IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v15y2023i19p14469-d1253414.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Commercial System Reform, Enterprise Green Innovation and Enterprise ESG Performance

Author

Listed:
  • Hui Li

    (School of Law and Business, Wuhan Institute of Technology, No. 206 Guanggu 1st Road, Wuhan 430205, China)

  • Dongsheng Yu

    (School of Statistics and Mathematics, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, No. 182 Nanhu Avenue, Wuhan 430073, China
    Postdoctoral Station of Statistics, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, No. 182 Nanhu Avenue, Wuhan 430073, China)

  • Zhixuan Ke

    (School of Law and Business, Wuhan Institute of Technology, No. 206 Guanggu 1st Road, Wuhan 430205, China)

Abstract

Taking the commercial system reform implemented in recent years as a “quasi-natural experiment”, this paper systematically examines the relationship between commercial system reform and enterprise ESG performance and analyzes the intermediary effect of enterprise green innovation between the two, based on the data of China’s commercial system reform and A-share listed companies in 2011–2021. The results show that the implementation of commercial system reform improves the level of ESG performance of enterprises, and green innovation of enterprises plays a positive role in the impact of commercial system reform on ESG performance of enterprises. After passing several robustness tests, the results of this paper are still valid. The results of the heterogeneity test show that the implementation of commercial system reform plays a greater role in promoting the ESG performance of state-owned enterprises, high-tech enterprises, high-financing-constraint enterprises, and high-pollution enterprises. The conclusions of this paper provide certain enlightenment for further promoting the reform of the commercial system and the construction of the ESG system and promoting enterprises to improve the level of modern green governance.

