Investor-driven ESG integration for maritime supply chain resilience: a BWM – QFD framework

Facing IMO 2050 and geopolitical pressures, maritime investors are adopting ESG investments to enhance supply chain resilience and mitigate risks. This shift aligns financial returns with sustainability goals in volatile markets. By aligning investor requirements with ESG practices and maritime supply chain resilience (MSCR) strategies, this study develops a novel framework for sustainable shipping. The integration addresses investor influence, profitability demands, and ESG’s role in linking financial and operational goals. A hybrid approach combining the best-worst method (BWM) and two-stage quality function deployment (QFD) was proposed to integrate maritime investors’ requirements, ESG practices, and MSCR strategies. Our findings reveal that financial performance and risk management emerged as the most critical factors influencing maritime investors’ decisions, reflecting their focus on stability and returns in a disrupted market. Key ESG practices – such as risk management, internal control, and stakeholder collaboration – emerge as pivotal, enabling resilience through partnership cooperation and efficient port operations.