The impact of learners' evaluation of a lifelong learning organization's ESG management on their intention to participate in training

This study attempted to present the direction and implications of ESG activities of lifelong education institutions through empirical analysis on the impact of ESG activities, psychological distance, and authenticity on educational participation intention. The main results of this study were, first, found that ESG's environment, society, and governance structure had a significant effect on psychological distance. Second, it was found that the environment and society had a significant effect on authenticity. However, it was found that the governance structure had no significant effect. Finally, it was found that psychological distance and authenticity had a significant effect on the intention to participate in education. The theoretical implications of this study first contributed to academic expansion through research on the environment, society, governance structure, psychological distance, and authenticity of lifelong learning institutions on learning participation intention. Second, a measurement question for ESG activities of lifelong learning institutions was presented. Third, it will be of academic significance in that it has expanded to separate ESG areas at each level at the governance level that have not been actively expressed in social responsibility or shared value creation activities that have been actively studied. Fourth, signal theory was applied to ESG management of lifelong learning institutions to contribute to the expansion of theory. As a practical implication of this study, practitioners should continue to inform them that they are sincerely working through advertisements and publicity so that learners can feel psychologically close in environmental and social activities. In addition, in order to secure authenticity at the level of governance, external audit institutions should be used and authenticity should be secured through a citizen participation audit system.