EVOLUTION OF METHODOLOGICAL APPROACHES TO ESG-ASSESSMENT

The modern era is marked by sustainable development in accordance with ESG principles, which call for socially and environmentally responsible corporate management. Environmental, social, and governance factors, rather than economic ones, are becoming more prominent when making long-term development plans and evaluating investments. This leads to a greater influence of company ESG ratings on the level of innovation activity and also complicates the process of obtaining objective information for investors due to differences in the methods for calculating objective ESG assessments. This article analyzes the evolution of ESG assessment methodologies, which have evolved from the market economy to the level of modern business. Differences in the ESG rating methodologies of various international and national rating agencies, particularly in the definition of factors, calculation methods, and environmental, social, and governance components of the assessment, give grounds to question the reliability of ESG assessments using traditional methods. Therefore, for a more high-quality ESG analysis, the use of non-financial information and the development of modern standards are necessary. Strengthening the environmental component in the analyzed rating assessment will allow us to determine the level of a company's compliance with international standards on a more substantiated and reliable basis, as well as identify further development directions.