IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/finlet/v85y2025ipcs1544612325013972.html

Board composition and climate strategy: the role of governance in internal carbon pricing adoption

Author

Listed:
  • Khandelwal, Urvashi
  • Khandelwal, Chitranshu

Abstract

Using a panel dataset of 4,815 U.S. firms from 2014 to 2022, this study examines the impact of board composition on firms’ decisions to adopt Internal Carbon Pricing (ICP). Our findings reveal an inverted U-shaped relationship between board size and ICP adoption, indicating that while larger boards enhance strategic oversight, excessively large boards may hinder decision-making efficiency. Additionally, board independence and gender diversity are positively associated with ICP adoption, suggesting that independent and diverse boards play a crucial role in driving sustainability initiatives. These results remain robust across alternative specifications, including spline regression, instrumental variable (IV) estimation, and GMM.

Suggested Citation

  • Khandelwal, Urvashi & Khandelwal, Chitranshu, 2025. "Board composition and climate strategy: the role of governance in internal carbon pricing adoption," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 85(PC).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:finlet:v:85:y:2025:i:pc:s1544612325013972
    DOI: 10.1016/j.frl.2025.108142
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1544612325013972
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.frl.2025.108142?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

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Cohen, Shira & Kadach, Igor & Ormazabal, Gaizka, 2023. "Institutional investors, climate disclosure, and carbon emissions," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 76(2).
    2. Zhu, Bangzhu & Xu, Chenxin & Wang, Ping & Zhang, Lin, 2022. "How does internal carbon pricing affect corporate environmental performance?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 65-77.
    3. Andres, Pablo de & Vallelado, Eleuterio, 2008. "Corporate governance in banking: The role of the board of directors," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 32(12), pages 2570-2580, December.
    4. Atif, Muhammad & Hossain, Mohammed & Alam, Md Samsul & Goergen, Marc, 2021. "Does board gender diversity affect renewable energy consumption?," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    5. Bento, Nuno & Gianfrate, Gianfranco, 2020. "Determinants of internal carbon pricing," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 143(C).
    6. Barroso, Raúl & Duan, Tinghua & Guo, Siyue (Sarina) & Kowalewski, Oskar, 2024. "Board gender diversity reform and corporate carbon emissions," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    7. Đặng, Rey & Karmani, Majdi & Houanti, L'Hocine & Simioni, Michel & Abid, Ilyes, 2023. "Board gender diversity and environmental performance: A semi-parametric panel data analysis," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 58(PA).
    8. Nuno Bento & Gianfranco Gianfrate & Joseph E. Aldy, 2021. "National Climate Policies and Corporate Internal Carbon Pricing," The Energy Journal, , vol. 42(5), pages 89-100, September.
    9. Nazim Hussain & Ugo Rigoni & René P. Orij, 2018. "Corporate Governance and Sustainability Performance: Analysis of Triple Bottom Line Performance," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 149(2), pages 411-432, May.
    10. Azar, José & Duro, Miguel & Kadach, Igor & Ormazabal, Gaizka, 2021. "The Big Three and corporate carbon emissions around the world," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 142(2), pages 674-696.
    11. Anzhela Knyazeva & Diana Knyazeva & Ronald W. Masulis, 2013. "The Supply of Corporate Directors and Board Independence," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 26(6), pages 1561-1605.
    12. Kreuzer, Christian & Priberny, Christopher, 2022. "To green or not to green: The influence of board characteristics on carbon emissions," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 49(C).
    13. Chen, Liangyu & Yusuyin, Alkut & Zhang, Renyi & Zhang, Yongmin, 2025. "Boards' green background and corporate ESG," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 105(C).
    14. Haque, Faizul, 2017. "The effects of board characteristics and sustainable compensation policy on carbon performance of UK firms," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 49(3), pages 347-364.
    15. repec:aen:journl:ej42-5-bento is not listed on IDEAS
    16. Kyaw, Khine & Olugbode, Mojisola & Petracci, Barbara, 2015. "Does gender diverse board mean less earnings management?," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 14(C), pages 135-141.
    17. Naiping Zhu & Ishmael Wiredu & Andrew Osei Agyemang & Abednego Osei, 2024. "Addressing corporate governance and carbon accounting disclosure gaps: A path toward firms commitment to sustainable development goal 13," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(5), pages 5421-5436, October.
    18. Sirimon Treepongkaruna & Khine Kyaw & Pornsit Jiraporn, 2024. "ESG controversies and corporate governance: Evidence from board size," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(5), pages 4218-4232, July.
    19. Dharwadkar, Ravi & Guo, Jun & Shi, Linna & Yang, Rong, 2021. "Corporate social irresponsibility and boards: The implications of legal expertise," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 143-154.
    20. Bolton, Patrick & Kacperczyk, Marcin, 2021. "Do investors care about carbon risk?," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 142(2), pages 517-549.
    21. Homroy, Swarnodeep, 2023. "GHG emissions and firm performance: The role of CEO gender socialization," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 148(C).
    22. Trinks, Arjan & Mulder, Machiel & Scholtens, Bert, 2022. "External carbon costs and internal carbon pricing," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 168(C).
    23. Ishwar Khatri, 2024. "Boardroom Diversity and Carbon Emissions: Evidence from the UK Firms," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 195(4), pages 899-920, December.
    24. Riedel, Franziska & Gorbach, Gregor & Kost, Christoph, 2021. "Barriers to internal carbon pricing in German companies," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 159(C).
