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Can corporate ESG performance improve audit efficiency?: Empirical evidence based on audit latency perspective

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  • Li Zhang
  • Caixia Guo

Abstract

Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) is closely related to the "dual carbon" objective and the concept of sustainable development. The impact of ESG performance on audit efficiency, especially on audit delays, is still an issue to be studied in depth. Drawing on stakeholder theory, sustainable development theory, shared value concept and corporate social responsibility theory, this study adopts regression analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM) to investigate the impact of ESG on audit efficiency based on the data of A-share listed companies in the period of 2015–2022, with a focus on audit delay. The results of regression analysis show that ESG performance has a significant effect on reducing audit delay, and audit delay is reduced by 0.007 on average for each unit increase in ESG performance. In structural equation modeling, the effect of ESG performance on audit delay is more significant, with an estimated value of -0.555 and a standard error of 0.097. In addition, the study shows that the corporate ESG performance on audit efficiency has a positive impact is more pronounced among firms with stronger ESG practices, especially among non-state-owned firms with lower institutional investor ownership and firms audited by "Big Four" firms. These results not only demonstrate the importance of ESG performance in improving audit efficiency, but also provide important guidance for corporate management and policy making. This study enriches the existing literature on corporate ESG performance and audit efficiency and provides new perspectives and directions for future research.

Suggested Citation

  • Li Zhang & Caixia Guo, 2024. "Can corporate ESG performance improve audit efficiency?: Empirical evidence based on audit latency perspective," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 19(3), pages 1-17, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0299184
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0299184
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Lv, Chengchao & Shao, Changhua & Lee, Chien-Chiang, 2021. "Green technology innovation and financial development: Do environmental regulation and innovation output matter?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    2. Eduardo C. Garrido-Merch'an & Gabriel Gonz'alez Piris & Maria Coronado Vaca, 2023. "Bayesian Optimization of ESG Financial Investments," Papers 2303.01485, arXiv.org.
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    Cited by:

    1. Hamid Ghazi H Sulimany, 2025. "Effect of environmental, social and governance performance on the financial reporting lag of Saudi listed companies," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 12(1), pages 1-8, December.

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