RCE-Sustainability and ESG (RCE-SESG)

About Cluster

The RCE Cluster of Sustainability and ESG is an interdisciplinary research platform that explores the role of business in sustainable development. We conduct rigorous, internationally engaged research on climate finance, ESG disclosure, sustainable operations, and social governance — translating evidence into solutions for industry, policy, and the wider business community.

Vision

To be a leading interdisciplinary platform where rigorous research on sustainability and ESG shapes business practice and policy in China and globally.

Mission

• Advance knowledge — produce world-class, interdisciplinary research on the role of business in achieving sustainability;
• Connect stakeholders — build a collaborative platform linking academia, industry, government, and civil society;
• Translate impact — convert research findings into practical business solutions, standards, and policy advice;
• Develop talent — train PhD researchers, early-career scholars, and practitioners to lead the sustainability transition.

Director’s message

The global sustainability landscape is undergoing significant change, driven by climate urgency, evolving ESG regulatory frameworks, and the accelerating green transition among businesses. Against this backdrop, the RCE Cluster of Sustainability and ESG is positioned to bridge frontier academic research with real-world sustainable development challenges.

Our cluster centres on evidence-based, problem-driven interdisciplinary research, prioritizing high-quality empirical studies, rigorous quantitative and causal identification methods, and policy-relevant theoretical exploration. Rather than focusing  solely on theoretical discussion, we emphasise actionable research that responds to global climate governance demands, corporate ESG compliance needs, and industrial low-carbon transformation trends.

Moving forward, on the Cluster has three core strategic priorities: firstly, to produce internationally competitive research on climate economics and ESG governance; secondly, to build a continuous academic exchange platform connecting global leading scholars and local young researchers; and thirdly, to strengthen industry-academia collaboration to deliver tangible sustainability impact.

We welcome scholars, industry partners, and early-career researchers from around the world to join our collaborative ecosystem and to contribute to inclusive, low-carbon, and responsible economic development.

Research scope

• Climate finance—climate risk pricing; green finance
• ESG disclosure and firm performance—corporate reporting and disclosure quality, ESG ratings and assurance, regulatory convergence, and the real effects of disclosure on firm value, financing, and performance
• Sustainable operations—circular supply chains; low-carbon operations; SME green adoption
• Social and governance—corporate governance stakeholders; DEI and social performance
• Cross-cutting—digitalisation and sustainability; China and global governance

Research methods

• Quantitative empirical analysis (panel data econometrics, causal inference, difference-in-differences, instrumental variable analysis)
• Big data and textual analysis for ESG disclosure and climate risk measurement
• Theoretical modelling and policy simulation analysis
• Case studies and industrial field research on sustainable operations
• Cross-country comparative institutional analysis

Core research activities

1. Climate finance and risk resilience We examine climate risk pricing in financial markets, the effectiveness of green finance instruments, and the economic impacts of carbon emissions trading schemes. Active work includes modelling natural disaster risks and green innovation pathways to build climate-resilient economies, and evaluating the role of ESG investment in supporting the transition to net-zero.
2. ESG disclosure, governance and firm performance We analyse the evolution of ESG reporting standards, disclosure quality and assurance practices, and identify the causal effects of ESG performance on firm value, financing access, trade credit and operational resilience. Current projects assess the market impacts of global regulatory shifts including ISSB Scope 3 emissions validation and restart of China’s certified emission reduction market.
3. Sustainable and low-carbon operations Our research advances circular supply chain design, low-carbon manufacturing practices, and the diffusion of sustainable technologies across industrial sectors. Key ongoing projects include supplier base reconfiguration amid net-zero transition, digital technologies supporting integration across industrial value chains, and sustainable diffusion of new energy vehicles from an institutional transition perspective.
4. Social governance and inclusive value chains We investigate corporate governance structures, stakeholder engagement, and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) outcomes, as well as the social dimensions of digital transformation in global supply chains. We also explore how digital governance mechanisms shape supplier transparency and mitigate opportunism.
5. Cross-cutting: digitalization and China-global governance Across all themes, we explore how technologies including generative AI, big data analytics and blockchain reshape sustainability outcomes. We also conduct comparative institutional analysis of China’s sustainability governance models and their implications for global climate and ESG regimes.

Research opportunities

We run a regular programme of events to share research and facilitate cross-sector dialogue:

• Cluster Talks Seminar Series: A monthly flagship seminar featuring leading international scholars presenting cutting-edge sustainability and ESG research. Past speakers include experts from the University of Glasgow, the University of Edinburgh, Capital University of Economics and Business and Nanjing Audit University.
• Thematic workshops and conferences: We co-organise international conferences and focused workshops on sustainability and ESG-related topics including AI applications in sustainability research and sustainable growth in the Chinese economy.
• Student research workshops: Regular skill-building workshops for postgraduate students covering research methods, academic writing and conference presentation.

The RCE Cluster of Sustainability and ESG prioritizes cross-disciplinary synergy, building a multi-stakeholder network that bridges academic research, industy practice, policy-making and global expertise to translate sustainability insights into tangible impact.

• Academic cross-disciplinary partners

We collaborate with leading universities and research institutions worldwide across environmental economics, operations management, financial governance, data science and other complementary fields, undertaking joint research and co-training programs. We also run the Yangtze River Delta Research Base for SAMPT Innovation and Sustainability as a regional hub for interdisciplinary empirical research and policy development.

• Industry cross-sector partners

We partner with enterprises spanning new energy, financial services, manufacturing and logistics to address interdisciplinary topics such as low-carbon transition, digitally-enabled sustainability and ESG practice. Through joint industry-academic projects, in-company consulting and co-development of standards, we turn research outcomes into practical solutions.

• Policy and institutional partners

We work with regulatory authorities and policy think tanks to provide evidence-based, cross-disciplinary inputs for carbon market design, environmental governance reform and industrial low-carbon transformation policymaking.

• NGO partners

We engage with non-governmental organisations and global sustainability bodies to advance shared sustainability agendas, conduct cross-country comparative research, and contribute to the development of global ESG governance frameworks.

Our collaboration models include joint research projects, co-supervised student research, policy advisory services and co-hosted academic events. We welcome new cross-disciplinary partnership proposals aligned with our mission.