From ESG to consumer trust and reputation in export contexts: evidence from Korean consumers evaluating exporting firms

Purpose This study aims to investigate how consumers’ perceptions of exporting firms’ environmental, social and governance (ESG) activities shape trust and corporate reputation and how these, in turn, relate to consumer-based performance intentions in an export context. It also explores whether perceived firm size conditions these links and highlights digitally encountered, verifiable cues (e.g. certifications and origin labels). Design/methodology/approach Survey data from 320 Korean consumers were analyzed via a confirmatory factor analysis-structural equation modeling sequence using covariance-based structural equation modeling (AMOS) as the primary estimator; multigroup comparisons were conducted by perceived firm size; Partial Least Squares Multi-Group Analysis (PLS-MGA) and bootstrapping were employed as robustness checks and to assess indirect effects, respectively. Findings ESG perceptions are positively associated with trust and reputation, and these intermediaries are linked to performance intentions. Mediation via trust and reputation is supported. Several paths differ by perceived firm size, indicating that the impact of ESG communications is contingent on organizational scale. Research limitations/implications Single-country, self-reported data and cross-sectional design limit generalization; future work could include behavioral metrics and multi-country samples. Practical implications Managers should align ESG communication with credibility cues that build trust and reputation, tailoring messages by firm size; policymakers and educators can strengthen verification and ESG communication capabilities. Originality/value By situating ESG signaling in export scenarios (with origin labels and third-party certifications), the study disaggregates ESG perceptions, integrates mediation and boundary-condition logic at the consumer level and specifies implications for exporters.