Dark Side of ESG and Sustainable Development

Inequality, Market Failure and Global North-South Divisions

Anirudh Agrawal|Payal Kumar

Emerald

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9781837088775

10 May 2027

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19 April 2027

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19 April 2027

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Description
Contents
About

Dark Side of ESG and Sustainable Development: Inequality, Market Failure and Global North-South Divisions delves into the underexplored and provocative dimensions of sustainability, shedding light on the unintended consequences of sustainable development and corporate sustainability strategies. It critically examines themes such as market failures, inequality, and the entrenched Global North-South divisions, arguing that these challenges threaten to undermine the very goals of sustainability. With contributions spanning empirical research, theoretical case studies, and conceptual analyses, the book emphasises the pressing need to address the darker facets of sustainability practices that could profoundly impact communities, corporations, and nations alike.

Divided into five thematic sections—Just Transition and Equity; Emerging Market and North-South Divide; First Mover Advantage and Disadvantage; CSR Tokenism and ESG Greenwashing; and Sustainability Standards—this edited collection offers a comprehensive critique of current paradigms. By probing critical questions about the risks of Just Transition policies, the role of emerging markets in reshaping global dynamics, the competitive pitfalls of sustainable innovation, and the dangers of ESG greenwashing, the book provides fresh insights into the complexities of sustainable development. Designed to inspire dialogue among scholars, policymakers, and practitioners, it addresses the urgent need for nuanced, actionable solutions that bridge gaps between aspiration and reality in the sustainability discourse.

Chapter 1. Unveiling the Dark Side of ESG and Sustainable Development: Research Imperatives; Anirudh Agrawal and Payal Kumar

Theme 1. Dark Side of Sustainability: Business Practices
Chapter 2. The Green Iron Cage: Structural, Cognitive, and Paradoxical Limits of Corporate Sustainability; Hassan Bashir and Waqas Nawaz
Chapter 3. Narcissistic CXOs and ESG-Washing: Insights from Literature and Practice; Arindam Das and Sushmita Srivastava
Chapter 4. Dark Sides of Good Intentions in Business: Examining CSR, BHR, DEI, ESG, and SD; Duane Windsor
Chapter 5. The Impact of the Level of Integrated Governance on Corporate Sustainability Performance: The Proposed Conceptual Model; L. L. S. Indunil, Samanthi Senaratne, and A. S. G. P. Manawaduge
Chapter 6. The Impact of Government Environmental Standards on Organisations; Mukta Mukherjee
Theme 2. Dark Side of Sustainability: Greenwashing
Chapter 7. The Risks of Greenwashing in Sustainability Standards: Challenges and Implications for Corporate Responsibility; Niranchana Shri Viswanathan and Shashi Kant Gupta
Chapter 8. CSR Washing: Genesis, Manifestations, and Implications; Bidisha Banerji and Gautam Agrawal
Chapter 9. Greenwashed Threads: The Role of Social Media Influencers in Fashion Industry’s Sustainability Illusions; Shamily Jaggi, Shabnam Gulati, and Narinder Kaur
Chapter 10. Unmasking Greenwashing: Analysing the Role of Customer Reviews in Corporate Sustainability Claims; Vanisha Verma, Chahak Upadhyay, Sneha Kumari, and Pallavi Ingale
Theme 3. Dark Side of Sustainability: International, National Global North and Global South Issues
Chapter 11. Green Illusions: The Unseen Pitfalls of AI and Big Data in Just Transition; Ananya Hadadi Raghavendra and Sreevatsa Bellary
Chapter 12. Simulating Sustainability: Artificial Intelligence and Imperial Modes of Life; Jack Evans Davis and Christopher Woods
Chapter 13. When Green is not Green: Greenwashing and Environmental Sustainability in Nigeria; Adeleke Oladapo Banwo and Obi Chris Nwachukwu
Chapter 14. Dispossession, Alienation, and Adivasi Realities: Insights from Odisha; Smita Mishra Panda and Supriya Pattanayak
Chapter 15. Green Geopolitics and the BRICS+ Transition: Climate Security, Strategic Rivalries, and the Quest for Sustainable Multipolarity; Julien Paret and Anusha Mishra
Chapter 16. Shadows of Sustainability: Unmasking the Dark Side of ESG and Development; Monirul Islam
Chapter 17. The Metrics of Superficiality: A Critical Examination of THE University Impact Rankings and their Implications for Sustainable Development Goals; Konstantin Karl Weicht and I-Ting Chen

Anirudh Agrawal is a Professor at Alliance University, Bangalore, India. He is currently working on his fifth book and has multiple research articles in pipelines all related to sustainability, organizational strategy, and the future of work.

Payal Kumar is Principal Academic Advisor, Indian School of Hospitality, India. Her research interests include diversity, equity and inclusion; leadership and followership; sustainability, business ethics and also research from an Indian-centric perspective.