Corporate social performanceand over-investment: evidence from Germany

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Florian Habermann
Keyword(s):  
Fixed Effects ◽  
Corporate Social Performance ◽  
Stakeholder Management ◽  
Social Performance ◽  
The European Union ◽  
German Market ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Investment Theory ◽  
Thomson Reuters ◽  
Corporate Social

Purpose With the Green Deal and Sustainable Finance Taxonomy, the European Union is driving forward its ambition for a modern, resource-efficient and competitive economy. For this reason, this paper contributes to the ongoing discussion by examining how overall corporate social performance (CSP) and the respective environmental, social and governance (ESG) pillar performance affects corporate financial performance (CFP). In addition, this study aims to present novel insights by testing a theoretically derived CSP over-investment theory empirically for the German market. Design/methodology/approach The final sample includes firms listed on the German Prime Standard (DAX30, MDAX and TecDAX) from 2015 to 2019. The study includes a correlation and regression analysis using fixed effects on 363 firm-year observations to investigate the CSP-CFP relationship. This paper applies accounting and market-based CFP measures and uses Thomson Reuters (TR) ESG scores to measure CSP. Findings Overall CSP, social pillar and governance pillar performance improve CFP for firms listed on the German Prime Standard. However, the study provides evidence for a value-destroying effect of CSP over-investment in the social pillar. Research limitations/implications The implications of the study are ambiguous. First, firms can improve CFP when doing good, i.e. increase CSP. Second, however, CSP is a concept of decreasing marginal benefits. Consequently, managers can respond to increasing pressure from investors to be “sustainable” with the argument of CSP over-investment. Policymakers must consider materiality as a potential explanation for the over-investment phenomena when framing sustainable development programs, i.e. the EU Green Deal and regulations such as the Directive 2014/95/EU and the Regulation EU 2020/852. Moreover, the study sensitizes society that sustainability efforts do not exclusively affect CFP positively. Originality/value The paper contributes to CSP literature by revisiting the CSP-CFP relationship and debuting a CSP over-investment hypothesis on the German market. The results are highly relevant for practitioners, policymakers and society, as the study provides an empirical framework to evaluate CSP properly and reveals the importance of materiality in stakeholder management.

Antecedents of corporate social performance: the effects of task environment managerial discretion

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 339-354
Author(s):  
Matthew T. Luth ◽  
Donald J. Schepker
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Performance ◽  
Stakeholder Management ◽  
Social Performance ◽  
Managerial Discretion ◽  
Task Environment ◽  
Theoretical Argument ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
Industry Conditions

Purpose The purpose of this research is to better understand how industry conditions affect corporate social performance (CSP). To accomplish this objective, the authors develop and test a theoretical argument that task environment managerial discretion plays an important role in determining a firm’s level of CSP. Design/methodology/approach In this research, the authors utilize a longitudinal data set of archival data nested across year, firm and industry. They then test their research model using multilevel techniques, which account for the nested nature of their research design. Findings Firms exhibit higher levels of CSP when their industry’s environment is high in dynamism and product differentiation. Conversely, firms exhibit lower levels of CSP when capital intensity is high. Finally, the authors find that firms exhibit higher levels of both positive and negative CSP as industry munificence increases. Research limitations/implications A number of researchers have called for investigation into the antecedents of CSP. This research provides an important next step in understanding the factors that influence firm CSP. Specifically, this research illustrates how the task environment affects stakeholder management by influencing the degree to which firms engage in CSP. Practical implications Managers should be mindful of the task environment’s conditions for managerial discretion and how these conditions affect stakeholder support for CSP. Moreover, managers should understand how industry conditions affect the firm’s ability to achieve competitive advantage through the use of CSP strategies. Originality/value While there has been much research aimed at understanding the potential CSP-firm performance link, there has been relatively little attention paid to understanding what influences firm CSP in the first place. This research suggests that industry-level characteristics of managerial discretion strongly influence firm strategic actions toward social performance.

