IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/ecofin/v75y2025ipas1062940824002031.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Corporate ESG decoupling and R&D investment

Author

Listed:
  • Sun, Yicheng
  • Tao, Qizhi
  • Wang, Du
  • Zhang, Wan

Abstract

This study investigates whether and how firms’ engagement in ESG decoupling leads to changes in R&D investment. Using a sample of U.S. listed firms from 2012 to 2023, we discover a consistent negative effect of ESG decoupling on R&D investment, indicating opposite effects from ESG brown-washing versus green-washing. Brown-washing firms exhibit a significant increase in R&D investment. Cross-sectional tests support the strategic incentive that a more pronounced positive effect observed in smaller firms, firms facing greater financial constraints and market competition, and among high-tech firms. In contrast, we find that green-washing firms experience a significant decrease in R&D investment. The decrease in R&D investment among green-washing firms is mitigated by more stringent corporate governance enforced by institutional investors, but is further amplified among firms facing greater market competition and high-tech firms, suggesting that green-washing firms with decreased R&D investment are subject to managerial opportunism. Our findings remain robust to different subsets of benchmarking normal firms and alternative measurement. In addition, we find that the capital market responds positively to ESG green-washing and negatively towards brown-washing, which implies a favorable attitude toward floated ESG disclosure from the investors. Overall, our study unveils the important role of ESG decoupling in reshaping corporate investment decision and contribute to the growing literature on ESG decoupling.

