Articles

Implementation of ESG as a Strategy for Business Sustainability in a Public-Listed Tobacco Company in Indonesia

Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) has been introduced to the business communities for the past two decades. It has grown in importance as a framework for measuring a company’s sustainability and as a guide for investment decision-making. In Indonesia, the publicly listed companies at the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) have been required to implement and report ESG practices since 2021 through a regulation issued by the Financial Services Authority (OJK) in 2017. Among those is a tobacco company operating in Indonesia, PT HM Sampoerna Tbk. (Sampoerna/The Company/IDX: HMSP) that has been an affiliate of an international tobacco company, Philip Morris International (PMI), since 2005. The tobacco industry’s ESG implementation is particularly interesting due to the adverse externalities generated by its products, which is stated by WHO as one of the biggest issues for public health. This research focuses on analyzing the company’s ESG initiatives and creating improvement strategies in the context of a company operating in the tobacco industry with the objective of maximizing the role of ESG implementation to ensure business sustainability.

Portfolio Optimization Using Markowitz Model on Sri-Kehati Index

This thesis investigates the portfolio optimization process using the Markowitz model on the SRI-KEHATI index, an esteemed sustainable investment index. The study aims to explore the potential advantages of incorporating environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors into portfolio construction. By leveraging historical financial data and reliable ESG metrics, this research develops optimized portfolios that strike a balance between risk and return while adhering to the sustainability criteria of the SRIKEHATI index.

The methodology encompasses the collection of credible ESG data and financial information for the constituents of the SRIKEHATI index. The Markowitz model is subsequently employed to analyze the risk and return characteristics of each asset within the portfolio. Through the application of optimization algorithms, the study seeks to identify the optimal asset allocation that maximizes risk-adjusted returns, taking into account the ESG criteria outlined by the SRI-KEHATI index.

The outcomes of this research provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of portfolio optimization techniques within the realm of sustainable investing. By considering both financial metrics and ESG factors, investors can construct portfolios that align with their sustainability objectives while optimizing risk and return. The findings shed light on the performance of the optimized portfolios and compare them with conventional approaches, thereby demonstrating the potential benefits of integrating ESG considerations into portfolio decision-making.

Additionally, this study examines the practical implications associated with implementing sustainable portfolio strategies based on the SRI-KEHATI index.

Overall, this thesis contributes to the expanding body of knowledge on sustainable investing and portfolio optimization, specifically focusing on the SRI-KEHATI index. It provides valuable insights for investors, asset managers, and policymakers interested in sustainable investment strategies. Furthermore, it offers a framework for incorporating ESG considerations into the portfolio construction process using the Markowitz model, thereby aiding in the development of more robust and sustainable investment portfolios.

How Does ESG Score and Board Structure Affect Financial Performance? Evidence from ESG Sector Leaders IDX Kehati

The rise of sustainable investing, an investing strategy considering ESG (environmental, social, governance) factor of the company has spread worldwide, including in Indonesia. Recent phenomena of minimum percentage of woman on board in state-owned enterprise policy by Indonesia Ministry of State-Owned Enterprise and the new two ESG themed index which consists of state-owned enterprise has intrigued to assess the relationship between board structure towards financial performance of the companies. One of the index is “ESG Sector Leaders IDX KEHATI“ which  comprises of stocks with an ESG performance assessment above their industrial average value. Using ROA and ROE as the dependent variable and ESG and board structure variables and firm size, asset to equity ratio, and firm age as control variables. It is found that ESG has negative non-significant relationship towards both ROA and ROE. Board independence and board gender diversity has positive significant effect towards both ROA and ROE.