Does ESG performance have an impact on financial performance? Evidence from Germany

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 169-178 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick Velte
Keyword(s):  
Financial Performance ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Stakeholder Management ◽  
Social Performance ◽  
Sample Selection ◽  
Tobin’S Q ◽  
Tobin's Q ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Thomson Reuters ◽  
Corporate Social

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to concentrate on environmental, social and governance performance (ESGP) in total and divided in each component and evaluate their impact on financial performance (FINP). Design/methodology/approach The study covers a sample selection of companies listed on the German Prime Standard (DAX30, TecDAX, MDAX) for the business years 2010-2014 (412 firm-year observations). A correlation and regression analysis was carried out to evaluate possible links between ESGP as determined by the Asset4 database of Thomson Reuters and accounting and market-based measures of FINP (Return on Assets [ROA] and Tobin’s Q). Findings ESGP has a positive impact on ROA but no impact on Tobin’s Q. Furthermore, by analyzing the three different components of ESGP, governance performance has the strongest impact on FINP in comparison to environmental and social performance. Originality/value The analysis makes a key contribution to the empirical corporate social responsibility (CSR) research as the author breaks down ESGP into their three components and include both accounting-based and market-based FINP measures for the German setting for the first time. Not only companies but also regulators and researchers are affected by the notion that CSR and FINP are close together and should be lead to a successful stakeholder management.

Towards a more ethical market: the impact of ESG rating on corporate financial performance

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giovanni Landi ◽  
Mauro Sciarelli
Keyword(s):  
Data Analysis ◽  
Corporate Social Performance ◽  
Stock Exchange ◽  
Social Performance ◽  
Panel Data Analysis ◽  
Abnormal Returns ◽  
Socially Responsible ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This paper fits in a research field dealing with the impact of Corporate Ethics Assessment on Financial Performance. The authors argue how environmental, social and governance (ESG) paradigm, meant to measure corporate social performance by rating issuance, can impact on abnormal returns of Italian firms listed on Financial Times Stock Exchange Milano Indice di Borsa (FTSE MIB) Index, developing a panel data analysis which runs from 2007 to 2015. Design/methodology/approach This study aims at exploring whether socially responsible investors outperform an excess market return on Italian Stock Exchange because of their investment behavior, testing statistically the relationship between the yearly ESG assessment issued by Standard Ethics Agency on FTSE MIB’s companies and their abnormal returns. To verify the impact of an ESG Rating on a company’s abnormal return, the authors developed a panel data analysis through a Fixed Effects Model. They measured abnormal returns via Fama–French approach, running a yearly Jensen’s Performance Index for each company under investigation. Findings The empirical results denote in Italy both a growing interest to corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability by managers over the past decade, as well as an improving quality in ESG assessments because of a reliable corporate disclosure. Thus, despite investors have been applying ESG criteria in their stock – picking operations, the authors found a not positive and statistically significant impact in terms of market premium, when they have been undertaking a socially responsible investment (SRI). Practical implications The findings described above show that ethics is not yet a reliable fundraising tool for Italian-listed companies, despite SRIs having a positive growth rate over past decade. Investors seem to be not pricing CSR on Stock Exchange Market; therefore, listed companies cannot be rewarded with a premium price because of their highly stakeholder oriented behavior. Originality/value This paper explores, for the first time in Italy, when market extra-returns (if any) are related to corporate social performance and how managers leverage ethics to build capital added value.

In search of ethics: from Carroll to integrative CSR economics

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 469-491 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sigmund Wagner-Tsukamoto
Keyword(s):  
Institutional Economics ◽  
Corporate Social Performance ◽  
Social Performance ◽  
Business Case ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Market Exchange ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Four Dimensions ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeRevisiting Carroll’s classic corporate social responsibility (CSR) pyramid framework, this paper aims to evolve a novel synthesis of ethics and economics. This yielded an “integrative CSR economics”.Design/methodology/approachThis theory paper examined how to conceptually set up CSR theory, argue its ethical nature and establish its practical, social and empirical relevance. Economic analysis reached out from contemporary institutional economics to Smith’s classic studies.FindingsThe paper reconstructed all of Carroll’s four dimensions of CSR – economic, legal, ethical and philanthropic responsibilities – through economics. The paper discounted a core assumption of much CSR research that economic approach to CSR, including the instrumental, strategic “business case” approach to CSR, were unethical and lacked any foundations in ethics theory. Integrative CSR economics reframes research on viability and capability requirements for CSR practice; redirecting empirical research on links between CSP (corporate social performance) and CFP (corporate financial performance).Research limitations/implicationsThe paper focused on Carroll as the leading champion of CSR research. Future research needs to align other writers with integrative CSR economics. Friedman or Freeman, or the historic contributions of Dodd, Mayo, Bowen or Drucker, are especially interesting.Practical implicationsThe paper set out how integrative CSR economics satisfies the “business case” approach to CSR and develops practical implications along: a systemic dimension of the market economy; a legal-constitutional dimension; and the dimension of market exchanges.Social implicationsIntegrative CSR economics creates ethical benefits for society along: a systemic dimension of the market (mutual gains); a legal-constitutional dimension (law-following); and the dimension of market exchange (ethical capital creation). Social benefits are not only aspired to but also are achievable as a business case approach to CSR is followed.Originality/valueThe paper’s main contribution is a new synthesis of economics and ethics that yields an “integrative CSR economics”.