Suggested Citation

  • Sun, Yicheng & Tao, Qizhi & Wang, Du & Zhang, Wan, 2025. "Corporate ESG decoupling and R&D investment," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 75(PA).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecofin:v:75:y:2025:i:pa:s1062940824002031
    DOI: 10.1016/j.najef.2024.102278
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1062940824002031
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.najef.2024.102278?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Pascual Berrone & Andrea Fosfuri & Liliana Gelabert, 2017. "Does Greenwashing Pay Off? Understanding the Relationship Between Environmental Actions and Environmental Legitimacy," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 144(2), pages 363-379, August.
    2. Evan Starr & Brent Goldfarb, 2020. "Binned scatterplots: A simple tool to make research easier and better," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(12), pages 2261-2274, December.
    3. Bradford Cornell, 2021. "ESG preferences, risk and return," European Financial Management, European Financial Management Association, vol. 27(1), pages 12-19, January.
    4. Leonid Kogan & Dimitris Papanikolaou & Amit Seru & Noah Stoffman, 2017. "Technological Innovation, Resource Allocation, and Growth," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 132(2), pages 665-712.
    5. Cho, Charles H. & Laine, Matias & Roberts, Robin W. & Rodrigue, Michelle, 2015. "Organized hypocrisy, organizational façades, and sustainability reporting," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 78-94.
    6. Tsang, Albert & Wang, Kun Tracy & Liu, Simeng & Yu, Li, 2021. "Integrating corporate social responsibility criteria into executive compensation and firm innovation: International evidence," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    7. Manju Puri & Rebecca Zarutskie, 2012. "On the Life Cycle Dynamics of Venture-Capital- and Non-Venture-Capital-Financed Firms," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 67(6), pages 2247-2293, December.
    8. Yoo, Taeyoung & Sung, Taeyoon, 2015. "How outside directors facilitate corporate R&D investment? Evidence from large Korean firms," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 68(6), pages 1251-1260.
    9. Eun-Hee Kim & Thomas P. Lyon, 2015. "Greenwash vs. Brownwash: Exaggeration and Undue Modesty in Corporate Sustainability Disclosure," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 26(3), pages 705-723, June.
    10. Yinglin Huang & Claude Francoeur & Stephen Brammer, 2022. "What drives and curbs brownwashing?," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(5), pages 2518-2532, July.
    11. Jun Li & Di (Andrew) Wu, 2020. "Do Corporate Social Responsibility Engagements Lead to Real Environmental, Social, and Governance Impact?," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 66(6), pages 2564-2588, June.
    12. Yu, Ellen Pei-yi & Luu, Bac Van & Chen, Catherine Huirong, 2020. "Greenwashing in environmental, social and governance disclosures," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 52(C).
    13. Birger Wernerfelt, 1984. "A resource‐based view of the firm," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 5(2), pages 171-180, April.
    14. Gillan, Stuart L. & Koch, Andrew & Starks, Laura T., 2021. "Firms and social responsibility: A review of ESG and CSR research in corporate finance," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    15. Liang, Woan-lih, 2012. "Information content of repurchase signals: Tangible or intangible information?," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 36(1), pages 261-274.
    16. Alex Coad & Rekha Rao, 2010. "Firm growth and R&D expenditure," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(2), pages 127-145.
    17. Shimin Chen & Xu Ni & Jamie Y. Tong, 2016. "Gender Diversity in the Boardroom and Risk Management: A Case of R&D Investment," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 136(3), pages 599-621, July.
    18. Ammar Ali Gull & Nazim Hussain & Sana Akbar Khan & Zaheer Khan & Asif Saeed, 2023. "Governing Corporate Social Responsibility Decoupling: The Effect of the Governance Committee on Corporate Social Responsibility Decoupling," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 185(2), pages 349-374, June.
    19. Paul M. Romer, 1994. "The Origins of Endogenous Growth," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 8(1), pages 3-22, Winter.
    20. Broadstock, David C. & Matousek, Roman & Meyer, Martin & Tzeremes, Nickolaos G., 2020. "Does corporate social responsibility impact firms' innovation capacity? The indirect link between environmental & social governance implementation and innovation performance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 99-110.
    21. Zona, Fabio, 2016. "Agency models in different stages of CEO tenure: The effects of stock options and board independence on R&D investment," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(2), pages 560-575.
    22. Peters, Ryan H. & Taylor, Lucian A., 2017. "Intangible capital and the investment-q relation," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 123(2), pages 251-272.
    23. Chen, Jie & Leung, Woon Sau & Evans, Kevin P., 2018. "Female board representation, corporate innovation and firm performance," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 236-254.
    24. Joel Bothello & Ioannis Ioannou & Vlad‐Andrei Porumb & Yasemin Zengin‐Karaibrahimoglu, 2023. "CSR decoupling within business groups and the risk of perceived greenwashing," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(13), pages 3217-3251, December.
    25. Coad, Alex & Segarra, Agustí & Teruel, Mercedes, 2016. "Innovation and firm growth: Does firm age play a role?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(2), pages 387-400.
    26. George Serafeim, 2020. "Public Sentiment and the Price of Corporate Sustainability," Financial Analysts Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 76(2), pages 26-46, April.
