Focusing on the ESG information disclosure of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), this paper grounds its research in the context of China’s Dual-carbon Policy and economic globalization. Through a comprehensive literature review, the study identifies that existing research predominantly centers on large corporations, leaving a significant gap in the exploration of localized ESG accounting pathways tailored for SMEs. The article systematically analyzes the core bottlenecks SMEs face in ESG disclosure, namely: fragmented standards, insufficient resources and professional expertise, flawed third-party verification mechanisms, and hindered transformation empowerment. Drawing upon stakeholder, signaling, and legitimacy theories, the study constructs an ESG accounting pathway framework specifically adapted for SMEs. Furthermore, it proposes targeted countermeasures across four dimensions: categorized policy management, capacity building and technical support, the establishment of transformation-empowering accounting pathways, and the refinement of value-enhancement mechanisms. The findings confirm that optimizing the accounting pathway can effectively resolve the ESG disclosure dilemmas of SMEs, empower their green transformation, and elevate corporate value, thereby providing a valuable reference for policy formulation, corporate practice, and future academic research.
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Share and Cite
Zhang, Y. (2026) Research on the Accounting Pathway for Resolving ESG Disclosure Dilemmas, Empowering Transformation, and Enhancing Corporate Value in SMEs. Hong Kong Financial Bulletin, 2(2), 25-30.