IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/finlet/v90y2026ics1544612325026509.html

The impact of green investors on corporate carbon disclosure: Evidence from Chinese listed companies

Author

Listed:
  • Zhu, Bangzhu
  • Song, Ze

Abstract

This study examines the impact of green investors on corporate carbon disclosure. We find that green investors can enhance corporate carbon disclosure. By constructing a “capital-incentive-pressure” research framework, we find that green investors can reduce corporate financing constraints, enhance corporate green innovation levels, strengthen media attention, and improve corporate carbon disclosure through resource effects, incentive effects, and signal and supervision effects.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhu, Bangzhu & Song, Ze, 2026. "The impact of green investors on corporate carbon disclosure: Evidence from Chinese listed companies," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:finlet:v:90:y:2026:i:c:s1544612325026509
    DOI: 10.1016/j.frl.2025.109401
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1544612325026509
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.frl.2025.109401?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. Core, John E. & Guay, Wayne & Larcker, David F., 2008. "The power of the pen and executive compensation," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 88(1), pages 1-25, April.
    2. Cheng, Huifang & Cao, An & Hong, Chenxiang & Liu, Dengao & Wang, Mengying, 2025. "Can green investors improve the quality of corporate environmental information disclosure?," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    3. Doğan, Buhari & Chu, Lan Khanh & Ghosh, Sudeshna & Diep Truong, Huong Hoang & Balsalobre-Lorente, Daniel, 2022. "How environmental taxes and carbon emissions are related in the G7 economies?," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 187(C), pages 645-656.
    4. Flammer, Caroline, 2021. "Corporate green bonds," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 142(2), pages 499-516.
    5. Shi, Bo & Wang, Xiaoran & Jiang, Xiaowen & Yang, Huikang & Sui, Wenzhao, 2024. "Green institutional investors’ shareholding and corporate environmental responsibility," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 62(PB).
    6. Kristel Buysse & Alain Verbeke, 2003. "Proactive environmental strategies: a stakeholder management perspective," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(5), pages 453-470, May.
    7. Li, Wei & Cheng, Huihui & He, Junhe & Song, Yufei & Bu, Hui, 2024. "The impacts of green credit policy on green innovation of high-polluting enterprises in China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 62(PA).
    8. Si, Xiaohan & Zhang, Shuai, 2025. "Carbon emission disclosure and carbon premium ——evidence from the Chinese bond market," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    9. Cumming, Douglas & Meoli, Michele & Vismara, Silvio, 2019. "Investors’ choices between cash and voting rights: Evidence from dual-class equity crowdfunding," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(8), pages 1-1.
    10. Yi Ru & Jian Xue & Yuan Zhang & Xin Zhou, 2020. "Social connections between media and firm executives and the properties of media reporting," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 25(3), pages 963-1001, September.
    11. Fan Xia & Jiaying Chen & Xue Yang & Xiaoliang Li & Bing Zhang, 2023. "Financial constraints and corporate greenwashing strategies in China," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(4), pages 1770-1781, July.
    12. Charles J. Hadlock & Joshua R. Pierce, 2010. "New Evidence on Measuring Financial Constraints: Moving Beyond the KZ Index," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 23(5), pages 1909-1940.
    13. Brian J. Bushee & John E. Core & Wayne Guay & Sophia J.W. Hamm, 2010. "The Role of the Business Press as an Information Intermediary," Journal of Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 48(1), pages 1-19, March.
    14. Campbell, Tim S & Kracaw, William A, 1980. "Information Production, Market Signalling, and the Theory of Financial Intermediation," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 35(4), pages 863-882, September.
    15. Hans B. Christensen & Luzi Hail & Christian Leuz, 2021. "Mandatory CSR and sustainability reporting: economic analysis and literature review," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 26(3), pages 1176-1248, September.
    16. Liu, Baixiao & McConnell, John J., 2013. "The role of the media in corporate governance: Do the media influence managers' capital allocation decisions?," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 110(1), pages 1-17.
