IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v14y2022i15p9761-d883030.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Antecedents of Corporate Sustainability Performance: A Study on Generic and Sustainability-Related Corporate Governance Mechanisms

Author

Listed:
  • Marco Minciullo

    (ALTIS-Graduate School Business & Society, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Gemelli 1, 20123 Milan, Italy)

  • Maria Cristina Zaccone

    (ALTIS-Graduate School Business & Society, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Gemelli 1, 20123 Milan, Italy)

  • Matteo Pedrini

    (ALTIS-Graduate School Business & Society, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Gemelli 1, 20123 Milan, Italy)

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the antecedents of corporate sustainability performance, focusing on corporate governance mechanisms. The growing diffusion of sustainability-related corporate governance regulation raises a legitimate question about the effectiveness of these mechanisms in fostering sustainability performance. While extant research has separately taken into consideration different mechanisms related to corporate governance and sustainability, in this study, we investigate the combined effect of generic governance mechanisms, such as board size and board independence, and sustainability-related governance mechanisms, such as the presence of a sustainability committee and sustainability targets in executives’ compensation schemes, on corporate sustainability performance. Based on a dataset of 185 companies listed in the most important European markets, our results indicate that both generic and sustainability-related governance mechanisms enhance corporate sustainability performance. More specifically, the presence of independent directors and the inclusion of quantitative sustainability targets in executives’ compensation schemes contribute to corporate sustainability performance.

Suggested Citation

  • Marco Minciullo & Maria Cristina Zaccone & Matteo Pedrini, 2022. "The Antecedents of Corporate Sustainability Performance: A Study on Generic and Sustainability-Related Corporate Governance Mechanisms," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-19, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:15:p:9761-:d:883030
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/15/9761/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/15/9761/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jermias, Johnny & Gani, Lindawati, 2014. "The impact of board capital and board characteristics on firm performance," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 46(2), pages 135-153.
    2. 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.
    3. Suraj Srinivasan, 2005. "Consequences of Financial Reporting Failure for Outside Directors: Evidence from Accounting Restatements and Audit Committee Members," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(2), pages 291-334, May.
    4. Jenna J. Burke & Rani Hoitash & Udi Hoitash, 2019. "The Heterogeneity of Board-Level Sustainability Committees and Corporate Social Performance," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 154(4), pages 1161-1186, February.
    5. Frederik Dahlmann & Layla Branicki & Stephen Brammer, 2017. "‘Carrots for Corporate Sustainability’: Impacts of Incentive Inclusiveness and Variety on Environmental Performance," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(8), pages 1110-1131, December.
    6. Black, Bernard S. & de Carvalho, Antonio Gledson & Gorga, Érica, 2012. "What matters and for which firms for corporate governance in emerging markets? Evidence from Brazil (and other BRIK countries)," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 18(4), pages 934-952.
    7. Gilson, Stuart C., 1990. "Bankruptcy, boards, banks, and blockholders : Evidence on changes in corporate ownership and control when firms default," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 27(2), pages 355-387, October.
    8. Shann Turnbull, 1997. "Corporate Governance: Its scope, concerns and theories," Corporate Governance: An International Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 5(4), pages 180-205, October.
    9. Richard Welford, 2007. "Corporate governance and corporate social responsibility: issues for Asia," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 14(1), pages 42-51, February.
    10. Karen Maas, 2018. "Do Corporate Social Performance Targets in Executive Compensation Contribute to Corporate Social Performance?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 148(3), pages 573-585, March.
    11. Robert G. Eccles & Ioannis Ioannou & George Serafeim, 2014. "The Impact of Corporate Sustainability on Organizational Processes and Performance," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 60(11), pages 2835-2857, November.
    12. Jerry Goodstein & Kanak Gautam & Warren Boeker, 1994. "The effects of board size and diversity on strategic change," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 15(3), pages 241-250, March.
    13. Black, Bernard S. & Jang, Hasung & Kim, Woochan, 2006. "Predicting firms' corporate governance choices: Evidence from Korea," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 12(3), pages 660-691, June.
    14. Bryan Hong & Zhichuan Li & Dylan Minor, 2016. "Corporate Governance and Executive Compensation for Corporate Social Responsibility," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 136(1), pages 199-213, June.
    15. Bhagat, Sanjai & Bolton, Brian, 2008. "Corporate governance and firm performance," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 14(3), pages 257-273, June.
    16. Liu, Yu & Miletkov, Mihail K. & Wei, Zuobao & Yang, Tina, 2015. "Board independence and firm performance in China," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 223-244.
    17. Yangmin Kim, 2005. "Board Network Characteristics and Firm Performance in Korea," Corporate Governance: An International Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 13(6), pages 800-808, November.
    18. Michelle Rodrigue & Michel Magnan & Charles Cho, 2013. "Is Environmental Governance Substantive or Symbolic? An Empirical Investigation," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 114(1), pages 107-129, April.
    19. Jensen, Michael C. & Meckling, William H., 1976. "Theory of the firm: Managerial behavior, agency costs and ownership structure," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 3(4), pages 305-360, October.
    20. Baiman, Stanley, 1990. "Agency research in managerial accounting: A second look," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 15(4), pages 341-371.
    21. Jensen, Michael C & Murphy, Kevin J, 1990. "Performance Pay and Top-Management Incentives," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 98(2), pages 225-264, April.
    22. Judith L. Walls & Pascual Berrone & Phillip H. Phan, 2012. "Corporate governance and environmental performance: is there really a link?," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(8), pages 885-913, August.
    23. 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.
    24. Karen Maas & Sanne Rosendaal, 2016. "Sustainability Targets in Executive Remuneration: Targets, Time Frame, Country and Sector Specification," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(6), pages 390-401, September.
    25. Francesca Gennari & Daniela M. Salvioni, 2019. "CSR committees on boards: the impact of the external country level factors," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 23(3), pages 759-785, September.
    26. Mohammad Jizi & Aly Salama & Robert Dixon & Rebecca Stratling, 2014. "Corporate Governance and Corporate Social Responsibility Disclosure: Evidence from the US Banking Sector," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 125(4), pages 601-615, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. M. Ángeles López‐Cabarcos & Helena Santos‐Rodrigues & Lara Quiñoá‐Piñeiro & Juan Piñeiro‐Chousa, 2023. "How to explain stock returns of utility companies from an environmental, social and corporate governance perspective," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(5), pages 2278-2291, September.

