Advancing Sustainability: Development of an ESG Evaluation Framework for Taiwan's Science Parks

Research on Taiwan's science parks has frequently concentrated on isolated aspects, often neglecting the interplay between diverse indicators and the multifaceted dynamics influencing the development of these parks.Additionally, existing applications of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) frameworks in science parks have been found to inadequately capture the complexity of their performance metrics.This study aims to establish a comprehensive ESG evaluation framework tailored to the unique characteristics of Taiwan's science parks.Through the integration of the Fuzzy Delphi Method (FDM) and cluster analysis, a classification system was developed, demonstrating operational feasibility.The proposed evaluation framework is structured around two primary dimensions-Environmental Resource Management and Socioeconomic Resilience-encompassing ten critical indicators.Findings indicate that indicators under the Environmental Resource Management dimension, including water resource utilization, air quality management, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, renewable energy adoption, and waste management, exert the most significant impact on the sustainable development of science parks.In contrast, indicators under the Socioeconomic Resilience dimension, such as transportation planning, labour rights protection, public facility services, and financial sustainability, are deemed moderately influential yet essential to fostering balanced development.Indicators related to high-tech talent cultivation and gender equality in decision-making were determined to have limited relevance to the immediate operational needs of science parks.Consequently, it is suggested that these indicators be excluded from resource allocation priorities in resource-constrained settings.Emphasis is placed on prioritizing investments in the Environmental Resource Management dimension to ensure sustainability and compliance with global environmental standards.Additional resources, if available, should be allocated based on the specific contextual needs of individual science parks.The proposed framework not only provides actionable insights into resource allocation strategies but also establishes a robust, comparable basis for evaluating the ESG performance of science parks in Taiwan and beyond.By addressing the interdependencies among critical indicators, the framework enhances the capacity of science parks to contribute to sustainable industrial development.