IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v14y2022i14p8677-d863533.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Can Green Innovation Affect ESG Ratings and Financial Performance? Evidence from Chinese GEM Listed Companies

Author

Listed:
  • Jianzhuang Zheng

    (School of Business, Zhejiang University City College, Hangzhou 310015, China)

  • Muhammad Usman Khurram

    (School of Business, Zhejiang University City College, Hangzhou 310015, China
    School of Economics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China)

  • Lifeng Chen

    (School of Business, Zhejiang University City College, Hangzhou 310015, China
    School of Public Affairs, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China)

Abstract

Socially and environmentally responsible investing is becoming the benchmark in financial markets. Promoting emerging industries’ environmental performance, social responsibility, and corporate governance (ESG) ratings are increasingly becoming the consensus of multinational green financial institutions, investors, and governments. This study employs 3100 panel data from 2014 to 2019 to conduct empirical research on green innovation, ESG indicators, and the financial performance of China’s Growth Enterprise Market (GEM) listed companies. Based on the “causal steps approach”, we adopt the Sobel–goodman and Bootstrap test to explore the partial mediation effect of ESG indicators. Moreover, when testing the interactive effect of endogeneity, instrumental variables combined with two-stage least squares (2SLS) and a general method of moments (GMM) system are applied in the dynamic panel for robustness. Combing with the approach of ESG factors-integrated and ESG factors-embedded regression models, we find that: (1) Green innovation can significantly improve the ESG scores of GEM listed companies. (2) Both green innovation and ESG performance can improve the financial performances of GEM listed companies, and ESG performance plays an indirect mediating role in the promotion of green innovation on financial performance. (3) Both political connection strength and regional innovation capabilities can negatively moderate the promotion of green innovation on financial performance, and moderating the effect of corporate political connections is more significant than the regional innovation. This study expands the research on the effectiveness of ESG indices and green innovation from the view of micro-GEM companies, providing policy enlightenment for the sustainable development of emerging industries. Our findings provide noteworthy implications for regulators, academicians and practitioners interested in exploring green innovation, ESG rating and financial performance. In addition, providing regulators and the board of directors with insights into the company’s and country’s future growth prospects.

