IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/finlet/v72y2025ics154461232401554x.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Does green innovation enhance corporate social responsibility? ——Evidence from China

Author

Listed:
  • Zhang, Jingwei
  • Leng, Haijuan

Abstract

The combination of green innovation (GI) and corporate social responsibility (CSR) can help promote sustainable development of enterprises, enhance corporate social image and competitiveness, and at the same time have a positive impact on the upgrading and transformation of the entire industry. This paper introduces empirical analysis methods to reveal that there is a significant positive correlation between green innovation and social responsibility, especially in economically developed areas in context of China. The study indicates that corporate performance plays an intermediate effect in the process of GI improving the level of CSR fulfillment. The conclusions offer empirical reinforcement to our comprehension of the intricate relationship between GI and CSR, effectively bridging the research gap and serving as a robust reference for the development of future sustainable development strategies.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhang, Jingwei & Leng, Haijuan, 2025. "Does green innovation enhance corporate social responsibility? ——Evidence from China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:finlet:v:72:y:2025:i:c:s154461232401554x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.frl.2024.106525
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S154461232401554X
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.frl.2024.106525?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. Hao, Jing & He, Feng, 2022. "Corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance and green innovation: Evidence from China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 48(C).
    2. Xie, Xuemei & Han, Yuhang & Hoang, Thu Thao, 2022. "Can green process innovation improve both financial and environmental performance? The roles of TMT heterogeneity and ownership," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 184(C).
    3. Gao, Yongjun & Mohd Saleh, Norman & Abdullah, Ahmad Monir & Adznan, Syaima, 2024. "Climate-related disclosures under the TCFD framework and business green innovation: Evidence from China A-share companies," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    4. Li, Shiyu & Yang, Jun, 2024. "Administrative incentives and enterprise green innovation: Based on empirical evidence from China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 62(PA).
    5. Vasileiou, Efi & Georgantzis, Nikolaos & Attanasi, Giuseppe & Llerena, Patrick, 2022. "Green innovation and financial performance: A study on Italian firms," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(6).
    6. Ding, Yibing & Li, Jing & Tian, Yuqi, 2024. "The short and long-term effects of cross-border M&A network on Chinese enterprises’ green innovation," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).
    7. Che, Shuai & Tao, Miaomiao & Silva, Emilson & Sheng, Mingyue Selena & Zhao, Congyu & Wang, Jun, 2024. "Financial misallocation and green innovation efficiency: China's firm-level evidence," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    8. Li, Qiang & Shi, Zhengyu & Xiang, Erwei & Shi, Huimin, 2024. "Environmental investment and tunneling: A substitute for corporate governance," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 96(PA).
    9. Khenissi, Mohamed & Jahmane, Abderrahman & Hofaidhllaoui, Mahrane, 2022. "Does the introduction of CSR criteria into CEO incentive pay reduce their earnings management? The case of companies listed in the SBF 120," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 48(C).
    10. Li, Yu & Yaacob, Mohd Hasimi & Xie, Tao, 2024. "Effects of China's low carbon pilot city policy on corporate green innovation: Considering the mediating role of public environmental concern," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    11. Mbanyele, William & Huang, Hongyun & Li, Yafei & Muchenje, Linda T. & Wang, Fengrong, 2022. "Corporate social responsibility and green innovation: Evidence from mandatory CSR disclosure laws," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 212(C).
    12. Wang, Hai-Jie & Zheng, Mei-Qi & Yin, Hua-Tang & Chang, Chun-Ping, 2024. "Green innovation, industrial structure and urban eco-efficiency in Chinese cities," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 1011-1024.
    13. Wang, Jia & Zhang, Shuying, 2024. "Environmental protection tax, green innovation, and environmental, social, and governance performance," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    14. Cao, Shaopeng & Yao, Hongjiang & Zhang, Min, 2023. "CSR gap and firm performance: An organizational justice perspective," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    15. Gao, Lei & Kling, Gerhard, 2008. "Corporate governance and tunneling: Empirical evidence from China," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 16(5), pages 591-605, November.
    16. Shi, Xuanyi & Lin, Yongjia & Wang, Yizhi, 2024. "Institutional investor heterogeneity and green innovation in China: Does digital transformation matter?," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 93(PB), pages 994-1014.
    17. Jin, Minghui & Chen, Yang, 2024. "Has green innovation been improved by intelligent manufacturing?—Evidence from listed Chinese manufacturing enterprises," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 205(C).
    18. Khaddage-Soboh, Nada & Yunis, Manal & Imran, Muhammad & Zeb, Faheem, 2024. "Sustainable practices in Malaysian manufacturing: The influence of CSR, transformational leadership, and green organizational culture on environmental performance," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 753-768.
    19. Li, Jinning & Kong, Tao & Gu, Liangliang, 2024. "The impact of climate policy uncertainty on green innovation in Chinese agricultural enterprises," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 62(PA).
    20. Omonijo, Oluwole Nurudeen & Yunsheng, Zhang, 2022. "Impact mechanism of technological innovation by Chinese companies on CSR in Africa mobile communication industry," Innovation and Green Development, Elsevier, vol. 1(2).
