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The value impact of climate and non-climate environmental shareholder proposals

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  • Berkman, Henk
  • Jona, Jonathan
  • Lodge, Joshua
  • Shemesh, Joshua

Abstract

We study the value impact of environmental shareholder proposals (ESPs) for Russell 3000 firms from 2006 to 2021. We distinguish between climate-dedicated ESPs and non-climate ESPs covering other environmental topics. We use two approaches to evaluate management's ability and willingness to select value-enhancing ESPs and reject value-destroying ESPs: (i) cumulative abnormal returns around the final proxy filing date and (ii) a regression discontinuity design around the voting threshold at the annual general meeting. Our results suggest that management has screening ability for ESPs, especially for climate proposals, and that investors and managers share common objectives in environmental activism.

Suggested Citation

  • Berkman, Henk & Jona, Jonathan & Lodge, Joshua & Shemesh, Joshua, 2024. "The value impact of climate and non-climate environmental shareholder proposals," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:corfin:v:89:y:2024:i:c:s0929119924001159
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2024.102653
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Climate change; Environmental shareholder proposals; Proxy filing; Regression discontinuity; Agency theory;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G23 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Non-bank Financial Institutions; Financial Instruments; Institutional Investors
    • Q54 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Climate; Natural Disasters and their Management; Global Warming

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