Suggested Citation

  • Jianzhuang Zheng & Muhammad Usman Khurram & Lifeng Chen, 2022. "Can Green Innovation Affect ESG Ratings and Financial Performance? Evidence from Chinese GEM Listed Companies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-32, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:14:p:8677-:d:863533
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/14/8677/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/14/8677/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ester Clementino & Richard Perkins, 2021. "How Do Companies Respond to Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) ratings? Evidence from Italy," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 171(2), pages 379-397, June.
    2. Joshua D. Angrist & Alan B. Krueger, 2001. "Instrumental Variables and the Search for Identification: From Supply and Demand to Natural Experiments," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 15(4), pages 69-85, Fall.
    3. Peixin Li & Rongxi Zhou & Yahui Xiong, 2020. "Can ESG Performance Affect Bond Default Rate? Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-12, April.
    4. Johannes Jahn & Rolf Brühl, 2018. "How Friedman’s View on Individual Freedom Relates to Stakeholder Theory and Social Contract Theory," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 153(1), pages 41-52, November.
    5. Mingfeng Tang & Grace Walsh & Daniel Lerner & Markus A. Fitza & Qiaohua Li, 2018. "Green Innovation, Managerial Concern and Firm Performance: An Empirical Study," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(1), pages 39-51, January.
    6. Ji Yeon Yang & Taewoo Roh, 2019. "Open for Green Innovation: From the Perspective of Green Process and Green Consumer Innovation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-18, June.
    7. Fernando García & Jairo González-Bueno & Francisco Guijarro & Javier Oliver, 2020. "Forecasting the Environmental, Social, and Governance Rating of Firms by Using Corporate Financial Performance Variables: A Rough Set Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-18, April.
    8. Hagedoorn, John & Cloodt, Myriam, 2003. "Measuring innovative performance: is there an advantage in using multiple indicators?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 32(8), pages 1365-1379, September.
    9. Jun Xie & Wataru Nozawa & Michiyuki Yagi & Hidemichi Fujii & Shunsuke Managi, 2019. "Do environmental, social, and governance activities improve corporate financial performance?," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(2), pages 286-300, February.
    10. Qiu, Yan & Shaukat, Amama & Tharyan, Rajesh, 2016. "Environmental and social disclosures: Link with corporate financial performance," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 48(1), pages 102-116.
    11. Lee Siew Peng & Mansor Isa, 2020. "Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Practices And Performance In Shariah Firms: Agency or Stakeholder Theory?," Asian Academy of Management Journal of Accounting and Finance (AAMJAF), Penerbit Universiti Sains Malaysia, vol. 16(1), pages 1-34.
    12. Fen Zhang & Xiaonan Qin & Lina Liu, 2020. "The Interaction Effect between ESG and Green Innovation and Its Impact on Firm Value from the Perspective of Information Disclosure," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-18, March.
    13. Asheim, Bjorn T. & Coenen, Lars, 2005. "Knowledge bases and regional innovation systems: Comparing Nordic clusters," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(8), pages 1173-1190, October.
    14. Mariana Mazzucato & Gregor Semieniuk, 2017. "Public financing of innovation: new questions," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 33(1), pages 24-48.
    15. Gun Jea Yu & Seung-Yoon Rhee, 2015. "Effect of R&D Collaboration with Research Organizations on Innovation: The Mediation Effect of Environmental Performance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(9), pages 1-19, August.
    16. David Roodman, 2009. "How to do xtabond2: An introduction to difference and system GMM in Stata," Stata Journal, StataCorp LP, vol. 9(1), pages 86-136, March.
    17. Nesrine Djebali & Khemais Zaghdoudi, 2020. "Testing the governance-performance relationship for the Tunisian banks: a GMM in system analysis," Financial Innovation, Springer;Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, vol. 6(1), pages 1-24, December.
    18. Edwin Mansfield, 1984. "R&D and Innovation: Some Empirical Findings," NBER Chapters, in: R&D, Patents, and Productivity, pages 127-154, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    19. Jean O. Lanjouw & Ariel Pakes & Jonathan Putnam, 1998. "How to Count Patents and Value Intellectual Property: The Uses of Patent Renewal and Application Data," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 46(4), pages 405-432, December.
    20. Milton Friedman, 2007. "The Social Responsibility of Business Is to Increase Its Profits," Springer Books, in: Walther Ch Zimmerli & Markus Holzinger & Klaus Richter (ed.), Corporate Ethics and Corporate Governance, pages 173-178, Springer.
    21. Jensen, Michael C. & Meckling, William H., 1976. "Theory of the firm: Managerial behavior, agency costs and ownership structure," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 3(4), pages 305-360, October.
