For publishers, this contest signals growing demand for ESG-focused educational content in emerging markets

A trilateral partnership launches an innovative reading competition bridging academic research with sustainable business practice.

What is ESG?

Environmental, Social, and Governance – a framework measuring how organisations manage risks and opportunities related to sustainability.

Environmental criteria assess stewardship of nature, including carbon emissions and resource conservation. Social factors examine relationships with employees, communities, and supply chains. Governance covers leadership accountability, board diversity, and ethical oversight.

Unlike broader sustainability concepts, ESG provides tangible metrics for investors and stakeholders to evaluate corporate responsibility.

The Contest Framework

The 2026 International Reading Contest, running from 7–27 April 2026, unites the Cambodian Librarians Association (CLA), CamEd Business School, The University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG) and the Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS).

This marks a rare collaboration between library associations and business schools across developing economies.

Participants submit 3-page analytical essays examining ESG through four lenses: economic development, consumer behaviour, global sustainability pressures, or sustainable investment.

Entries require at least two sources from library-subscribed databases, emphasising information literacy alongside subject expertise.

Global Context and Comparisons

While reading contests remain common in public libraries – such as the Kalamazoo Public Library’s Global Reading Challenge – academic library-led competitions focusing on ESG are notably scarce. The University of Maryland Libraries recently achieved sustainable certification, and the University of Reading runs sustainability entrepreneurship competitions, yet neither integrates reading analysis with ESG literacy.

Research confirms libraries increasingly adopt ESG principles themselves, with experts recommending alignment between library resources and global sustainability standards.

The CLA initiative uniquely positions libraries as curators of ESG discourse rather than passive resource providers.

Recognition Structure

All participants receive Certificates of Achievement and Special Reading Awards. The top ten entrants present at the ESG Student Insight Forum, with the leading three selected as winners. Selected reflections will appear in an International Student ESG Insight Report, offering participants publication credit early in their academic careers.

The View From the Beach

For publishers, this contest signals growing demand for ESG-focused educational content in emerging markets. The requirement for database-sourced materials highlights the continued relevance of subscribed academic resources in an open-access era.

Publishers might consider how their ESG titles reach Southeast Asian and Pacific academic institutions.

Contact: library@cam-ed.com

This post first appeared in the TNPS LinkedIn newsfeed.