Kingsley Chibuzo Ozike, Ikugbe Eldred Ebunu, Faith Odinakachi Okonkwo, Mohamed Saidu Kamara, Oluwaseun Samuel Adebanjo, Bolanle Joel Ekanoye, Odili Hilary Nwachukwu
This study examines Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices as strategic resources for competitive advantage in agribusiness, with a comparative institutional focus on Nigeria and Brazil. The study adopts a descriptive survey research design, and data were collected from a total population of 193 respondents drawn from fifteen agribusiness firms using a structured questionnaire. The data were analysed using linear regression to determine the effect of environmental, social, and governance practices on operational efficiency, market reputation, and financial performance (respectively). The findings reveal that environmental practices have a strong positive and significant effect on operational efficiency (β = 0.638, t = 10.210, p = < 0.001), indicating that improved resource management and environmental sustainability enhance productivity and reduce operational costs. Social practices were also found to exert a significant positive effect on market reputation (β = 0.602, t = 9.584, p = < 0.001), suggesting that stakeholder engagement and corporate social responsibility initiatives strengthen corporate image and public perception. Furthermore, governance practices exhibit a strong positive and significant effect on financial performance (β = 0.619, t = 9.892, p = < 0.001), demonstrating that transparency, accountability, and effective management systems contribute to improved financial outcomes. The study concludes that ESG practices are critical drivers of competitive advantage in agribusiness, as they enhance efficiency, reputation, and financial performance. It is therefore recommended that that agribusiness firms adopt integrated ESG strategies to improve sustainability and competitiveness, while policymakers should strengthen institutional frameworks to support effective ESG implementation across both countries.