Author(s)

Zhengxin Liu ¹

Affiliation(s)

¹ Wuxi Big Bridge Academy, Wuxi, 214000, China

Corresponding Author

Zhengxin Liu

ABSTRACT

The concept of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) has been widely expanded worldwide. Most studies focus on the concept of sustainable development itself. However, the intersection between ESG and talent-related concepts remains an under-explored area. Such gaps hinder people's awareness of ESG and the timely implementation of relevant regulations that could improve efficiency and effectiveness. This study aims to answer the following questions: How does ESG performance influence an enterprise's high-quality talent structure? Based on the A-share listed company data from CNRDS (2010 - 2023), through regression analysis and group regression, the main findings are as follows: For average employee salary (a talent structure index), E and S scores show negative correlations (E significant, S not)—possibly because employees value working environment and social responsibility over salary. Small enterprises' average salary is more sensitive to S's negative impact and G's positive impact due to limited resources and incomplete management. For the proportion of postgraduate employees (another talent index), E and S scores show significant negative correlations, possibly because companies prioritize ability over academic credentials. Large enterprises' postgraduate proportion is more sensitive to E's negative impact due to shifted strategic priorities; S harms small enterprises' proportion but benefits large ones (resource constraints). Small enterprises' postgraduate proportion also sees a more pronounced positive effect from G (unsound management). This research offers policy recommendations to enhance city competitiveness, optimize talent structures, and promote ESG practices in enterprises, fostering high-quality development.

KEYWORDS

ESG Performance; Postgraduate Ratio; Average Salary

CITE THIS PAPER

Zhengxin Liu, An Empirical Study on the ESG Performance of Enterprises and High-Quality Development of Talents. Journal of Human Resource Development (2025) Vol. 7: 23-36. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.23977/jhrd.2025.070204.

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