Investigating Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Reports by PetroChina: A Multimodal Interactional Metadiscourse Analysis

This study investigates how PetroChina constructs its sustainability narratives through multimodal interactional metadiscourse in its ESG reports (2018–2024). A quantitative and detailed qualitative analysis of multimodal interactional metadiscursive strategies reveals that the company most frequently uses self-mentions and boosters to enhance its corporate authoritative agency in ESG disclosure and emphasise key ESG achievements. Attitude and engagement markers are also frequently used to convey evaluative stances and attract stakeholder participation. Meanwhile, the scarce use of hedges may reflect an assertive tone in its ESG claims. Crucially, the synergistic interplay of textual and visual metadiscourse, such as logos reinforcing self-mentions, visual boosters amplifying linguistic claims, and positive imagery enriching attitude markers, creates an immersive, persuasive ESG narrative. This research advances ESG discourse analysis by demonstrating how Chinese energy corporations strategically deploy multimodal resources to align with global sustainability norms and enhance stakeholder engagement. The study offers theoretical insights into the discursive construction of ESG, practical guidance on corporate environmental governance discourse, and implications for effective corporate communication in the energy sector. It also enables stakeholders to critically assess ESG reports and inform investment decisions.