Dow Jones sustainability Mila Pacific Alliance index and financial performance of Latin America integrated market

Purpose This study aims to determine the association between the companies’ financial indicators and the Dow Jones Sustainability MILA Pacific Alliance Index (DJSMPAUP Index). Design/methodology/approach The study adopted a quantitative, explanatory level approach, based on measuring the interactions between the financial performance ratios of these companies (return on assets, return on equity, EBITDA margin and net margin) and sustainability index of MILA member countries. The study used a non-experimental, retrospective, cross-sectional design, using observed data from the annual period spanning 2017 to 2022 for MILA companies and includes analyses before and after COVID-19. Findings The estimates show a positive and statistically significant relationship between each company’s financial indicator and the DJSMPAUP index for the period 2017 to 2022. Research limitations/implications The primary limitation of the study was the availability of data, which restricted the use of more advanced statistical analyses, and the inclusion of many factors that can be associated with DJSMPAUP. This constraint arose since the index was introduced only from the 2017 annual period, resulting in a limited dataset. Practical implications The study sheds light on MILA’s companies and their characteristics and specific conditions, which can help to improve sustainability strategies with an impact on financial performance, primarily due to the significance of MILA in the world economy and the GDP of Latin America. It focuses on an emerging market with a few years of applying sustainability policies. Social implications This study contributes to revealing the progress in sustainability for member companies in MILA. Originality/value The study connects the financial performance and the sustainability of organizations oriented to the emerging significance of MILA in the world economy.