy efficiency on ESG performance. The study uses 457 responses from manufacturing companies and employs PLS-SEM and ANN model to analyze the data. The results reveal a positive association between green tax policies and ESG performance, indicating that such fiscal measures can contribute to sustainable business practices. Furthermore, energy efficiency initiatives exhibit a positive impact on all dimensions of ESG performance, highlighting their role in fostering environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and effective governance within manufacturing operations. Notably, green tax serves as a mediator between energy efficiency measures and ESG outcomes, emphasizing its intermediary role in driving sustainable practices. This research offers practical insights for policymakers, business leaders, and sustainability practitioners integrating energy efficiency initiatives into green tax policies to enhance ESG performance.
Sun et al. (Wed,) studied this question.