ESG워싱이 소비자 신뢰에 미치는 영향 : 회의감과 진정성의 상반된 다중매개효과 = The Effect of ESG Washing on Consumer Trust : The Opposing Multiple Mediating Effects of Skepticism and Authenticity

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

This study empirically analyzed the impact of ESG washing on consumer trust in companies, focusing on the multiple mediating effects of two opposing variables: skepticism and authenticity. The analysis revealed that ESG washing negatively impacts corporate trust by simultaneously increasing consumer skepticism about a company's ESG activities and decreasing perceived authenticity. Specifically, skepticism and authenticity were found to fully mediate the relationship between ESG washing and consumer trust. Furthermore, analyzing the magnitude of the indirect effects through skepticism and authenticity revealed that the mediating effect via reduced authenticity exerted a greater negative impact on corporate trust than the mediating effect via increased skepticism, and this difference was marginally significant. This study provides an important implication: when ESG washing occurs, companies must strive not only to alleviate consumer skepticism but also to secure the authenticity of their ESG management.