DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION AND ESG STRATEGIES: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF RUSSIAN AND BRICS ENTERPRISES' APPROACHES

Abstract

The article presents a comparative analysis of approaches to the integration of digital transformation and ESG strategies at enterprises of the Russian Federation and BRICS member states (Brazil, India, China, South Africa). The relevance of the study is determined by the radical transformation of the ESG agenda in the global economy, where sustainability principles are ceasing to be a voluntary initiative and are turning into a mandatory regulatory framework, with digital technologies acting as a key driver of these changes. The empirical basis includes data from rating agencies RAEX, AKRA, NKR, Expert RA, statistics from the Bank of Russia and the Eurasian Economic Commission, as well as the results of studies by Russian scientists published in 2024–2026. Significant differences in regulatory approaches and the maturity of ESG practices are revealed: China has completed the formation of a mandatory national ESG regulatory framework, India is introducing mandatory BRSR Core reporting from 2026, Brazil is transitioning from voluntary to mandatory disclosure, while Russia maintains the voluntary nature of reporting for most companies, forming a pragmatic standard of operational efficiency. It is shown that the Russian sustainable finance market demonstrates steady growth: the volume of the ESG loan portfolio from July 2024 to July 2025 increased 1.5 times to 8 trillion rubles, and the issue of ESG bonds tripled to 157.85 billion rubles. The conclusion is substantiated that further increasing the efficiency of ESG transformation requires harmonization of national standards within the BRICS space, the introduction of centralized digital platforms for data collection and verification, and the integration of sustainability principles into corporate digital development strategies.