Systemic corporate social responsibility: micro-to-macro transitions, collective outcomes and self-regulation

2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 209-227 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brent D. Beal ◽  
Cristina Neesham
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Corporate Social Performance ◽  
Corporate Citizenship ◽  
Social Performance ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
System Level ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Management Approaches ◽  
Corporate Social

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to call attention to the need to revitalize the systemic nature of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and offer some suggestions about how this might be accomplished. The authors introduce the concept of systemic CSR and associate it with micro-to-macro transitions, the need to make systemic objectives explicit and the responsibility of system participants to regulate their behavior to contribute to these outcomes. Design/methodology/approach The authors comment, from a systemic perspective, on four different management approaches to CSR – shareholder value, corporate social performance, stakeholder theory and corporate citizenship. Three general systemic principles that participants can use as decision-making guides are a focus on value creation, ongoing assessment of collective outcomes and reflective engagement in the aggregation process. Findings The authors observe that businesses routinely demonstrate their ability to think in systemic terms in strategic contexts that require it. If businesses can address systemic issues in these contexts, then they can also apply systemic logic in furtherance of collective (or system-level) objectives. Originality/value The authors propose an approach to CSR that emphasizes micro-to-macro transitions, the need to make systemic objectives explicit and the responsibility of system participants to regulate their behavior to contribute to these desired objectives. Systemic CSR is unique in its explicit focus on the micro-to-macro transition (i.e. the process of aggregation), systemic objectives and the need to actively insource responsibility for contribution to the realization of those objectives.

Stakeholder performance, corporate social performance

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 242-253
Author(s):  
Jean Biwole Fouda ◽  
Irène Abessolo Abessolo
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Corporate Social Performance ◽  
Social Performance ◽  
The Other ◽  
Life Cycle Model ◽  
Cycle Model ◽  
Dominant Type ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Essentially Contested Concepts ◽  
Corporate Social

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to find out what added value does the stakeholder performance concept bring with respect to that of corporate social performance. To better understand the developments of these concepts, the authors resort to Gallie’s theory (1956) of essentially contested concepts, the life-cycle model of Hirsch and Levin’s (1999) umbrella concepts. Reconciling these two theoretical frameworks allows us to introduce the competing category notion consisting of a dominant and a dominated-type concepts. Through a historical and synchronic literature examination, CSP is shown to have characteristics of the dominant type, thanks to its more diffuse character. On the other hand, the stakeholder performance would relate to the dominated type, though it provides better operationalization possibilities. Design/methodology/approach To better understand the developments of these concepts, Gallie’s theory (1956) of essentially contested concepts, the life cycle model of Hirsch and Levin’s (1999) umbrella concepts are used. Findings CSP has characteristics of the dominant type, thanks to its more diffuse character. On the other hand, the stakeholder performance relates to the dominated type, though it provides better operationalization. Originality/value CSP as a dominant type and stakeholder performance is a dominated type.

The relationship between poor CSR performance and hard, negative CSR information disclosures

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maher Jeriji ◽  
Waël Louhichi
Keyword(s):  
Information Disclosure ◽  
Corporate Social Performance ◽  
Social Performance ◽  
Panel Data Analysis ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Csr Reporting ◽  
Opportunistic Behaviour ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between hard, negative corporate social responsibility (CSR) information disclosure and corporate social performance. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a generalised least squares panel data analysis based on a sample of firms ranked in the Fortune Global 500 for the period 2013–2016. Robustness check tests were conducted to limit endogeneity concerns. Findings The results show that in line with strategic legitimacy theory, agency theory and organisational stigma theory, poor sustainability performers disclose a low quality of hard, negative CSR information. Practical implications This paper provides guidance for stakeholders to identify good and poor CSR performers by better understanding whether corporate CSR reports are more likely to be symbolic or substantive when considering the amount of hard, negative content in their CSR stand-alone reports. Social implications The research highlights the opportunistic behaviour of CSR reporting, which is used more as a legitimation device than as an accountability mechanism. Thi Originality/value Although numerous studies have investigated the association between the level of corporate social disclosure (CSD) and corporate social performance, no research has focussed on hard, negative CSD. Also, an index that captures the disclosure quality rather than the quantity of negative CSR information was constructed.