    22. repec:ipg:wpaper:2014-367 is not listed on IDEAS
    23. Dang, Jianwei & Motohashi, Kazuyuki, 2015. "Patent statistics: A good indicator for innovation in China? Patent subsidy program impacts on patent quality," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 137-155.
    24. Lanjouw, Jean O & Pakes, Ariel & Putnam, Jonathan, 1998. "How to Count Patents and Value Intellectual Property: The Uses of Patent Renewal and Application Data," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 46(4), pages 405-432, December.
    25. Xiang Deng & Xiang Cheng, 2019. "Can ESG Indices Improve the Enterprises’ Stock Market Performance?—An Empirical Study from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(17), pages 1-13, September.
    26. repec:fth:prinin:455 is not listed on IDEAS
    27. R. Edward Freeman & Andrew C. Wicks & Bidhan Parmar, 2004. "Stakeholder Theory and “The Corporate Objective Revisited”," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 15(3), pages 364-369, June.
    28. Cristiano Busco & Costanza Consolandi & Robert G. Eccles & Elena Sofra, 2020. "A Preliminary Analysis of SASB Reporting: Disclosure Topics, Financial Relevance, and the Financial Intensity of ESG Materiality," Journal of Applied Corporate Finance, Morgan Stanley, vol. 32(2), pages 117-125, June.
    29. Elena Escrig-Olmedo & María Ángeles Fernández-Izquierdo & Idoya Ferrero-Ferrero & Juana María Rivera-Lirio & María Jesús Muñoz-Torres, 2019. "Rating the Raters: Evaluating how ESG Rating Agencies Integrate Sustainability Principles," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-16, February.
    30. Sang Kim & Zhichuan (Frank) Li, 2021. "Understanding the Impact of ESG Practices in Corporate Finance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-15, March.
    31. Xinshu Zhao & John G. Lynch & Qimei Chen, 2010. "Reconsidering Baron and Kenny: Myths and Truths about Mediation Analysis," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 37(2), pages 197-206, August.
    32. Xun Zhang & Biao Xu, 2019. "R&D Internationalization and Green Innovation? Evidence from Chinese Resource Enterprises and Environmental Enterprises," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(24), pages 1-18, December.
    33. Shuang Liu & Qi Yu & Liang Zhang & Jian Xu & Zhenji Jin, 2021. "Does Intellectual Capital Investment Improve Financial Competitiveness and Green Innovation Performance? Evidence from Renewable Energy Companies in China," Mathematical Problems in Engineering, Hindawi, vol. 2021, pages 1-13, April.
    34. Vanessa Oltra & Maïder Saint Jean, 2009. "Sectoral systems of environmental innovation: an application to the French automotive industry," Post-Print hal-00274413, HAL.
    35. Hens Runhaar & Casper Tigchelaar & Walter J. V. Vermeulen, 2008. "Environmental leaders: making a difference. A typology of environmental leaders and recommendations for a differentiated policy approach," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 17(3), pages 160-178, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Lifeng Chen & Fuxuan Guo & Lingyan Huang, 2023. "Impact of Foreign Direct Investment on Green Innovation: Evidence from China’s Provincial Panel Data," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-17, February.
    2. Jie Zhou & Shanyue Jin, 2023. "Corporate Environmental Protection Behavior and Sustainable Development: The Moderating Role of Green Investors and Green Executive Cognition," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-18, February.
    3. Hui Zhao & Ao Lei & Yuhui Li & Dingjun Hong, 2023. "The Sectoral and Regional Peer Influences on Heavy-Pollution Corporate Environmental, Social, and Governance Performance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-42, August.
    4. Sisi Zheng & Shanyue Jin, 2023. "Can Enterprises in China Achieve Sustainable Development through Green Investment?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-25, January.
    5. Chen, Lifeng & Khurram, Muhammad Usman & Gao, Yuying & Abedin, Mohammad Zoynul & Lucey, Brian, 2023. "ESG disclosure and technological innovation capabilities of the Chinese listed companies," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    6. Qingyuan Yang & Shaorong Xu, 2022. "The Relationship between the Political Connections and Green Innovation Development of Chinese Enterprises—Empirical Analysis Based on Panel Data of Chinese A-Share Listed Companies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-18, October.
    7. Lingfu Kong & Minhas Akbar & Petra Poulova, 2023. "The Role of Environment, Social, and Governance Performance in Shaping Corporate Current and Future Value: The Case of Global Tech Leaders," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-14, August.
    8. Yang Yang & Jinmian Han, 2023. "Digital transformation, financing constraints, and corporate environmental, social, and governance performance," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(6), pages 3189-3202, November.
    9. Yuan Li & Nan Huang & Yang Zhao, 2022. "The Impact of Green Innovation on Enterprise Green Economic Efficiency," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(24), pages 1-26, December.
