Empirical analysis of the dynamic interplay between ESG performance and undernutrition in sub-Saharan Africa: a beta regression and multivariate approach

Abstract

Despite ongoing efforts to contend with the prevalence of undernutrition in Africa, it has a continual development impact. This study explores how Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) performance shapes undernutrition prevalence and whether undernutrition, in turn, hinders progress toward ESG goals? Using panel data from, this study employs beta regression, multivariate analysis, and GMM estimation techniques. The results reveal that countries such as the Central African Republic, Madagascar, Lesotho, Sierra Leone, and Zambia suffer from high prevalence rates (26.4%–41.97%), driven by unstable environmental, governance, and social conditions, while Mauritius, Mali, and South Africa report lower rates (5.68%–6.96%). Our findings verify that high ESG performance with access to electricity, clean water, renewable energy, and effective corruption controls reduces undernutrition prevalence, while low performance with net forest depletion, and political violence increases the prevalence rate. It has concluded that high undernutrition prevalence deteriorates ESG performance by driving resource overuse, weakening governance, and straining social responsibility, while poor ESG outcomes in turn sustain its persistence. A comprehensive ESG strategy focusing on governance reforms, environmental sustainability, and social protections needed to combat undernutrition and promote long-term socio-economic stability in Africa.