The Impact of ESG Information Disclosure on International Trade: A Bibliometric and Empirical Study Based on Alibaba International Station

¹ Yangzhou University, China
² Guilin University of Technology, China

Abstract

In recent years, the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) concept has rapidly gained prominence worldwide, becoming a critical indicator of corporate sustainable development. ESG information disclosure, as an essential means for companies to demonstrate their ESG performance, has increasingly influenced international trade. Policies such as the European Union’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) have compelled cross-border trading enterprises to enhance ESG transparency. As the world's largest B2B platform, Alibaba International Station serves as a benchmark for small and mediumsized enterprises (SMEs) in their export practices concerning ESG compliance. This study employs empirical analysis based on data from Alibaba International Station to investigate the mechanisms and effects of ESG information disclosure on firms' international trade performance. The findings reveal a weak positive correlation (correlation coefficient = 0.11) between overall ESG scores and export volume. Among the three ESG dimensions, the “Social” (S) component exhibits the highest correlation and the strongest explanatory power regarding export performance. However, the impact of Environmental (E), Social (S), and Governance (G) factors varies significantly.