IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v17y2025i20p9272-d1774739.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Research on the Impact of Carbon Information Disclosure on Corporate ESG Performance: Evidence from China’s Manufacturing Industry

Author

Listed:
  • Qiuxiang Wen

    (School of Economics and Management, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou 730050, China)

  • Hui Kang

    (School of Economics and Management, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou 730050, China)

Abstract

In response to escalating global ecological and environmental challenges, this study examines the impact of carbon information disclosure on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance to encourage corporate transition toward pollution reduction and carbon mitigation, thereby contributing to the practical advancement of the “dual carbon” strategy. Based on a hierarchical regression analysis of manufacturing listed companies on the Shanghai and Shenzhen A-share markets from 2009 to 2023, the findings reveal that carbon information disclosure significantly enhances corporate ESG performance. Mechanism tests reveal that green technology innovation partially mediates the relationship between carbon information disclosure and ESG performance, while environmental regulations, media attention, and market competition exert positive moderating effects on this relationship. Heterogeneity analysis indicates that carbon information disclosure exerts a pronounced positive effect on ESG performance for high-tech, heavily polluting, and eastern enterprises. This research expands the understanding of the value of carbon information disclosure and provides theoretical foundations and practical insights for enterprises pursuing sustainable development.

Suggested Citation

  • Qiuxiang Wen & Hui Kang, 2025. "Research on the Impact of Carbon Information Disclosure on Corporate ESG Performance: Evidence from China’s Manufacturing Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(20), pages 1-32, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:20:p:9272-:d:1774739
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/20/9272/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/20/9272/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Hughes, Susan B. & Anderson, Allison & Golden, Sarah, 2001. "Corporate environmental disclosures: are they useful in determining environmental performance?," Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, Elsevier, vol. 20(3), pages 217-240.
    2. Runyu Liu & Mara Ridhuan Che Abdul Rahman & Ainul Huda Jamil, 2025. "Leveraging Environmental Regulation: How Green Innovation Moderates the Relationship Between Carbon Information Disclosure and Firm Value," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(6), pages 1-35, March.
    3. Chen, Zhao & Kahn, Matthew E. & Liu, Yu & Wang, Zhi, 2018. "The consequences of spatially differentiated water pollution regulation in China," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 468-485.
    4. Stephen Brammer & Stephen Pavelin, 2006. "Voluntary Environmental Disclosures by Large UK Companies," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(7-8), pages 1168-1188.
    5. Jing-Wen Huang & Yong-Hui Li, 2017. "Green Innovation and Performance: The View of Organizational Capability and Social Reciprocity," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 145(2), pages 309-324, October.
    6. Ma, Xuejiao & Che, Tianqi & Sun, Xiaohua, 2024. "A carbon information disclosure perspective on carbon premium: Evidence from China," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    7. Stephen Brammer & Stephen Pavelin, 2006. "Voluntary Environmental Disclosures by Large UK Companies," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(7‐8), pages 1168-1188, September.
    8. Darrell, W. & Schwartz, Bill N., 1997. "Environmental disclosures and public policy pressure," Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, Elsevier, vol. 16(2), pages 125-154.
    9. Xiaocui Li & Nengmin Wang & Bin Jiang & Tao Jia, 2023. "Institutional pressures and proactive environmental strategy: The mediating effect of top managerial environment attitude and the moderating effect of new media pressure," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(8), pages 6106-6123, December.
    10. Li Huang & Xiaoyu Ji & Tingting Niu & Wanting Ou, 2025. "The Impact of Carbon Information Disclosure Quality on Enterprise Value: Evidence from Chinese Listed Companies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(2), pages 1-17, January.