    10. Lipeng Sun & Nur Ashikin Mohd Saat, 2023. "How Does Intelligent Manufacturing Affect the ESG Performance of Manufacturing Firms? Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-20, February.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Xun Zhang & Biao Xu, 2019. "R&D Internationalization and Green Innovation? Evidence from Chinese Resource Enterprises and Environmental Enterprises," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(24), pages 1-18, December.
    2. Federica Ielasi & Paolo Ceccherini & Pietro Zito, 2020. "Integrating ESG Analysis into Smart Beta Strategies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-22, November.
    3. Ge Ge & Xiang Xiao & Zhenzhu Li & Qinghui Dai, 2022. "Does ESG Performance Promote High-Quality Development of Enterprises in China? The Mediating Role of Innovation Input," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-24, March.
    4. Chen, Lifeng & Khurram, Muhammad Usman & Gao, Yuying & Abedin, Mohammad Zoynul & Lucey, Brian, 2023. "ESG disclosure and technological innovation capabilities of the Chinese listed companies," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    5. Maha Faisal Alsayegh & Rashidah Abdul Rahman & Saeid Homayoun, 2020. "Corporate Economic, Environmental, and Social Sustainability Performance Transformation through ESG Disclosure," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-20, May.
    6. Ayman Hassan Bazhair & Mohammed Naif Alshareef, 2022. "Dynamic relationship between ownership structure and financial performance: a Saudi experience," Cogent Business & Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 9(1), pages 2098636-209, December.
    7. Christof Miska & Mark E. Mendenhall, 2018. "Responsible Leadership: A Mapping of Extant Research and Future Directions," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 148(1), pages 117-134, March.
    8. Nicolas van Zeebroeck, 2011. "The puzzle of patent value indicators," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(1), pages 33-62.
    9. Cao Thi Mien Thuy & Trinh Quoc Trung & Nguyen Vinh Khuong & Nguyen Thanh Liem, 2021. "From Corporate Social Responsibility to Stock Price Crash Risk: Modelling the Mediating Role of Firm Performance in an Emerging Market," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-17, November.
    10. Pan, Xia & Cheng, Wenyin & Gao, Yuning, 2022. "The impact of privatization of state-owned enterprises on innovation in China: A tale of privatization degree," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    11. Louis Maximilian Ronalter & Merce Bernardo & Javier Manuel Romaní, 2023. "Quality and environmental management systems as business tools to enhance ESG performance: a cross-regional empirical study," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(9), pages 9067-9109, September.
    12. KOUAKOU, Dorgyles C.M. & YEO, Kolotioloma I.H., 2023. "Can innovation reduce the size of the informal economy? Econometric evidence from 138 countries," MPRA Paper 119264, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    13. Samuel Jebaraj Benjamin & Pallab Kumar Biswas, 2022. "Does winning a CSR Award increase firm value?," International Journal of Disclosure and Governance, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 19(3), pages 313-329, September.
    14. Um‐E‐Roman Fayyaz & Raja Nabeel‐Ud‐Din Jalal & Michelina Venditti & Antonio Minguez‐Vera, 2023. "Diverse boards and firm performance: The role of environmental, social and governance disclosure," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(3), pages 1457-1472, May.
    15. Clément Carbonnier & Simon Fredon & Benoît Gauthier & Clément Malgouyres & Thierry Mayer & Loriane Py & Gwenaële Rot & Camille Urvoy, 2016. "Evaluation interdisciplinaire des impacts du CICE en matière de compétitivité internationale, d'investissement, d'emploi, de résultat net des entreprises et de salaires," Sciences Po publications info:hdl:2441/4v8c8tnfgu8, Sciences Po.
    16. Ali Meftah Gerged, 2021. "Factors affecting corporate environmental disclosure in emerging markets: The role of corporate governance structures," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(1), pages 609-629, January.
    17. Ali Meftah Gerged & Eshani Beddewela & Christopher J. Cowton, 2021. "Is corporate environmental disclosure associated with firm value? A multicountry study of Gulf Cooperation Council firms," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(1), pages 185-203, January.
    18. Leila Tahmooresnejad & Catherine Beaudry, 2019. "Capturing the economic value of triadic patents," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 118(1), pages 127-157, January.
    19. Jun Xie & Wataru Nozawa & Shunsuke Managi, 2020. "The role of women on boards in corporate environmental strategy and financial performance: A global outlook," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(5), pages 2044-2059, September.
    20. Victoria Hurth & Charles Ebert & Jaideep Prabhu, 2018. "Organisational purpose: the construct and its antecedents and consequences," Working Papers 201802, Cambridge Judge Business School, University of Cambridge.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:14:p:8677-:d:863533. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.