    25. Rey Đặng & Majdi Karmani & L'Hocine Houanti & Michel Simioni & Ilyes Abid, 2023. "Board gender diversity and environmental performance: a semi-parametric panel data analysis," Post-Print hal-04106411, HAL.
    26. Naiping Zhu & Abednego Osei & Andrew Osei Agyemang, 2024. "Do board attributes influence environmental sustainability disclosure in manufacturing firms? Evidence from sub‐Saharan Africa," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(5), pages 4759-4771, September.
    27. Habiba Al‐Shaer & Cemil Kuzey & Ali Uyar & Abdullah S. Karaman, 2024. "Corporate strategy, board composition, and firm value," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(3), pages 3177-3202, July.
    28. Liao, Lin & Luo, Le & Tang, Qingliang, 2015. "Gender diversity, board independence, environmental committee and greenhouse gas disclosure," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 47(4), pages 409-424.
    29. Jasmine Yur‐Austin & Ran Zhao & Lu Zhu, 2024. "Unraveling the impact of female CEOs on corporate bond markets," Financial Management, Financial Management Association International, vol. 53(2), pages 391-423, June.
    30. Blundell, Richard & Bond, Stephen, 1998. "Initial conditions and moment restrictions in dynamic panel data models," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 87(1), pages 115-143, August.
    31. Abednego Osei & Naiping Zhu & Hela Borgi & Joana Cobbinah, 2025. "Empowering Sustainable Production: Firm Governance, Finance Strategies, and Tech‐Innovation in Advancing Circular Economy for SDG 12 in the US, China and Japan," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(4), pages 5282-5307, August.
    32. Zhu, Yaqin & Chen, Jing, 2025. "How does board gender diversity shape ESG performance?," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 74(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. Borsuk, Marcin & Eugster, Nicolas & Klein, Paul-Olivier & Kowalewski, Oskar, 2024. "Family firms and carbon emissions," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    2. Altunbas, Yener & Gambacorta, Leonardo & Reghezza, Alessio & Velliscig, Giulio, 2022. "Does gender diversity in the workplace mitigate climate change?," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    3. Ishwar Khatri, 2024. "Boardroom Diversity and Carbon Emissions: Evidence from the UK Firms," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 195(4), pages 899-920, December.
    4. Barroso, Raúl & Duan, Tinghua & Guo, Siyue (Sarina) & Kowalewski, Oskar, 2024. "Board gender diversity reform and corporate carbon emissions," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    5. Hasan, Mostafa Monzur & Bhuiyan, Md Borhan Uddin & Taylor, Grantley, 2025. "Reprint of: Corporate culture and carbon emission performance," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 57(1).
    6. Nguyen, Thi Hong Hanh & Ntim, Collins G. & Malagila, John K., 2020. "Women on corporate boards and corporate financial and non-financial performance: A systematic literature review and future research agenda," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    7. Amin, Abu & Hossain, Md Miran & Lee, Narae & Saadi, Samir, 2025. "Corporate political activities and firms' carbon emissions," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 95(C).
    8. Cosma, Simona & Galletta, Simona & Mazzù, Sebastiano & Rimo, Giuseppe, 2024. "Banks' fossil fuel divestment and corporate governance: The role of board gender diversity," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
    9. Luo, Zijun & Li, Mingyang & Hu, Xueqin & Xu, Hao, 2025. "Beyond awareness: How investor-initiated communications reduce corporate carbon emissions," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 152(C).
    10. Tantawy Moussa & Amir Allam & Mahmoud Elmarzouky, 2023. "An examination of UK companies' modern slavery disclosure practices: Does board gender diversity matter?," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(8), pages 5382-5402, December.
    11. Hasan, Mostafa Monzur & Chen, Xiaomeng Charlene, 2025. "Business strategies and carbon emissions," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
    12. Marcin Borsuk & Nicolas Eugster & Paul-Olivier Klein & Oskar Kowalewski, 2023. "Family Ownership and Carbon Emissions," Working Papers 2023-ACF-01, IESEG School of Management.
    13. Islam, Farhana & Bose, Sudipta & Ying, Sammy Xiaoyan & Shams, Syed, 2025. "From corporate emissions to financial statements: Understanding accounting conservatism in the wake of carbon risks," Journal of Contemporary Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 21(3).
    14. Khine Kyaw & Sirimon Treepongkaruna & Pornsit Jiraporn, 2022. "Board gender diversity and environmental emissions," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(7), pages 2871-2881, November.
    15. Kwabi, Frank Obenpong & Adamolekun, Gbenga & Kyiu, Anthony, 2025. "CEO power and firm decarbonisation efforts," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    16. Fraccalvieri, Ilenia & Raimo, Nicola & Vitolla, Filippo & Bussoli, Candida, 2025. "Steering the energy transition: Governance and renewable energy in global banking," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    17. Khalil Nimer & Muath Abdelqader & Cemil Kuzey & Ali Uyar, 2024. "Emission targeting and carbon emissions: The moderating effect of female directors," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(4), pages 3480-3504, May.
    18. Sirin, Selahattin Murat & Yilmaz, Berna N., 2025. "Tech firms and the renewable energy sector: Exploring the moderating effects of institutional ownership on financial connectedness," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    19. Nurlan Orazalin, 2020. "Do board sustainability committees contribute to corporate environmental and social performance? The mediating role of corporate social responsibility strategy," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(1), pages 140-153, January.
    20. Dewan Muktadir‐Al‐Mukit & Firoz Haroon Bhaiyat, 2024. "Impact of corporate governance diversity on carbon emission under environmental policy via the mandatory nonfinancial reporting regulation," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(2), pages 1397-1417, February.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:85:y:2025:i:pc:s1544612325013972. 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.