    17. Lu, Jing & Chen, Rongze, 2023. "Do individual investors pay attention to the information acquisition activities of institutional investors?," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 58(PD).
    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. Dong, Hao & Li, Chengcheng & Wang, Xiaoqiong, 2025. "Friendly press, fading greens: The effect of media connection on firm greenwashing," Global Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    2. Jie Gao & Huiying Wu & Jiaxing You & Meg Smith, 2025. "Green media coverage and corporate green innovation," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(1), pages 48-90, February.
    3. Gao, Xin & Xu, Weidong & Li, Donghui, 2025. "Media coverage and managerial investment learning from stock markets: International evidence," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    4. Jinsong Liu & Jiaren Pang & Xinyi Zhang & Xi Zhou, 2026. "Does Disclosing Well Lead to Doing Good?," Financial Management, Financial Management Association International, vol. 55(1), pages 121-151, March.
    5. Wu, Chunying & Xiong, Xiong & Gao, Ya, 2022. "The role of different information sources in information spread: Evidence from three media channels in China," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 327-341.
    6. Ting‐Chiao Huang & Yi‐Hung Lin & Daniel Chai & Stephanie Hairston, 2025. "Are auditors insulated to positive client news? Evidence from audit fees and going‐concern opinions," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 65(3), pages 2339-2386, September.
    7. Baloria, Vishal P. & Heese, Jonas, 2018. "The effects of media slant on firm behavior," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 129(1), pages 184-202.
    8. Liu, Mingzhi & Tang, Songlian & Wu, Zhenyu & Zeng, Rong, 2023. "The impact of foreign ownership on the media’s role in curbing insider trading around private meetings," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    9. Huang, Can & Huang, Hung-Yi & Ho, Kung-Cheng, 2024. "Media coverage and stock liquidity: Evidence from China," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 89(PA), pages 665-682.
    10. Ming Jia & Li Tong & P. V. Viswanath & Zhe Zhang, 2016. "Word Power: The Impact of Negative Media Coverage on Disciplining Corporate Pollution," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 138(3), pages 437-458, October.
    11. Gao, Xin & Xu, Weidong & Li, Donghui, 2022. "Media coverage and corporate risk-taking: International evidence," Journal of Multinational Financial Management, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    12. Yangyang Chen & C. S. Agnes Cheng & Shuo Li & Jingran Zhao, 2021. "The monitoring role of the media: Evidence from earnings management," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(3-4), pages 533-563, March.
    13. Sadok El Ghoul & Omrane Guedhami & Robert Nash & Ajay Patel, 2019. "New Evidence on the Role of the Media in Corporate Social Responsibility," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 154(4), pages 1051-1079, February.
    14. Bai, Jing & Tang, Xuesong & Zheng, Yuxin, 2023. "Serving the truth: Do directors with media background improve financial reporting quality?," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    15. Carolina Bona‐Sánchez & Jerónimo Pérez‐Alemán & Domingo Javier Santana‐Martín, 2023. "Media visibility and corporate social responsibility investment evidence in Spain," Business Ethics, the Environment & Responsibility, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(1), pages 94-107, January.
    16. Call, Andrew C. & Emett, Scott A. & Maksymov, Eldar & Sharp, Nathan Y., 2022. "Meet the press: Survey evidence on financial journalists as information intermediaries," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 73(2).
    17. Ole-Kristian Hope & Yi Li & Qiliang Liu & Han Wu, 2021. "Newspaper Censorship in China: Evidence from Tunneling Scandals," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 67(11), pages 7142-7166, November.
    18. Olaboopo, Olakunle & Boamah, Evans O., 2026. "Climate change news risk and advertising spending," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 106(C).
    19. Wang, Yao, 2025. "Greenwashing or green evolution: Can transition finance empower green innovation in carbon-intensive enterprise?," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    20. Jialin Yan & Haibo Hu & Yiruo Hu, 2024. "Does internal control improve enterprise environmental, social, and governance information disclosure? Evidence from China," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(5), pages 4980-4994, September.

    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:90:y:2026:i:c:s1544612325026509. 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.