From compliance to performance: How ESG contributes to the sustainable growth of companies

Corporate sustainability has evolved from a simple compliance requirement to an essential factor in supporting the medium and long-term performance of companies. In the context of the global transition to a greener and more responsible economy, organizations face significant challenges in assessing and communicating sustainable performance. International standards, such as GRI, SASB and the ESG framework, impose increased requirements for transparency and accuracy in reporting environmental and social impacts. This research adopts an applied case study, using a mixed approach, combining qualitative and quantitative analysis. In the first stage, a theoretical documentation was carried out on the concept of corporate sustainability, the regulatory framework and the main international reporting standards. In the second stage, the analysis was applied to OMV Petrom, based on the data published in the sustainability report for 2023. Financial, environmental and social indicators were extracted and organized in synthetic tables and schemes, to highlight both the performance on each ESG dimension and the interdependencies between them. The main objective of the study is to assess how the implementation of an ESG strategy contributes to sustainable corporate performance, including operational efficiency, investor relations and organizational transparency. The novelty of the research lies in the development of a unified analytical framework, applied to a reference company in Romania, which provides an empirical perspective on the impact of ESG strategies on financial and non-financial performance. The results suggest that the adoption of ESG principles can lead to the optimization of operational processes, strengthening credibility with investors and facilitating access to sustainable financing. The conclusions are relevant not only for the management of the analyzed company, but also for investors, academia and other users interested in the assessment of sustainable corporate performance.