    21. Ren, Xingzi & Li, Jiarong & Wang, Xing & Lei, Xingfan, 2024. "Female directors and CSR: Does the presence of female directors affect CSR focus?," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    22. Guo, Chunying & Yang, Baochen & Fan, Ying, 2022. "Does mandatory CSR disclosure improve stock price informativeness? Evidence from China," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    23. Roy, Partha P. & Rao, Sandeep & Zhu, Min, 2022. "Mandatory CSR expenditure and stock market liquidity," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    24. Zhou, Xiaoxiao & Jia, Mengyu & Li, Wenqing & Zhao, Xin & Gatto, Andrea & Ma, Xiaowei, 2024. "Higher education or scientific research: Which one contributes more to China's green innovation?," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    25. Wang, Xin & Gan, Yufei & Zhou, Shiqi & Wang, Xinqiao, 2024. "Digital technology adoption, absorptive capacity, CEO green experience and the quality of green innovation: Evidence from China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    26. Liu, Liqian & Feng, Amei & Liu, Mingxia, 2024. "The effect of green innovation on corporate financial performance: Does quality matter?," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 62(PB).
    27. Kong, Zhenhuan & Du, Jianxiao & Kong, Yilin & Cui, Xiaoyu, 2024. "Financial development, environmental regulation, and corporate green technology innovation: Evidence from Chinese listed companies," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 62(PA).
    28. Kevin Koh & Heather Li & Yen H. Tong, 2023. "Corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance and stakeholder engagement: Evidence from the quantity and quality of CSR disclosures," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(2), pages 504-517, March.
    29. Yu, Zuwei & Chen, Guangren & Pei, Xiangjing & Gao, Zhixiong & Ding, Yu, 2024. "The impact of corporate social responsibility on green technology innovation: An empirical study of listed companies in China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    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. Lewis Liu, 2024. "Green innovation, firm performance, and risk mitigation: evidence from the USA," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 26(9), pages 24009-24030, September.
    2. Sun, Zhonghua & Wei, Wei, 2025. "Green technology innovation and corporate brand competitiveness: an analysis based on the role of environmental policy," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    3. Jing‐Yue Liu & Yue‐Jun Zhang & Charles H. Cho, 2023. "Corporate environmental information disclosure and green innovation: The moderating effect of CEO visibility," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(6), pages 3020-3042, November.
    4. Huang, Hongyun & Mbanyele, William & Wang, Fengrong & Song, Malin & Wang, Yuzhang, 2022. "Climbing the quality ladder of green innovation: Does green finance matter?," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 184(C).
    5. Wei Tao & Jian-ya Zhou & Ye-ling Zhao, 2024. "Research on the path of green technology innovation driven by the Environmental Protection Tax Law: Based on data of heavy polluting enterprises," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 19(7), pages 1-17, July.
    6. Sofia Karagiannopoulou & Nikolaos Sariannidis & Konstantina Ragazou & Ioannis Passas & Alexandros Garefalakis, 2023. "Corporate Social Responsibility: A Business Strategy That Promotes Energy Environmental Transition and Combats Volatility in the Post-Pandemic World," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-21, January.
    7. Yixuan Chen & Shanyue Jin, 2023. "Corporate Social Responsibility and Green Technology Innovation: The Moderating Role of Stakeholders," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-20, May.
    8. Do, Trung K. & Vo, Xuan Vinh, 2023. "Is mandatory sustainability disclosure associated with default risk? Evidence from emerging markets," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 55(PA).
    9. Hu, Weixuan & Shi, Shuling, 2025. "CEO green background and enterprise green innovation," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    10. Fiorillo, Paolo & Meles, Antonio & Pellegrino, Luigi Raffaele & Verdoliva, Vincenzo, 2023. "Geopolitical risk and stock liquidity," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    11. Huisu Lai & Lei Quan & Fei Wu & Song Tang & Chong Guo & Xiaobing Lai, 2025. "Corporate environmental publicity and green innovation: are words consistent with actions?," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 12(1), pages 1-14, December.
    12. Ying Lu & Sha Sun & Mingming Zhang & Zikun Yang, 2024. "Moving Towards Sustainable Development: Can Supply Chain Finance Promote Corporate Green Innovation?," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 15(3), pages 13001-13026, September.
    13. He, Feng & Qin, Shuqi & Liu, Yuanyuan & Wu, Ji (George), 2022. "CSR and idiosyncratic risk: Evidence from ESG information disclosure," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 49(C).
    14. Li, Wei-An & Du, Hanyu & He, Feng, 2025. "Mandatory corporate ESG disclosure and default risk – Evidence from China," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    15. Elif Akben Selcuk & Pinar Sener, 2018. "Corporate Governance and Tunneling: Empirical Evidence from Turkey," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 38(1), pages 349-361.
    16. Mohd Mohid Rahmat & Kamran Ahmed & Gerald J. Lobo, 2020. "Related Party Transactions, Value Relevance and Informativeness of Earnings: Evidence from Four Economies in East Asia," Review of Pacific Basin Financial Markets and Policies (RPBFMP), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 23(01), pages 1-42, March.
    17. Lei, Hao & Gao, Renyuan & Ning, Chutong & Sun, Guanglin, 2025. "Green finance and corporate green innovation," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    18. Zhang, Dongyang, 2023. "Does green finance really inhibit extreme hypocritical ESG risk? A greenwashing perspective exploration," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).
    19. Henry, Darren, 2010. "Agency costs, ownership structure and corporate governance compliance: A private contracting perspective," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 18(1), pages 24-46, January.
    20. Lan Guo & Ling Yang, 2023. "The Corporate Economic Influence and Corporate Social Responsibility: Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-22, July.

    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:finlet:v:72:y:2025:i:c:s154461232401554x. 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/frl .

    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.