__Abstract__\ud
\ud
The author of this thesis examined the concept and market development of\ud
responsible investing (RI), which can be defined as an investment process\ud
that integrates social and environmental considerations within the context\ud
of traditional investment processes. RI has become a well-established\ud
financial investment approach in United States and Western Europe\ud
(US/WE) as well as an important business, environmental, and societal\ud
issue. However, RI has not, to date, been explored as a financial investment\ud
approach outside of the US/WE region, especially in Japan and Hong\ud
Kong, China.\ud
Given its rapidly increasing economic footprint on the global economy,\ud
Asian pathways on economic development, particularly China might heavily\ud
influence the directions and impacts of corporate sustainability governance\ud
on the global level. Moreover, in order for RI to serve as a finance-based\ud
solution to climate change and other business and sustainability dilemmas\ud
worldwide, this thesis author argues that RI needs to become a market\ud
instrument that can respond more effectively to a complex array of social,\ud
environmental, and economic sustainability challenges