    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. Julija Winschel & Martin Stawinoga, 2019. "Determinants and effects of sustainable CEO compensation: a structured literature review of empirical evidence," Management Review Quarterly, Springer, vol. 69(3), pages 265-328, September.
    2. Camélia Radu & Nadia Smaili, 2022. "Alignment Versus Monitoring: An Examination of the Effect of the CSR Committee and CSR-Linked Executive Compensation on CSR Performance," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 180(1), pages 145-163, September.
    3. Syed Quaid Ali Shah & Fong-Woon Lai & Muhammad Kashif Shad & Zdeňka Konečná & Feybi Ariani Goni & Abdoulmohammad Gholamzadeh Chofreh & Jiří Jaromír Klemeš, 2021. "The Inclusion of Intellectual Capital into the Green Board Committee to Enhance Firm Performance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-21, September.
    4. Thi H.H. Nguyen & Mohamed H. Elmagrhi & Collins G. Ntim & Yue Wu, 2021. "Environmental performance, sustainability, governance and financial performance: Evidence from heavily polluting industries in China," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(5), pages 2313-2331, July.
    5. Zhongtian Li & Jing Jia & Larelle (Ellie) Chapple, 2022. "The corporate sustainability committee and its relation to corporate environmental performance," Meditari Accountancy Research, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 31(5), pages 1292-1324, July.
    6. Patrick Velte & Martin Stawinoga, 2020. "Do chief sustainability officers and CSR committees influence CSR-related outcomes? A structured literature review based on empirical-quantitative research findings," Journal of Management Control: Zeitschrift für Planung und Unternehmenssteuerung, Springer, vol. 31(4), pages 333-377, December.
    7. Rania Béji & Ouidad Yousfi & Abdelwahed Omri, 2020. "Corporate Social Responsibility and Corporate Governance: A cognitive approach," Post-Print hal-03144756, HAL.
    8. Francesca Gennari, 2019. "How to Lead the Board of Directors to a Sustainable Development of Business with the CSR Committees," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(24), pages 1-17, December.
    9. Liu, Simeng & Wang, Kun Tracy & Walpola, Sonali, 2023. "Female board representation and the adoption of corporate social responsibility criteria in executive compensation contracts: International evidence," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    10. Rania B'eji & Ouidad Yousfi & Abdelwahed Omri, 2021. "Corporate Social Responsibility and Corporate Governance: A cognitive approach," Papers 2102.09218, arXiv.org.
    11. Walid Ben‐Amar & Claude Francoeur & Sylvain Marsat & Aida Sijamic Wahid, 2021. "How do firms achieve corporate social performance? An integrated perspective," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 28(3), pages 1078-1090, May.
    12. Jihai Lu & Sohail Ahmad Javeed & Rashid Latief & Tao Jiang & Tze San Ong, 2021. "The Moderating Role of Corporate Social Responsibility in the Association of Internal Corporate Governance and Profitability; Evidence from Pakistan," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-22, May.
    13. Ahmed A. Sarhan & Basil Al‐Najjar, 2023. "The influence of corporate governance and shareholding structure on corporate social responsibility: The key role of executive compensation," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(4), pages 4532-4556, October.
    14. Ginesti, Gianluca & Campa, Domenico & Spano’, Rosanna & Allini, Alessandra & Maffei, Marco, 2023. "The role of CSR committee characteristics on R&D investments," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(5).
    15. Renata Konadu & Gabriel Sam Ahinful & Samuel Owusu-Agyei, 2021. "Corporate governance pillars and business sustainability: does stakeholder engagement matter?," International Journal of Disclosure and Governance, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 18(3), pages 269-289, September.
    16. Fornasari, Tommaso, 2020. "Il ruolo dei comitati di responsabilità sociale nella corporate governance [The Role of CSR Committees in Corporate Governance]," MPRA Paper 111192, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    17. Young Kyun Chang & Won-Yong Oh & Jee Hyun Park & Myoung Gyun Jang, 2017. "Exploring the Relationship Between Board Characteristics and CSR: Empirical Evidence from Korea," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 140(2), pages 225-242, January.
    18. Jenna J. Burke & Rani Hoitash & Udi Hoitash, 2019. "The Heterogeneity of Board-Level Sustainability Committees and Corporate Social Performance," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 154(4), pages 1161-1186, February.
    19. Hien Thi Thuc Nguyen & Subhan Ullah & Hanh Thi My Le & Affan Hameed, 2023. "Sustainability Targets in Executive Remuneration Contracts and Corporate Sustainability Performance in the United Kingdom and European Union," Environment Systems and Decisions, Springer, vol. 43(3), pages 393-415, September.
    20. Syed Quaid Ali Shah & Fong-Woon Lai & Muhammad Kashif Shad & Ahmad Ali Jan, 2022. "Developing a Green Governance Framework for the Performance Enhancement of the Oil and Gas Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-19, March.

    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:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:15:p:9761-:d:883030. 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: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    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.