IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/pal/ijodag/v22y2025i2d10.1057_s41310-024-00243-6.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Can stakeholders evaluate corporate ESG performance through its ESG disclosure? A study of Thai listed firms

Author

Listed:
  • Nithiphak Katisart

    (Khon Kaen University)

  • Siriluck Sutthachai

    (Khon Kaen University)

  • Krittapha Saenchaiyathon

    (Khon Kaen University)

Abstract

This study investigates whether Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) disclosure can be a predictor of ESG performance among Thai firms listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand. Employing a multidimensional approach, the research scrutinizes the relationship between ESG disclosure and performance, distinguishing between hard and soft disclosure forms. Utilizing Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) for data analysis and employing a multiple regression approach for robustness testing, the study draws on a sample of 241 observations from 67 firms spanning the period 2016–2019. The findings indicate that the measurement models of ESG performance are statistically significant. However, both hard and soft ESG disclosures were found to be insignificantly associated with ESG performance overall. Further examination reveals statistically significant associations between ESG disclosure and individual dimensions of ESG performance. Specifically, environmental and social hard disclosures demonstrate significant relationships with environmental and social performance, whereas governance hard disclosure and all dimensions of ESG soft disclosure exhibit no such association with performance. These results suggest that while hard disclosure of environmental and social activities by Thai listed firms tends to reflect their actual performance, soft disclosure across ESG dimensions may lack reliability. Stakeholders are advised to exercise caution when interpreting a firm’s ESG report. Additionally, Thai regulators are encouraged to prioritize ESG hard disclosure, given its apparent reliability and credibility.

