Impact of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Practices on Corporate Financial Performance in the Mining Sector of Zimbabwe
Chosani Simon ORCID ↗ · Gamuchirai Charuka
International Journal of Business Ecosystem & Strategy · 2026 · Vol. 8 / Issue 5 · 194-205
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Observed 21 Oct 2026, 00:14 UTC
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Abstract
This study examines the impact of environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices on corporate financial performance in Zimbabwe's mining sector using a case study of Zimplats Holdings Limited. The main aim was to determine whether and to what extent ESG practices contribute to financial outcomes at the firm level. The objective of the study was to examine the overall ESG and financial performance relationship, to analyse the effects of individual ESG dimensions on financial performance, and to assess the moderating role of firm-specific factors on ESG practices. Informed by the stakeholder theory, the resource-based view, and legitimacy theory, a quantitative approach was adopted, using secondary data extracted from Zimplats' Integrated Annual Reports (2023–2025) through a structured data extraction template aligned with GRI standards. Key findings reveal a positive but lagged ESG and financial performance relationship. Governance emerged as the most stable and financially material ESG pillar, while environmental and social investments showed transitional efficiency deterioration before expected long-term gains. Firm-specific factors such as asset expansion, capital structure, production volume, and multinational ownership, significantly moderated the timing and magnitude of financial returns, compressing short-term profitability indicators such as return on assets (ROA) and return on equity (ROE). The study contributes firm-level empirical evidence on unlisted Zimbabwean mining firms, extending ESG theory to emerging market contexts. Recommendations include targeting governance enhancements for immediate financial returns, allowing longer investment horizons for environmental and social initiatives, and maintaining conservative capital structures to sustain ESG investment during earnings volatility.
Keywords: {'name': 'Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Practices; Corporate Financial Performance; Integrated Annual Report; Environmental Disclosure; Social Disclosure'}
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Chosani Simon
University of South Africa
Gamuchirai Charuka
Midlands State University
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