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Sustainable behaviors and firm performance: The role of financial constraints’ alleviation

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  • Zhang, Dongyang
  • Lucey, Brian M.

Abstract

Financial mechanisms play a vital role in maintaining firm performance alongside sustainable growth practices, which include factors such as low-carbon emissions, green energy, and climate change. External investors increasingly incorporate environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations into their investment decisions. However, there is limited data on the potential mechanisms underlying ESG and how ESG performance relates to firm performance. This paper, therefore, focuses on the relationship between firms’ ESG performance and explores whether firm performance is moderated by ESG-related financial mechanisms. Our empirical analysis is based on data from 215,110 firm-year observations from global, publicly-traded firms during the period 2016–2020. Using ROA and ROS as measures, we found that ESG performance has a significant and positive effect on firm performance. Second, we discovered that ESG performance improves firm performance by alleviating financial constraints. Third, our results show that ESG performance improves external financing, including long-term and short-term debt. Finally, we demonstrate that strong ESG performance sends a high-quality signal to the credit market, which helps firms gain more trade credit, allowing them to improve their performance and the financial environment.

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  • Zhang, Dongyang & Lucey, Brian M., 2022. "Sustainable behaviors and firm performance: The role of financial constraints’ alleviation," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 220-233.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecanpo:v:74:y:2022:i:c:p:220-233
    DOI: 10.1016/j.eap.2022.02.003
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    6. Rojo-Suárez, Javier & Alonso-Conde, Ana B., 2023. "Short-run and long-run effects of ESG policies on value creation and the cost of equity of firms," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 599-616.
    7. Jie, Guo & Jiahui, Lv, 2023. "Media attention, green technology innovation and industrial enterprises’ sustainable development: The moderating effect of environmental regulation," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 873-889.
    8. Bhaskar, Ratikant & Bansal, Shashank & Abbassi, Wajih & Pandey, Dharen Kumar, 2023. "CEO compensation and CSR: Economic implications and policy recommendations," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 232-256.
    9. Zhang, Dongyang, 2023. "Can environmental monitoring power transition curb corporate greenwashing behavior?," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 212(C), pages 199-218.
    10. Deli Wang & Ke Peng & Kaiye Tang & Yewei Wu, 2022. "Does Fintech Development Enhance Corporate ESG Performance? Evidence from an Emerging Market," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-21, December.
    11. Liu, Zhihong & ul Islam, Misbah & Alarifi, Ghadah Abdulrahman & Cong, Phan The & Khudoykulov, Khurshid & Quynh, Le Nhu & Hossain, Md. Shamim, 2023. "Does energy efficiency mediate a green economic recovery? Evidence from China," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 802-815.
    12. V. Veeravel & E. K. S. Sadharma & Bandi Kamaiah, 2024. "Do ESG disclosures lead to superior firm performance? A method of moments panel quantile regression approach," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(1), pages 741-754, January.
    13. Cong Zhang & Shanyue Jin, 2022. "What Drives Sustainable Development of Enterprises? Focusing on ESG Management and Green Technology Innovation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-20, September.
    14. Lashkaripour, Mohammadhossein, 2023. "ESG tail risk: The Covid-19 market crash analysis," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 53(C).
    15. Zhengyu Ren & Hsing Hung Chen & Kunseng Lao & Hongyi Zhang, 2022. "A Decision Support System to Estimate Green Sustainability from Environmental Protection and Debt Financing Indicators," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-13, August.
    16. Zhang, Dongyang, 2022. "Environmental regulation, green innovation, and export product quality: What is the role of greenwashing?," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    17. Ren, Xiaohang & Zeng, Gudian & Sun, Xianming, 2023. "The peer effect of digital transformation and corporate environmental performance: Empirical evidence from listed companies in China," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 128(C).
    18. Lee, Chien-Chiang & Wang, Chih-Wei & Thinh, Bui Tien & Xu, Zhi-Ting, 2022. "Climate risk and bank liquidity creation: International evidence," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).

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