Abstract
Purpose This study aims to explore key questions within the context of Asian countries: How do artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain adoption in accounting influence enterprise risk management and environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance? What role does enterprise risk management have as a mediator in this relationship? In addition, how does environmental uncertainty shape the interplay between AI and blockchain adoption in accounting, enterprise risk management and ESG performance? Design/methodology/approach The authors collected data from Thomson Reuters Eikon Datastream, initially targeting the 20 Asian countries with the highest gross domestic product (GDP) per capita. Using stringent selection criteria, the research sample included 22,212 firms from these countries: Bahrain, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malaysia, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates and Vietnam. After a rigorous screening process, the final sample comprised 1,742 firms, representing 17,420 firm-year observations over the 2014–2023 period. This paper applied maximum likelihood structural equation modeling to analyze the data. Findings The findings reveal that both AI and blockchain adoption in accounting, along with enterprise risk management, positively impact ESG performance in the Asian context. Enterprise risk management serves as a mediating factor between AI and blockchain adoption in accounting and ESG performance. In addition, environmental uncertainty significantly moderates the relationships between AI and blockchain adoption in accounting and enterprise risk management, as well as between enterprise risk management and ESG performance. Practical implications This study uncovers the interplay between internal factors – such as AI and blockchain adoption in accounting and enterprise risk management – and external factors, notably environmental uncertainty, in fostering sustainable value for Asian firms. Internal factors enable firms to integrate ESG considerations into their operations, facilitating risk mitigation and enhancing ESG performance. Meanwhile, heightened environmental uncertainty drives the adoption of sustainable practices. Consequently, Asian Governments should prioritize the development of regions characterized by high environmental uncertainty to advance national sustainable development goals and encourage responsible business practices. Originality/value This study contributes to the existing literature by uncovering the combined effects of internal and external factors on ESG performance, offering empirical evidence from Asian countries with high GDP per capita. Specifically, it underscores the efficacy of AI and blockchain adoption in accounting and enterprise risk management, as well as the moderating role of environmental uncertainty, within the Asian context.
About This Research
Publisher: International journal of organizational analysis Year: 2025 Type: Applied Research Citations: 18
Relevance
Industries: Government, Professional Services Pillars: AI Governance & Risk Management Use Cases: Cybersecurity & Threat Detection, Knowledge Management & Search, Risk Assessment & Management Regions: Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Southeast Asia, Thailand, Vietnam
AI-Powered ESG Data Extraction and Analysis
Corporate ESG performance data is frequently scattered across operational systems, supply chain documentation, human resources records, and environmental monitoring infrastructure in formats ranging from structured databases to scanned paper certificates. AI systems employing natural language processing, optical character recognition, and multimodal analysis capabilities can aggregate these disparate data sources into unified sustainability dashboards that provide real-time visibility into environmental footprint metrics, workforce diversity statistics, and governance compliance indicators. The research demonstrates specific extraction pipelines that reduce ESG data compilation effort from weeks of manual aggregation to automated near-real-time monitoring.
Blockchain-Verified Sustainability Claims
Greenwashing concerns have intensified stakeholder scepticism about corporate sustainability disclosures, creating demand for verification infrastructure that provides tamper-evident evidence chains. Blockchain architectures enable organizations to record sustainability data points—including energy consumption measurements, waste disposal certifications, and supply chain labour audit results—in immutable distributed ledgers that external auditors and stakeholders can independently verify. Smart contracts automate compliance verification against regulatory thresholds, triggering alerts when reported metrics deviate from recorded source data.
Professional Accountant Role Evolution
The integration of AI and blockchain into ESG accounting practice transforms the professional accountant's role from manual data compilation and retrospective verification toward strategic sustainability advisory and technology governance oversight. Accountants with hybrid competencies spanning financial reporting standards, sustainability frameworks, and technology architecture understanding occupy a uniquely valuable intersection that neither pure technology specialists nor traditional auditors can fill. The research recommends professional education curriculum evolution to develop these interdisciplinary capabilities.