The Impact of Environmental, Economic, Social and Governance (EESG) Factors on Job Pursuit Intention: the Moderating Role of Sustainability Consciousness

Look, Chun Kit (2023) The Impact of Environmental, Economic, Social and Governance (EESG) Factors on Job Pursuit Intention: the Moderating Role of Sustainability Consciousness. Masters thesis, Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology.

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Abstract

This study examines how a standard ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) framework expanded to include additional Economic Factors to form EESG, which captures a wider range of sustainability practises relates to the intention of graduating students in Malaysia to pursue a job. On top of that, the research investigated the potential moderating effect of the growing awareness of sustainability on the relationship. The objective of this study is to gain a deeper understanding of the factors that influence Job Pursuit Intentions among graduating students in the context of sustainability, and how these factors of Environmental Sustainability, Economic Sustainability, Social Responsibility and Corporate Governance can be leveraged to promote sustainable employment practices. A cohort of 328 final-year business students was selected as participants through a self-administered questionnaire using Google Forms, and the collected data were analysed with descriptive cross-sectional analysis using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) statistical tools. Encouragingly, the results revealed a positive correlation between EESG factors and job pursuit intention, particularly emphasising the profound impact of the EES "G" (Corporate Governance) dimension. It highlights the crucial role of organisations in harnessing their EESG practices to not only allure prospective student employees but also drive desirable environmental and social outcomes. In addition to the findings, it is noteworthy that despite the increasing significance of sustainability consciousness, the study did not observe a significant moderation effect regarding the impact of students' sustainability consciousness on the relationship. This suggests that although students' job intentions may be influenced by their awareness of sustainability, this awareness does not substantially alter the relationship between an organisation's EESG characteristics and students' intentions to pursue a job. In brief, this study adds to the existing body of literature on the value of sustainability in relation to EESG practices. It provides detailed information for companies seeking to enhance their attractiveness to students' job pursuit intentions, while also promoting sustainable practices. The insights offered in this study are valuable for both companies and individuals, fostering a better understanding of the importance of sustainability and its impact on job seeking.