IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v17y2025i7p3255-d1628912.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Can ESG Performance Promote Corporate Green Transformation? Evidence from Green OFDI in China

Author

Listed:
  • Xiaochong Li

    (School of Maritime Economics and Management, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian 116000, China)

  • Wenwen Dang

    (School of Maritime Economics and Management, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian 116000, China)

  • Yanxi Li

    (School of Economics and Management, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116000, China)

Abstract

Under the pressure of the global low-carbon transition, green initiatives have gradually emerged as a critical direction for outward foreign direct investment (OFDI). In the context of China’s high-level opening up, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance can promote sustainable development of firms. However, there is lack of research on the influence of ESG performance from the perspective of corporate green OFDI. This study examines the impact mechanism of ESG performance on corporate green OFDI in terms of its propensity and depth, using a sample of Chinese A-share listed firms from 2009 to 2023. The findings indicate that ESG performance promotes corporate green OFDI, a result that remains robust after a series of endogeneity and robustness tests. The internal mechanism analysis reveals that ESG performance enhances corporate green OFDI by reducing financing constraints and managerial myopia and by promoting risk-taking and foreign institutional investors’ shareholdings. The external mechanism analysis verifies that ESG institutional constraints in the home country and ESG locational advantages in host countries strengthen the positive effect of ESG performance on corporate green OFDI. Further analysis shows that ESG performance facilitates corporate green innovation development through collaborative and independent innovation by promoting corporate green OFDI. By extending the theoretical understanding of the impact of ESG performance on the process of corporate green OFDI, this study provides strategic guidance for the sustainable development of firms in China and other similar developing countries.