Suggested Citation

  • Nithiphak Katisart & Siriluck Sutthachai & Krittapha Saenchaiyathon, 2025. "Can stakeholders evaluate corporate ESG performance through its ESG disclosure? A study of Thai listed firms," International Journal of Disclosure and Governance, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 22(2), pages 461-475, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:ijodag:v:22:y:2025:i:2:d:10.1057_s41310-024-00243-6
    DOI: 10.1057/s41310-024-00243-6
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1057/s41310-024-00243-6
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1057/s41310-024-00243-6?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. Fatemi, Ali & Glaum, Martin & Kaiser, Stefanie, 2018. "ESG performance and firm value: The moderating role of disclosure," Global Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 45-64.
    2. Epps, Ruth W. & Cereola, Sandra J., 2008. "Do institutional shareholder services (ISS) corporate governance ratings reflect a company's operating performance?," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 19(8), pages 1135-1148.
    3. repec:eme:ijlma0:ijlma-05-2016-0049 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. Tricia Ong & Terri Trireksani & Hadrian Geri Djajadikerta, 2016. "Hard and soft sustainability disclosures: Australia’s resources industry," Accounting Research Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 29(2), pages 198-217, July.
    5. Rezaee, Zabihollah, 2016. "Business sustainability research: A theoretical and integrated perspective," Journal of Accounting Literature, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 48-64.
    6. Rezaee, Zabihollah & Tuo, Ling, 2017. "Voluntary disclosure of non-financial information and its association with sustainability performance," Advances in accounting, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 47-59.
    7. Bui, Binh & Houqe, Muhammad Nurul & Zaman, Mahbub, 2020. "Climate governance effects on carbon disclosure and performance," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 52(2).
    8. Patten, Dennis M., 2002. "The relation between environmental performance and environmental disclosure: a research note," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 27(8), pages 763-773, November.
    9. C. José García Martín & Begoña Herrero, 2020. "Do board characteristics affect environmental performance? A study of EU firms," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(1), pages 74-94, January.
    10. Mahoney, Lois S. & Thorne, Linda & Cecil, Lianna & LaGore, William, 2013. "A research note on standalone corporate social responsibility reports: Signaling or greenwashing?," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 24(4), pages 350-359.
    11. Preeti Sharma & Priyanka Panday & R. C. Dangwal, 2020. "Determinants of environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) disclosure: a study of Indian companies," International Journal of Disclosure and Governance, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 17(4), pages 208-217, December.
    12. Afzalur Rashid, 2018. "The influence of corporate governance practices on corporate social responsibility reporting," Social Responsibility Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 14(1), pages 20-39, March.
    13. Peter M. Clarkson & Michael B. Overell & Larelle Chapple, 2011. "Environmental Reporting and its Relation to Corporate Environmental Performance," Abacus, Accounting Foundation, University of Sydney, vol. 47(1), pages 27-60, March.
    14. Hani Tadros & Michel Magnan & Emilio Boulianne, 2020. "Is corporate disclosure of environmental performance indicators reliable or biased information? A look at the underlying drivers," Journal of Financial Reporting and Accounting, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 18(4), pages 661-686, August.
    15. repec:eme:jal000:j.acclit.2016.05.003 is not listed on IDEAS
    16. Qian, Wei & Schaltegger, Stefan, 2017. "Revisiting carbon disclosure and performance: Legitimacy and management views," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 49(4), pages 365-379.
    17. Al-Tuwaijri, Sulaiman A. & Christensen, Theodore E. & Hughes, K. II, 2004. "The relations among environmental disclosure, environmental performance, and economic performance: a simultaneous equations approach," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 29(5-6), pages 447-471.
    18. Zabihollah Rezaee, 2016. "Business sustainability research: A theoretical and integrated perspective," Journal of Accounting Literature, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 36(1), pages 48-64, June.
    19. Clarkson, Peter M. & Li, Yue & Richardson, Gordon D. & Vasvari, Florin P., 2008. "Revisiting the relation between environmental performance and environmental disclosure: An empirical analysis," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 33(4-5), pages 303-327.
    20. Tricia Ong & Terri Trireksani & Hadrian Geri Djajadikerta, 2016. "Hard and soft sustainability disclosures: Australia’s resources industry," Accounting Research Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 29(2), pages 198-217, July.
    21. Cho, Charles H. & Patten, Dennis M., 2007. "The role of environmental disclosures as tools of legitimacy: A research note," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 32(7-8), pages 639-647.
    22. Michael Spence, 1973. "Job Market Signaling," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 87(3), pages 355-374.
    23. Frank Sampong & Na Song & Kingsley Osei Boahene & Kwame Ansong Wadie, 2018. "Disclosure of CSR Performance and Firm Value: New Evidence from South Africa on the Basis of the GRI Guidelines for Sustainability Disclosure," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-28, November.
    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. 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.
    2. Omaima A.G. Hassan & Peter Romilly, 2018. "Relations between corporate economic performance, environmental disclosure and greenhouse gas emissions: New insights," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(7), pages 893-909, November.
    3. Helfaya, Akrum & Aboud, Ahmed & Amin, Essam, 2023. "An examination of corporate environmental goals disclosure, sustainability performance and firm value – An Egyptian evidence," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 52(C).
    4. Mumtaheena Anwar & Sohanur Rahman & Md. Nurul Kabir, 2021. "Does national carbon pricing policy affect voluntary environmental disclosures? A global evidence," Environmental Economics and Policy Studies, Springer;Society for Environmental Economics and Policy Studies - SEEPS, vol. 23(2), pages 211-244, April.
    5. Karaman, Abdullah S. & Orazalin, Nurlan & Uyar, Ali & Shahbaz, Muhammad, 2021. "CSR achievement, reporting, and assurance in the energy sector: Does economic development matter?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).
    6. Siddique, Md Abubakar & Akhtaruzzaman, Md & Rashid, Afzalur & Hammami, Helmi, 2021. "Carbon disclosure, carbon performance and financial performance: International evidence," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    7. Varsha Sehgal & Naval Garg & Jagvinder Singh, 2023. "Impact of sustainability performance & reporting on a firm’s reputation," International Journal of System Assurance Engineering and Management, Springer;The Society for Reliability, Engineering Quality and Operations Management (SREQOM),India, and Division of Operation and Maintenance, Lulea University of Technology, Sweden, vol. 14(1), pages 228-240, February.
    8. Jieun Chung & Charles H. Cho, 2018. "Current Trends within Social and Environmental Accounting Research: A Literature Review," Accounting Perspectives, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 17(2), pages 207-239, June.
    9. Tsang, Albert & Frost, Tracie & Cao, Huijuan, 2023. "Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) disclosure: A literature review," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 55(1).
    10. Stefano Fontana & Daniela Coluccia & Silvia Solimene, 2019. "VAIC as a Tool for Measuring Intangibles Value in Voluntary Multi-Stakeholder Disclosure," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 10(4), pages 1679-1699, December.
    11. Hema Diwan & Binilkumar Amarayil Sreeraman, 2024. "From financial reporting to ESG reporting: a bibliometric analysis of the evolution in corporate sustainability disclosures," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 26(6), pages 13769-13805, June.
    12. Li, Peigong & Li, Mingchen & Zhu, Wanwan & Lucey, Brian M., 2025. "Whether voluntary GHG disclosure could help improve subsequent GHG performance-new global evidence," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
    13. Giorgio Mion & Cristian R. Loza Adaui, 2019. "Mandatory Nonfinancial Disclosure and Its Consequences on the Sustainability Reporting Quality of Italian and German Companies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(17), pages 1-28, August.
    14. 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.
    15. Qian, Wei & Schaltegger, Stefan, 2017. "Revisiting carbon disclosure and performance: Legitimacy and management views," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 49(4), pages 365-379.
    16. María Luisa Pajuelo Moreno & Teresa Duarte-Atoche, 2019. "Relationship between Sustainable Disclosure and Performance—An Extension of Ullmann’s Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(16), pages 1-33, August.
    17. Mahoney, Lois S. & Thorne, Linda & Cecil, Lianna & LaGore, William, 2013. "A research note on standalone corporate social responsibility reports: Signaling or greenwashing?," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 24(4), pages 350-359.
    18. Linda Kusumaning Wedari & Amir Moradi‐Motlagh & Christine Jubb, 2023. "The moderating effect of innovation on the relationship between environmental and financial performance: Evidence from high emitters in Australia," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(1), pages 654-672, January.
    19. Dong Ding & Bin Liu & Millicent Chang, 2023. "Carbon Emissions and TCFD Aligned Climate-Related Information Disclosures," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 182(4), pages 967-1001, February.
    20. Zhongtian Li & Jing Jia & Larelle J. Chapple, 2022. "Textual characteristics of corporate sustainability disclosure and corporate sustainability performance: evidence from Australia," Meditari Accountancy Research, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 31(3), pages 786-816, February.

    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:pal:ijodag:v:22:y:2025:i:2:d:10.1057_s41310-024-00243-6. 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: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.palgrave.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.