Sustainable Economy: The Eco-Branding of an Industrial Region in Kazakhstan

In the sustainable economy, consumer preferences are gradually beginning to prioritize environmentally friendly products and services. A sustainable economy is directly linked to the growth of consumer welfare and the environmental culture. The success of environmental projects is largely determined by approaches to the management of complex interconnected objects, which operate in developed industrial regions. In this regard, we formulate the purpose of this study, which is to generalize approaches to and to improve the mechanisms of the ecological branding of the industrial complex of a region through conscious ESG transformation. For this purpose, we have studied the statistics and principles of the management systems of Kazakhstani companies and their stakeholders. The focus was on the Pavlodar industrial region, where metallurgical production, petrochemicals, the agro-industrial sector, the banking sector, and logistics hubs are developed. The vision and the mechanisms that can influence the development of the export potential of products with an "ecological brand" were studied. A survey of export-oriented organizations helped to identify the behavioral attributes of the "new generation eco-consumer", namely, a conscious desire to reduce the negative impact of production and economic activities on the environment. The theoretical significance of this study helps to reveal the influence of the ecological principles of the organization of modern production on the speed of transition to green technologies. Its practical significance is seen in the formation of a system for measuring the level of readiness of companies to promote the ecological branding of a region's industry outside its country.