국내 기업의 웹사이트 ESG 커뮤니케이션 전략 연구: 정당성 이론과 인상관리전략을 중심으로

Objectives This study aimed to determine the status of ESG communication on environment, society, and governance on major domestic corporate websites and identify ESG message characteristics by industry group and company size based on legitimacy theory and impression management strategies, thereby reducing the risk of greenwashing and proposing a direction for authentic ESG communication. Methods ESG messages from websites of top 100 companies in terms of market capitalization were collected. Big data text analysis was applied, and content analysis methods were applied using nomadic coding. Specifically, keyword groups were derived through keyword network analysis and CONCOR analysis using Textom and Ucinet. Performance disclosure and quantitative expression were analyzed by nomadic coding according to the impression management strategy. Results It was confirmed that ESG messages on corporate websites were differentiated by industry group according to business characteristics and stakeholders’ legitimacy pressure. In particular, ‘active carbon reduction’ in environmentally sensitive industries and ‘recycling of plastics, etc.’ in consumer goods were characteristics. ESG performance disclosure was high in the environmental area. This is in line with the fact that ESG discourse is communicated centered on environmental topics. In addition, environmentally sensitive industries and consumer goods with high legitimacy pressure showed high performance disclosure and quantitative expression in environmental and social areas, suggesting that ESG communication could be used as a stakeholder impression management strategy to secure legitimacy. Conclusions ESG messages on websites of top 100 companies in terms of market capitalization in Korea dealt with topics related to business in environmental and social area. Regarding governance, there was only a discussion of basic principles of compliance and ethical management. There was a lack of content on improving the transparent governance structure as pointed out by the media and government agencies. On the other hand, environmentally sensitive industries and consumer goods industries with high legitimacy pressure were active in disclosing ESG information, suggesting a possibility of an impression management strategy in response to legitimacy pressure. The significance of this study lies in the fact that it expands ESG communication research focused on sustainability reports to corporate websites, expands the communication target from investors to non-financial stakeholders such as consumers, and attempts to confirm the legitimacy of ESG communication and explore greenwashing mechanisms based on legitimacy theory and impression management strategies.