Doctorate: Research analyzes impacts of ESG programs in the Brazilian automotive industry

Measuring the impacts of ESG Programs in the Brazilian automotive industry was what Ricardo Augusto Martins, a student of the Professional Doctorate in Administration (DPA) at the School of Business Administration of São Paulo (FGV EAESP), sought to analyze in his research.

The combination of theory and practice in more than 30 years of corporate experience has always focused on the need to analyze and measure the impacts brought about by the sustainability and ESG programs implemented by companies. Therefore, his doctoral research analyzes these effects in the context of the Brazilian automotive industry.

Managing Director and Vice President of the Administrative Division of Hyundai Motor Central & South America Regions, Ricardo serves as responsible for Corporate Affairs, Government and Institutional Relations, ESG and Sustainability, among other sectors. Thus, the survey will have the participation of Automakers, Dealership Network and Supply Chain.

Ricardo revealed that the doctorate was an opportunity to increase his analytical capacity. "The constant changes in corporate management models and my need for rapid improvement, especially focusing on the development of high-performance teams under my management, made me invest in the doctoral course," he said.

See below the full interview with the student:

Her research object is the impacts of ESG Programs in the Brazilian automotive industry. Could you talk more about him?

The Brazilian Automotive Industry has been challenged to contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gases and carbon emissions through programs such as Inovarauto, Rota 2030 and, more recently, Mover. These programs bring the need to measure the impacts that not only automobiles, but also the entire automotive production chain must reach year by year, otherwise they will be prohibited from being produced.

What are the objectives of the research?

The objective is to offer the Brazilian Automotive Industry an artifact that makes it possible to measure the impacts of ESG Programs in their entire scope and enhance investment decision-making in products that are more sustainable to the environment and that contribute to society and corporate governance. The research will have the participation of the IQA (Institute of Automotive Quality) as a certifying and evaluating entity of systems such as QS, ISO, among others, for testing and validating the artifact. Also, the survey will have the participation of Automakers, Dealership Network and Supply Chain.

Could you tell us more about your PhD thesis?

The thesis argues that ESG investments bring other corporate benefits, in addition to potential financial returns desired by executives and stakeholders.

What perspectives did the research find?

So far, the survey reveals that among the 16 Automobile Manufacturers, 6 Auto Parts Industries and 4 Dealership Network groups, they are looking for a way to measure the impacts of their ESG Programs and are waiting for the results of this research and the system to be offered by the proposed artifact.

What was your motivation for speaking out on the subject?

The motivation for the theme comes from the need observed through more than 30 years of experience. I have been working on sustainable programs aimed at reducing costs with clear benefits for the environment, society and the governance of companies in the automotive sector.

Do you have any professional connection with the topic?

In these long years of experience, I have always focused on the need to analyze and measure the impacts brought by the sustainability and ESG programs implemented by the Companies.

Why did you decide to pursue a doctorate?

The constant changes in corporate management models and my need for rapid improvement, focusing mainly on the development of high-performance teams under my management, made me invest in the PhD course. I realize that the opportunity to increase my analytical capacity through the disciplines taught in the doctoral course exceeded my expectations.

This article is part of the series Ideas that Transform.

Read also: Ideas that transform: Alumna's research evaluates better performance in climate risk management 

To learn more about the Professional Doctorate in Administration (DPA) at FGV EAESP, visit the website.