Suggested Citation

  • Hui Li & Dongsheng Yu & Zhixuan Ke, 2023. "Commercial System Reform, Enterprise Green Innovation and Enterprise ESG Performance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(19), pages 1-19, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:19:p:14469-:d:1253414
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/19/14469/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/19/14469/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mingyue Wang & Yingming Li & Zitong Wang & Junqiang Li, 2022. "The Heterogeneous Relationship between Pollution Charges and Enterprise Green Technology Innovation, Based on the Data of Chinese Industrial Enterprises," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-20, February.
    2. Suyu Huang & Hanlian Lin & Yongjunbei Zhou & Haonan Ji & Naiping Zhu, 2022. "The Influence of the Policy of Replacing Environmental Protection Fees with Taxes on Enterprise Green Innovation—Evidence from China’s Heavily Polluting Industries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-23, June.
    3. Haixia Shi & Change Shen, 2022. "Tax Competition, Capital Flow, and the Innovation Efficiency of Industrial Enterprises," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-12, April.
    4. Raj Chetty & Adam Looney & Kory Kroft, 2009. "Salience and Taxation: Theory and Evidence," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 99(4), pages 1145-1177, September.
    5. Zhang, Hua & Xu, Tiantian & Feng, Chao, 2022. "Does public participation promote environmental efficiency? Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment of environmental information disclosure in China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
    6. Mohd Haizam Mohd Saudi & Obsatar Sinaga & Djoko Roespinoedji & Erlane K. Ghani, 2019. "The Impact of Technological Innovation on Energy Intensity: Evidence from Indonesia," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 9(3), pages 11-17.
    7. Dyck, Alexander & Lins, Karl V. & Roth, Lukas & Wagner, Hannes F., 2019. "Do institutional investors drive corporate social responsibility? International evidence," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 131(3), pages 693-714.
    8. Zina Arabeche & Ahlem Soudani & Mohsen Brahmi & Luigi Aldieri & Concetto Paolo Vinci & Mohammed El Amine Abdelli, 2022. "Entrepreneurial Orientation, Organizational Culture and Business Performance in SMEs: Evidence from Emerging Economy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-20, April.
    9. Rui Li & Yongmei Cui & Yajun Zheng, 2021. "The Impact of Corporate Strategy on Enterprise Innovation Based on the Mediating Effect of Corporate Risk-Taking," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-17, January.
    10. Rashidah Abdul Rahman & Maha Faisal Alsayegh, 2021. "Determinants of Corporate Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) Reporting among Asian Firms," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-13, April.
    11. Jian Ding & Yixiao Zhou, 2021. "Did the Labor Contract Law Affect the Capital Deepening and Efficiency of Chinese Private Firms?," China & World Economy, Institute of World Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, vol. 29(5), pages 105-126, September.
    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. Shunping Teng & Haslindar Ibrahim, 2025. "The Green Finance Reform Pilot Zone Policy and Corporate Sustainable Development Performance: A Quasi-Natural Experiment from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(15), pages 1-19, July.
    2. Shanqing Liu & Jiacheng Qian & Huwei Wen & Ying Wang, 2025. "The Impact of Green Finance Pilot Cities on Enterprises’ Green Innovation Performance: An Empirical Study in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(3), pages 1-21, January.
    3. Yu-Te Tu, 2025. "Linking green social behaviour, knowledge management, institutional pressure, and entrepreneurial success: a pathway to sustainable business and social innovation," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 21(1), pages 1-18, December.
    4. Qiuyan Yan & Kai Wan, 2024. "Energy-Consuming Right Trading Policy and Corporate ESG Performance: Quasi-Natural Experimental Evidence from China," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(13), pages 1-20, July.
    5. Hui Li & Zhixuan Ke & Jinghua Yan, 2024. "Can the Reform of the Commercial System Enhance the Resilience of Enterprises? Evidence Based on Quasi Natural Experiments," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(17), pages 1-23, 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. Liyuan Meng & Yuchen Zhang, 2023. "Impact of Tax Administration on ESG Performance—A Quasi-Natural Experiment Based on China’s Golden Tax Project III," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-23, July.
    2. Chen, Gaocai & Zou, Mengqi, 2025. "Industry-specific information disclosure regulation and corporate ESG performance: Evidence from China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    3. Wu, Qinqin & Xie, Tingting & Lu, Jing, 2025. "Does institutional investors’ environmental attention influence corporate environmental investment?," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 1625-1644.
    4. Yuan, Huaxi & Zou, Longhui & Feng, Yidai, 2023. "How to achieve emission reduction without hindering economic growth? The role of judicial quality," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 209(C).
    5. Wang, Ruqi & Xu, Pei & Gao, Honggui, 2024. "Rectifying local governments’ strategic environmental enforcement: Can refined air pollution monitoring enhance local air quality in China?," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 978-995.
    6. Cheng Peng & Lu Zhao & Liwen Liu & Jia Chen, 2023. "The Influence of Environmental Protection Tax Law on Urban Land Green Use Efficiency in China: The Nonlinear Moderating Effect of Tax Rate Increase," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-18, August.
    7. Andreas R. Kostøl & Andreas S. Myhre, 2021. "Labor Supply Responses to Learning the Tax and Benefit Schedule," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 111(11), pages 3733-3766, November.
    8. Persson, Petra, 2018. "Attention manipulation and information overload," Behavioural Public Policy, Cambridge University Press, vol. 2(1), pages 78-106, May.
    9. John Y. Campbell, 2016. "Restoring Rational Choice: The Challenge of Consumer Financial Regulation," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 106(5), pages 1-30, May.
    10. Beestermöller, Matthias, 2017. "Striking Evidence? Demand Persistence for Inter-City Buses from German Railway Strikes," Discussion Papers in Economics 31768, University of Munich, Department of Economics.
    11. Fossen, Frank M. & König, Johannes, 2015. "Public health insurance and entry into self-employment," VfS Annual Conference 2015 (Muenster): Economic Development - Theory and Policy 112934, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    12. Hindriks, Jean & Serse, Valerio, 2022. "The incidence of VAT reforms in electricity markets: Evidence from Belgium," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    13. repec:ags:jrapmc:122316 is not listed on IDEAS
    14. Reyes, Germán, 2024. "Coarse Wage-Setting and Behavioral Firms," IZA Discussion Papers 17039, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    15. Adil Haniev & Viktoriya V. Suhih, 2025. "Analysis of the Impact of ESG Initiatives on the Financial Performance of Shareholders in Russian Companies," Journal of Applied Economic Research, Graduate School of Economics and Management, Ural Federal University, vol. 24(1), pages 319-343.
    16. Ying Zhang & Yingli Huang, 2023. "Killing Two Birds with One Stone or Missing One of Them? The Synergistic Governance Effect of China’s Carbon Emissions Trading Scheme on Pollution Control and Carbon Emission Reduction," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-25, June.
    17. Haisken-DeNew, John & Hasan, Syed & Jha, Nikhil & Sinning, Mathias, 2018. "Unawareness and selective disclosure: The effect of school quality information on property prices," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 449-464.
    18. Matthias Krapf & David Staubli, 2020. "The Corporate Elasticity of Taxable Income: Event Study Evidence from Switzerland," CESifo Working Paper Series 8715, CESifo.
    19. Sebastian Eichfelder & Mona Lau, 2015. "Capitalization of capital gains taxes: (In)attention and turn-of-the-year returns," FEMM Working Papers 150019, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Faculty of Economics and Management.
    20. Heyes, Anthony & Lyon, Thomas P. & Martin, Steve, 2018. "Salience games: Private politics when public attention is limited," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 396-410.
    21. Paskalev, Zdravko & Yildirim, Huseyin, 2017. "A theory of outsourced fundraising: Why dollars turn into “Pennies for Charity”," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 137(C), pages 1-18.

    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:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:19:p:14469-:d:1253414. 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.