Suggested Citation

  • Xiaochong Li & Wenwen Dang & Yanxi Li, 2025. "Can ESG Performance Promote Corporate Green Transformation? Evidence from Green OFDI in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-24, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:7:p:3255-:d:1628912
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/7/3255/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/7/3255/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Dai, Rui & Liang, Hao & Ng, Lilian, 2021. "Socially responsible corporate customers," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 142(2), pages 598-626.
    2. Bai, Xiao & Zhao, Wenyao & Tian, Geran, 2024. "ESG certification, green innovation, and firm value: A quasi-natural experiment based on SynTao Green Finance's ESG ratings: A pre-registered report," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    3. Yi Quan & Huiying Wu & Sihai Li & Sammy Xiaoyan Ying, 2018. "Firm sustainable development and stakeholder engagement: The role of government support," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(8), pages 1145-1158, December.
    4. Mingyuan Guo & Chendi Zheng, 2021. "Foreign Ownership and Corporate Social Responsibility: Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-22, January.
    5. Anis Maaloul & Daniel Zéghal & Walid Ben Amar & Sari Mansour, 2023. "The Effect of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Performance and Disclosure on Cost of Debt: The Mediating Effect of Corporate Reputation," Corporate Reputation Review, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 26(1), pages 1-18, February.
    6. Jianzhi Wei & Xuesong He & Yawei Wu, 2025. "ESG Performance Empowers Financial Flexibility in Manufacturing Firms—Empirical Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(3), pages 1-21, January.
    7. Wang, Xiaosong & Wu, Huan & Woo, Wing Thye & Xie, Shenxiang, 2021. "OFDI and stock returns: Evidence from manufacturing firms listed on the Chinese A-shares market," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    8. He, Jie (Jack) & Huang, Jiekun & Zhao, Shan, 2019. "Internalizing governance externalities: The role of institutional cross-ownership," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 134(2), pages 400-418.
    9. Weiwen Li & Garry D. Bruton & Xinchun Li & Shuang Wang, 2022. "Transgenerational Succession and R&D Investment: A Myopic Loss Aversion Perspective," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 46(1), pages 193-222, January.
    10. Yuxin Ning & Yihan Zhang, 2023. "Does Digital Finance Improve Corporate ESG Performance? An Intermediary Role Based on Financing Constraints," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-17, July.
    11. Li Ji & Jiaqi Mou, 2023. "The Moderating Role of Host Investment Environments on the Relationship between Enterprises’ OFDI and Green Innovation: Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-25, January.
    12. Boubakri, Narjess & Cosset, Jean-Claude & Saffar, Walid, 2013. "The role of state and foreign owners in corporate risk-taking: Evidence from privatization," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 108(3), pages 641-658.
    13. Chintrakarn, Pandej & Jiraporn, Pornsit & Sakr, Sameh & Lee, Sang Mook, 2016. "Do co-opted directors mitigate managerial myopia? Evidence from R&D investments," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 17(C), pages 285-289.
    14. Lin, Yongjia & Fu, Xiaoqing & Fu, Xiaolan, 2021. "Varieties in state capitalism and corporate innovation: Evidence from an emerging economy," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    15. Khurram, Muhammad Usman & Abbassi, Wajih & Chen, Yifan & Chen, Lifeng, 2024. "Outward foreign investment performance, digital transformation, and ESG performance: Evidence from China," Global Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    16. Liu, Ningyue & Bredin, Don & Cao, Huijuan, 2020. "The investment behavior of Qualified Foreign Institutional Investors in China," Journal of Multinational Financial Management, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    17. Si Wu & Minhao Fan & Lei Wu & Zaiqi Liu & Yuchen Xiang, 2024. "Path to Green Development: How Do ESG Ratings Affect Green Total Factor Productivity?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(23), pages 1-19, December.
    18. Kedan Wang & Shanshan Yu & Mei Mei & Xiao Yang & Geng Peng & Benfu Lv, 2023. "ESG Performance and Corporate Resilience: An Empirical Analysis Based on the Capital Allocation Efficiency Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(23), pages 1-31, November.
    19. Jaime F. Lavin & Alejandro A. Montecinos-Pearce, 2022. "Heterogeneous Firms and Benefits of ESG Disclosure: Cost of Debt Financing in an Emerging Market," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-21, November.
    20. Zhao, Xiaoxia & Cai, Lianghui, 2023. "Digital transformation and corporate ESG: Evidence from China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 58(PA).
    21. Jordi Surroca & Josep A. Tribó & Sandra Waddock, 2010. "Corporate responsibility and financial performance: the role of intangible resources," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(5), pages 463-490, May.
    22. Tingyu Yang & Yongmei Cui & Rui Li, 2023. "Exploitation or Exploration? Managerial Myopia, Economic Policy Uncertainty and Ambidextrous Innovation Investment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-20, April.
    23. Jin, Dawei & Wang, Haizhi & Wang, Peng & Yin, Desheng, 2016. "Social trust and foreign ownership: Evidence from qualified foreign institutional investors in China," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 23(C), pages 1-14.
