Incorporação dos princípios ESG na estratégia empresarial

: o caso da M. A. Silva Grupo S.A.

Abstract

The purpose of this dissertation is to analyze the incorporation of ESG principles into the strategy of a leading group in the cork industry in Portugal, the M. A. Silva Grupo S.A., where I currently work. Through a literature review and interviews with four key members of the group, it was possible to conclude that the integration of ESG principles into the strategy came about as part of a strategic review exercise in 2020, which triggered numerous initiatives related to the efficiency of the production process, greater integration of the value chain and improvement of the group's economic and financial performance, with an impact on competitiveness and long-term value creation. In view of this, the results of this study suggest that the decision to incorporate ESG into the strategy stems from the desire of the M. A. Silva Grupo S.A. to constantly innovate and adapt to market demands, but also to respond to stakeholder requirements, since they prioritize stakeholder interests, showing associations with the characteristics explored in the literature on Stakeholder Theory. The results also show that ESG is perceived as a long-term investment and not as a cost, in line with the literature which argues that ESG contributes to improving the performance of organizations.

Date of Award	10 Jul 2025
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	José Miguel Pereira dos Santos de Oliveira (Supervisor)