    11. Gao, Xiang & He, Xixi & Sun, Chuanwang & Wu, Dongmei & Zhang, Jie, 2025. "Innovation in shouldering green responsibility: ESG performance and green technology innovation," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 142(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. Charles H. Cho & Jonathan Maurice & Emmanuelle Nègre & Marie-Anne Verdier, 2016. "Is environmental disclosure good for the environment? A meta-analysis and research agenda," Post-Print halshs-01369422, HAL.
    2. S. Zeng & X. Xu & H. Yin & C. Tam, 2012. "Factors that Drive Chinese Listed Companies in Voluntary Disclosure of Environmental Information," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 109(3), pages 309-321, September.
    3. Rongbing Huang & Yubo Huang, 2020. "Does Internal Control Contribute to a Firm’s Green Information Disclosure? Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-23, April.
    4. Guidry, Ronald P. & Patten, Dennis M., 2012. "Voluntary disclosure theory and financial control variables: An assessment of recent environmental disclosure research," Accounting forum, Elsevier, vol. 36(2), pages 81-90.
    5. Ans Kolk & Paolo Perego, 2010. "Determinants of the adoption of sustainability assurance statements: an international investigation," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 19(3), pages 182-198, March.
    6. Linyan Fan & Sheng Yao, 2022. "Analyst Site Visits and Corporate Environmental Information Disclosure: Evidence from China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-21, December.
    7. Mahmoudian, Fereshteh & Lu, Jing & Yu, Dongning & Nazari, Jamal A. & Herremans, Irene M., 2021. "Inter-and intra-organizational stakeholder arrangements in carbon management accounting," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 53(1).
    8. Radhakrishnan, Suresh & Tsang, Albert & Liu, Rubing, 2018. "A Corporate Social Responsibility Framework for Accounting Research," The International Journal of Accounting, Elsevier, vol. 53(4), pages 274-294.
    9. Florina Bran & Ildiko Ioan & Carmen Valentina Rădulescu, 2010. "Internal Drivers Of Environmental Performance. Case Study: The Trading Activity," The AMFITEATRU ECONOMIC journal, Academy of Economic Studies - Bucharest, Romania, vol. 12(27), pages 145-154, February.
    10. Jones, Michael John, 2011. "The nature, use and impression management of graphs in social and environmental accounting," Accounting forum, Elsevier, vol. 35(2), pages 75-89.
    11. Qiu, Yan & Shaukat, Amama & Tharyan, Rajesh, 2016. "Environmental and social disclosures: Link with corporate financial performance," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 48(1), pages 102-116.
    12. X. Meng & S. Zeng & C. Tam, 2013. "From Voluntarism to Regulation: A Study on Ownership, Economic Performance and Corporate Environmental Information Disclosure in China," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 116(1), pages 217-232, August.
    13. Xiaohua Meng & Saixing Zeng & Xuemei Xie & Hailiang Zou, 2019. "Beyond symbolic and substantive: Strategic disclosure of corporate environmental information in China," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(2), pages 403-417, February.
    14. Zhengguang Li & Ping Li & Xibo Zhao & Ziying Tu, 2022. "Business Strategy and Environmental Information Disclosure Quality: Empirical Evidence from Chinese Heavy Pollution Listed Firms," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(14), pages 1-18, July.
    15. Fan, Hanlu & Tang, Qingliang & Pan, Lipeng, 2021. "An international study of carbon information asymmetry and independent carbon assurance," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 53(1).
    16. Akbas Halil Emre, 2016. "The Relationship Between Board Characteristics and Environmental Disclosure: Evidence from Turkish Listed Companies," South East European Journal of Economics and Business, Sciendo, vol. 11(2), pages 7-19, December.
    17. Luo, Le & Tang, Qingliang, 2016. "Determinants of the Quality of Corporate Carbon Management Systems: An International Study," The International Journal of Accounting, Elsevier, vol. 51(2), pages 275-305.
    18. Raf Orens & Walter Aerts & Denis Cormier, 2010. "Web‐Based Non‐Financial Disclosure and Cost of Finance," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(9‐10), pages 1057-1093, November.
    19. My Hanh Doan & Remmer Sassen, 2020. "The relationship between environmental performance and environmental disclosure: A meta‐analysis," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 24(5), pages 1140-1157, October.
    20. Qingliang Tang & Le Luo, 2014. "Carbon Management Systems and Carbon Mitigation," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 24(1), pages 84-98, March.

    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:17:y:2025:i:20:p:9272-:d:1774739. 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.