    27. Fishman, Arthur & Rob, Rafael, 1999. "The Size of Firms and R&D Investment," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 40(4), pages 915-931, November.
    28. Shinwoo Kang & E Han Kim & Yao Lu, 2018. "Does Independent Directors’ CEO Experience Matter?," Review of Finance, European Finance Association, vol. 22(3), pages 905-949.
    29. Rita Gunther McGrath & Ming-Hone Tsai & S. Venkataraman & I. C. MacMillan, 1996. "Innovation, Competitive Advantage and Rent: A Model and Test," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 42(3), pages 389-403, March.
    30. Francesco Testa & Ivan Miroshnychenko & Roberto Barontini & Marco Frey, 2018. "Does it pay to be a greenwasher or a brownwasher?," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(7), pages 1104-1116, November.
    31. García-Quevedo, José & Pellegrino, Gabriele & Vivarelli, Marco, 2014. "R&D drivers and age: Are young firms different?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(9), pages 1544-1556.
    32. Xingqiang Du, 2015. "How the Market Values Greenwashing? Evidence from China," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 128(3), pages 547-574, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Francesca Bernini & Fabio La Rosa, 2024. "Research in the greenwashing field: concepts, theories, and potential impacts on economic and social value," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 28(2), pages 405-444, June.
    2. Birindelli, Giuliana & Chiappini, Helen & Jalal, Raja Nabeel-Ud-Din, 2024. "Greenwashing, bank financial performance and the moderating role of gender diversity," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    3. Xiangyu Chen & Peng Wan & Zhefeng Ma & Yu Yang, 2024. "Does corporate digital transformation restrain ESG decoupling? Evidence from China," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-15, December.
    4. Wei Wang & Ziyuan Sun & Weixing Zhu & Lin Ma & Yuting Dong & Xiao Sun & Fengzhi Wu, 2023. "How does multi‐agent govern corporate greenwashing? A stakeholder engagement perspective from “common” to “collaborative” governance," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(1), pages 291-307, January.
    5. Wei Li & Weining Li & Veikko Seppänen & Timo Koivumäki, 2022. "How and when does perceived greenwashing affect employees' job performance? Evidence from China," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(5), pages 1722-1735, September.
    6. Li, Yunzhong & Zhao, Yu & Ye, Chengfang & Li, Xiaofan & Tao, Yunqing, 2024. "ESG ratings and the cost of equity capital in China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    7. Wei Li & Weining Li & Veikko Seppänen & Timo Koivumäki, 2023. "Effects of greenwashing on financial performance: Moderation through local environmental regulation and media coverage," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(1), pages 820-841, January.
    8. Xing, Chao & Zhang, Xinyue & Zhang, Yuming & Zhang, Luxiu, 2024. "From green-washing to innovation-washing: Environmental information intangibility and corporate green innovation in China," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 93(PB), pages 204-226.
    9. Wang, Hu & Shen, Hong, 2024. "Self-restraint or external supervision: Green bond issuance and greenwashing," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 70(PB).
    10. Tingfa Zhang & Huaying Qin & Weishuang Xu, 2022. "Environmental Regulation, Greenwashing Behaviour, and Green Governance of High-Pollution Enterprises in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-22, October.
    11. Patrick Velte, 2023. "Determinants and consequences of corporate social responsibility decoupling—Status quo and limitations of recent empirical quantitative research," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(6), pages 2695-2717, November.
    12. Pengyu Chen & Abd Alwahed Dagestani, 2023. "Greenwashing behavior and firm value – From the perspective of board characteristics," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(5), pages 2330-2343, September.
    13. Habib, Ahsan & Hasan, Mostafa Monzur, 2019. "Corporate life cycle research in accounting, finance and corporate governance: A survey, and directions for future research," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 188-201.
    14. Moaniba, Igam M. & Su, Hsin-Ning & Lee, Pei-Chun, 2019. "On the drivers of innovation: Does the co-evolution of technological diversification and international collaboration matter?," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 148(C).
    15. Wu, Qiang & Dbouk, Wassim & Hasan, Iftekhar & Kobeissi, Nada & Zheng, Li, 2021. "Does gender affect innovation? Evidence from female chief technology officers," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(9).
    16. Xue, Kunkun & Chen, Xiaoxiao & Sun, Peipei & Li, Yongqing, 2024. "Supply chain network centrality and corporate greenwashing behavior," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    17. Torelli, Riccardo & Balluchi, Federica & Lazzini, Arianna, 2019. "Greenwashing and Environmental Communication: Effects on Stakeholders’ Perceptions," OSF Preprints 97vxn, Center for Open Science.
    18. Meisinger, Norman, 2022. "A tragedy of intangible commons: Riding the socioecological wave," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 193(C).
    19. Hu, Xinwen & Hua, Renhai & Liu, Qingfu & Wang, Chuanjie, 2023. "The green fog: Environmental rating disagreement and corporate greenwashing," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    20. Sun, Chenwei & Jin, Justin & Nainar, Khalid & Lobo, Gerald, 2024. "Does firms’ corporate social responsibility reduce crime?," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 96(PC).

    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:eee:ecofin:v:75:y:2025:i:pa:s1062940824002031. 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: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/inca/620163 .

    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.