Bridging the gap between corporate social responsibility performance and tax aggressiveness

2020 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 825-855 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eduardo Ortas ◽  
Isabel Gallego-Álvarez
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Corporate Social Performance ◽  
Social Performance ◽  
Cultural Dimensions ◽  
Economic Sectors ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Tax Aggressiveness ◽  
Corporate Social

PurposeThis paper addresses the role of corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance as a potential mechanism for reducing firms' likelihood of engaging in tax aggressiveness (TAG). The paper also contributes to the existing literature by addressing the moderating effect of national cultures on the link between CSR performance and corporate TAG.Design/methodology/approachThe focus is placed on an unbalanced panel of 2,696 companies distributed in 30 countries and seven economic sectors over the period of 2002–2014.FindingsThe results provide support for those companies achieving high corporate social performance (CSP), corporate environmental performance (CEP) and corporate governance performance (CGP) being less likely to engage in aggressive tax practices. Finally, the results identify some national cultural dimensions moderating the link between disaggregated measures of CSR performance and firms' TAG.Research limitations/implicationsThe difficulty of accessing CSR and TAG data for non-listed companies could bias the data set towards a compliant company profile because of the higher visibility. In addition, the use of effective tax rates to examine firms' TAG should be interpreted with some caution.Practical implicationsThe paper's findings provide unique and useful information for company stakeholders and managers aiming to address the factors that enhance firms' incentives to engage in aggressive tax practices.Originality/valueThis paper addresses the multidimensional nature of CSR performance by analysing the links between CSP, CEP and CGP and corporations' TAG. Furthermore, the research addresses the way in which national culture moderates the links between disaggregated measures of CSR performance and corporate TAG.

Corporate social and financial performance in different industry contexts: the chicken or the egg?

2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 672-686 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anni Tuppura ◽  
Heli Arminen ◽  
Satu Pätäri ◽  
Ari Jantunen
Keyword(s):  
Financial Performance ◽  
Granger Causality ◽  
Corporate Social Performance ◽  
Social Performance ◽  
Causality Test ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Forest Industries ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Causality Relationship ◽  
Corporate Social

Purpose The purpose of the paper is to examine empirically Granger causality relationships between corporate social performance (CSP) and corporate financial performance (CFP) in four different industries. Design/methodology/approach The paper uses the Granger causality test to analyse the causality relationships between CSP and CFP in clothing, energy, food and forest industries in the USA. The panel data used combined CSP and CFP measures over the years 1991-2009. CSP strengths and concerns are handled as distinct constructs. Findings There is some evidence of bidirectional causality between CSP and CFP in the clothing, energy and forest industries; but in the food industry, CSP appears not to Granger-cause CFP. The results encourage accounting for the industry in empirical analyses, as well as the use of more than one measure for CFP in the analyses. Originality/value The direction of causality between CSP and CFP has been specifically addressed in only a few studies. Because the causality relationship may, in addition, be concealed when multi-industry data are used, this paper contributes to the literature by examining the Granger causality between CSP and CFP in four different industry contexts using two different measures of CFP.

scholarly journals Can board gender diversity promote corporate social performance?

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (5) ◽  
pp. 789-802 ◽  
Author(s):  
Khine Kyaw ◽  
Mojisola Olugbode ◽  
Barbara Petracci
Keyword(s):  
Emerging Markets ◽  
Corporate Social Performance ◽  
Social Performance ◽  
Critical Mass ◽  
Gender Diversity ◽  
Corporate Boards ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Clear Cut ◽  
Board Gender Diversity ◽  
Corporate Social

Purpose This paper examines if gender diversity on corporate boards promotes corporate social performance (CSP) across industries and across countries. Design/methodology/approach Fixed-effect panel models are estimated using Europe-wide data from 2002 through 2013. Instrumental variable estimation and propensity score matching are also used to control for potential endogeneity. Findings Board gender diversity (BGD) improves environmental and social performance and consequently the CSP. Although the positive effect of gender diversity is prevalent across industries, the effect is more pronounced for firms in emerging markets. Practical implications The findings suggest that gender law that fosters gender diversity can promote CSP in firms, and the benefit can be enjoyed with just an introduction of one female director to the board. Promotion of gender diversity in Europe is most beneficial in emerging markets. Originality/value The results provide new insights to the literature, as we find that a critical mass of female directors on boards is not required to promote CSP. The research also highlights that BGD enhances CSP irrespective of the industry, and the effect on CSP is more pronounced in emerging markets where regulations regarding CSR are not so clear-cut.

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