    24. Bai, Xiao & Zhao, Wenyao & Tian, Geran, 2024. "ESG certification, green innovation, and firm value: A quasi-natural experiment based on SynTao Green Finance's ESG ratings: A pre-registered study," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    25. Li, Zhisheng & Liu, Chun & Ni, Xiaoran & Pang, Jiaren, 2024. "Stock market liberalization and corporate investment revisited: Evidence from China," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    26. Torben Schubert & Elisabeth Baier & Christian Rammer, 2018. "Firm capabilities, technological dynamism and the internationalisation of innovation: A behavioural approach," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 49(1), pages 70-95, January.
    27. Liu, Hongxun & Zhang, Zihan, 2023. "The impact of managerial myopia on environmental, social and governance (ESG) engagement: Evidence from Chinese firms," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 122(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. Jiang, Chun & Qiu, Yihan & Li, Xiao-Lin & Si, Deng-Kui, 2024. "Does stock market liberalization promote entrepreneurship?," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 480-495.
    2. Bai, Xiao & Zhao, Wenyao & Tian, Geran, 2024. "ESG certification, green innovation, and firm value: A quasi-natural experiment based on SynTao Green Finance's ESG ratings: A pre-registered study," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    3. Xiaoming Peng & Yihao Li & Chengxin Guo & Liang Peng & Sijin Tan, 2023. "“Risk” or “Opportunity”? The High Sensitivity of Corporate Green Innovation to Environmental Policy Uncertainty: Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-18, June.
    4. Fatima Batool & Ibrahim A. Alhidary & Jhansi Rani Boda & Belal Mahmoud Alwadi & Khurshid Khudoykulov & Mohammad Haseeb, 2025. "Balancing Sustainability and Profitability: The Financial Effect of Green Innovation in Chinese High-Pollution Industries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(8), pages 1-29, April.
    5. Pan, Xia & Cheng, Wenyin & Gao, Yuning, 2022. "The impact of privatization of state-owned enterprises on innovation in China: A tale of privatization degree," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    6. Qiao, Penghua & Zhao, Yuying & Fung, Anna & Fung, Hung-Gay, 2025. "How digital leadership guides ESG sustainability," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 73(PB).
    7. Tao Zhu & Dongjiao Liu & Lequan Zhang, 2025. "Does ESG Performance Help Corporate Deleveraging? Based on an Analysis of Excessive Corporate Debt," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(3), pages 1-22, February.
    8. Zeng, Yongliang & Zhao, Xiangfang & Zhu, Yiwen, 2023. "Equity incentives and ESG performance: Evidence from China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 58(PC).
    9. Kraus, Sascha & Rehman, Shafique Ur & García, F. Javier Sendra, 2020. "Corporate social responsibility and environmental performance: The mediating role of environmental strategy and green innovation," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    10. Shijun Huang & Pengcheng Du & Yu Hong & Woran Wu, 2024. "Are corporate environmental, social, and governance practices contagious? The peer-effect perspective," Energy & Environment, , vol. 35(8), pages 4049-4082, December.
    11. Tang, Hua & Xiong, Langyu & Peng, Ru, 2024. "The mediating role of investor confidence on ESG performance and firm value: Evidence from Chinese listed firms," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    12. Menghan Wang & Qi Zhao & Xiaoxiao Gong, 2025. "Does banking relationships promote environmental, social, and governance performance? Empirical evidence from A‐share listed firms in China," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 46(1), pages 425-437, January.
    13. Guo, Kun & Bian, Yuan & Zhang, Dayong & Ji, Qiang, 2024. "ESG performance and corporate external financing in China: The role of rating disagreement," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    14. Kyaw, Khine & Chindasombatcharoen, Pongsapak & Jiraporn, Pornsit & Treepongkaruna, Sirimon, 2021. "Do co-opted boards strategically choose LGBT-supportive policies?," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    15. Luo, Yi & Ma, Jian & Wang, Yu & Ye, Aishan, 2022. "Board internationalization and corporate social responsibility," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    16. Nie, Jun & Jian, Xin & Xu, Juanjuan & Xu, Nuo & Jiang, Tangyang & Yu, Yang, 2024. "The effect of corporate social responsibility practices on digital transformation in China: A resource-based view," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 1-15.
    17. Zhang, Jian & Wang, Ningzhi & Wu, Wenruo & Zhu, Xinyu, 2025. "Tax information and corporate environmental investment," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    18. Guochao Wan & Ahmad Yahya Dawod, 2022. "ESG Rating and Northbound Capital Shareholding Preferences: Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-19, July.
    19. Si, Deng-Kui & Meng, Mingyue & Wang, Jiaming & Zhou, Fuyou, 2024. "Does capital market liberalization increase corporate labor income share? Evidence from China," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
    20. Yang Yaojing & Nor Farradila Abdul Aziz & Maryam Jameelah Mohd Hashim, 2024. "Influence of Corporate Information Transparency on Foreign Institutional Investors' Shareholding Behavior: Evidence from Public Listed Companies in China," Information Management and Business Review, AMH International, vol. 16(3), pages 939-953.

    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:7:p:3255-:d:1628912. 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.