| Abstract | This study examines Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) disclosure gaps between multination corporators (MNCs) and Vietnamese third-party logistics providers (3PLs) operating in the warehousing and road freight sectors. As Vietnam becomes increasingly embedded in global supply chains, logistics providers face rising demands for ESG transparency driven by international regulations and multinational procurement requirements. However, empirical evidence on sector-specific ESG disclosure gaps in Vietnam’s logistics industry remains limited. Using a qualitative comparative case study design, the study analyzes ESG disclosure practices of six (6) logistics firms, including three (3) multinational providers and three (3) Vietnamese firms, through a structured 20-indicator disclosure framework covering environmental, social, and governance dimensions. Public disclosures from 2023–2024 are systematically reviewed and complemented by nine (9) semi-structured expert interviews with logistics practitioners, multinational procurement managers, and industry specialists. The results reveal a substantial and persistent disclosure gap: multinational firms achieve an average disclosure completeness score of 76 percent, compared to 9 percent among Vietnamese providers. Disclosure in governance dimension exhibits the largest gap, followed by those of environmental and social dimensions, with more than half of the indicators showing incomplete disclosure among Vietnamese firms. Importantly, the findings indicate that these gaps reflect differences in disclosure capability, such as data systems, technical expertise, and governance arrangements, rather than underlying ESG performance. Interview evidence identifies four interrelated drivers of disclosure gaps: capability constraints, weak institutional guidance, asymmetric stakeholder pressures, and contextual cultural dynamics. Building on these findings, the study proposes phased, actor-specific strategies to close disclosure gaps, emphasizing feasibility, sequencing, and coordinated action across firms, multinational clients, and public institutions. The study contributes to ESG disclosure research in emerging markets and provides practical guidance for enhancing supply chain transparency in Vietnam’s logistics sector. |
