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The Effect of Environmental, Social, Governance and Sustainability Initiatives on Stock Value – Examining Market Response to Initiatives Undertaken by Listed Companies

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  • Kar Yee Lo
  • Calvin Lee Kwan

Abstract

This paper examines the impact of environmental, social, governance (ESG) and sustainability initiatives on stock value of listed companies in Hong Kong. Event methodology is used to examine whether the market responses significantly to the implementation of these initiatives. Our result shows that the market reacts more positively to ESG initiatives than sustainability initiatives. This brings several implications to corporates' strategy as well as development of socially responsible investments (SRI). To facilitate the development of SRI, companies should communicate the value and returns of these initiatives clearly with investors; financial institutions should also equip investors with knowledge to understand non‐financial information. Enhancing the transparency of sustainability index will also give investors more credible information to relate firms' CSR performance with firm value. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment

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  • Kar Yee Lo & Calvin Lee Kwan, 2017. "The Effect of Environmental, Social, Governance and Sustainability Initiatives on Stock Value – Examining Market Response to Initiatives Undertaken by Listed Companies," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 24(6), pages 606-619, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:corsem:v:24:y:2017:i:6:p:606-619
    DOI: 10.1002/csr.1431
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    8. Billio, Monica & Costola, Michele & Hristova, Iva & Latino, Carmelo & Pelizzon, Loriana, 2022. "Sustainable finance: A journey toward ESG and climate risk," SAFE Working Paper Series 349, Leibniz Institute for Financial Research SAFE.
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    10. Francesco Gangi & Eugenio D'Angelo & Lucia Michela Daniele & Nicola Varrone, 2021. "Assessing the impact of socially responsible human resources management on company environmental performance and cost of debt," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 28(5), pages 1511-1527, September.
    11. Monica Billio & Michele Costola & Iva Hristova & Carmelo Latino & Loriana Pelizzon, 2021. "Inside the ESG ratings: (Dis)agreement and performance," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 28(5), pages 1426-1445, September.
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    15. Marina Brogi & Antonella Cappiello & Valentina Lagasio & Fabrizio Santoboni, 2022. "Determinants of insurance companies' environmental, social, and governance awareness," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(5), pages 1357-1369, September.
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    17. Mario La Torre & Sabrina Leo & Ida Claudia Panetta, 2021. "Banks and environmental, social and governance drivers: Follow the market or the authorities?," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 28(6), pages 1620-1634, November.
    18. Nazim Hussain & Ugo Rigoni & Elisa Cavezzali, 2018. "Does it pay to be sustainable? Looking inside the black box of the relationship between sustainability performance and financial performance," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 25(6), pages 1198-1211, November.
    19. Wojciech Przychodzen & Dante I. Leyva‐de la Hiz & Justyna Przychodzen, 2020. "First‐mover advantages in green innovation—Opportunities and threats for financial performance: A longitudinal analysis," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(1), pages 339-357, January.
    20. Yuan Chen & Vinod Singhal & Qinghua Zhu, 2021. "Environmental policies and financial performance: stock market reaction to firms for their proactive environmental practices recognized by governmental programs," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(4), pages 1548-1562, May.
    21. Ayman Issa & Mohammad A. A. Zaid, 2023. "Firm's biodiversity initiatives disclosure and board gender diversity: A multi‐country analysis of corporations operating in Europe," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(7), pages 4991-5007, November.
    22. Guler Aras & Nuray Tezcan & Ozlem Kutlu Furtuna, 2018. "The value relevance of banking sector multidimensional corporate sustainability performance," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 25(6), pages 1062-1073, November.
    23. Wang, Peizhang, 2023. "Corporate social responsibility and corporate innovation–The moderating role of CEO social capital," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 55(PA).
    24. Paolo Capelli & Federica Ielasi & Angeloantonio Russo, 2021. "Forecasting volatility by integrating financial risk with environmental, social, and governance risk," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 28(5), pages 1483-1495, September.
    25. Kaveh Moghaddam & Thomas Weber & Pouya Seifzadeh & Sara Azarpanah, 2021. "Internal Reputation of the Firm: CEO Retention and Firm Market Performance," Corporate Reputation Review, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 24(4), pages 205-221, November.

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