Core Viewpoint - The article emphasizes that in the food and beverage industry, "safety," "transparency," and "responsibility" have become new cornerstones of brand value, moving beyond traditional competitive advantages like taste and convenience [2]. Group 1: ESG Performance Overview - Most food companies are currently at the industry average in mainstream ESG ratings, with few leading companies such as Mengniu, Yili, Chongqing Beer, Budweiser Asia Pacific, and Ausnutria rated AA or above by MSCI [2]. - The food industry is increasingly recognizing the importance of ESG as a strategic tool for enhancing competitiveness and achieving resilient development due to regulatory pressures and consumer awareness [5]. Group 2: Environmental Dimension - Key areas of focus for environmental performance include climate change response, greenhouse gas emissions management, packaging management, water resource management, and biodiversity protection [7]. - Leading companies like Mengniu and Yili have demonstrated advanced performance in environmental disclosures, producing specialized reports on climate-related risks and sustainability [8][10]. - The complexity of the food industry's value chain presents challenges in accurately calculating greenhouse gas emissions, particularly in agricultural activities [11]. Group 3: Social Dimension - The critical performance metrics for social responsibility include product quality and safety, nutrition and health improvement, supply chain management, responsible marketing, and customer service [14]. - Food safety remains a fundamental issue for survival, with a reported overall non-compliance rate of 2.61% in food safety inspections, indicating an improving trend [16]. - Companies are increasingly adopting digital management tools for traceability and enhancing food safety management systems [16]. Group 4: Governance Dimension - Key governance performance metrics include the establishment of independent ESG committees, integration of ESG risk management into overall risk management processes, and the independence and diversity of the board [20][21]. - Companies like Mengniu have established dedicated sustainability committees within their boards, demonstrating effective oversight of ESG issues [23]. - There is a growing trend to link executive compensation to ESG performance, although this practice is still relatively rare [23]. Group 5: Industry Trends and Challenges - The food and beverage industry is moving from a basic understanding of ESG to a more nuanced and systematic approach, with leading companies building barriers through comprehensive ESG strategies [25]. - Despite advancements, many companies still face challenges in collecting and reporting Scope 3 emissions data, which is critical for comprehensive ESG assessments [13].