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Environmental performance, carbon performance and earnings management: Empirical evidence for the European capital market

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  • Patrick Velte

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between environmental performance, carbon performance and earnings management. This analysis includes panel regressions as empirical‐quantitative (archival) research methods and looks at the 2014–2018 financial years of companies listed on the STOXX Europe 600 (1,509 firm‐year observations). Environmental (carbon) performance proxies are included as independent variables, and with two earnings quality measures, accrual‐based earnings management (ACC) and real earnings management (REM) as dependent variables. Our findings align with prior research on sustainability performance and indicate that environmental (carbon) performance reduces ACC but increases REM. After including Granger causality tests, we find no indications of a bidirectional relationship. This analysis makes a key contribution to prior studies as this appears to be the first on the relationship between environmental (carbon) performance and earnings management in the European capital market. The study has major implications for business practice, regulators and research. Managers might use environmental and carbon strategies for greenwashing policies as this change in earnings management can be hardly detected by other stakeholders.

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  • Patrick Velte, 2021. "Environmental performance, carbon performance and earnings management: Empirical evidence for the European capital market," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 28(1), pages 42-53, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:corsem:v:28:y:2021:i:1:p:42-53
    DOI: 10.1002/csr.2030
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    4. Ali Uyar & Simone Pizzi & Fabio Caputo & Cemil Kuzey & Abdullah S. Karaman, 2022. "Do shareholders reward or punish risky firms due to CSR reporting and assurance?," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 43(5), pages 1596-1620, July.
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    6. Su-In Kim & Yujin Kim, 2023. "Climate Risk, Stock Crash Risk, and Greenhouse Gas Emission Trading Scheme: Evidence From Korea," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(4), pages 21582440231, November.
    7. Ibrahim Khalifa Elmghaamez & Jacinta Nwachukwu & Collins G. Ntim, 2024. "ESG disclosure and financial performance of multinational enterprises: The moderating effect of board standing committees," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(3), pages 3593-3638, July.
    8. Waris Ali & Jeffrey Wilson & Muhammad Husnain, 2022. "Determinants/Motivations of Corporate Social Responsibility Disclosure in Developing Economies: A Survey of the Extant Literature," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-26, March.
    9. Giovanna Gavana & Pietro Gottardo & Anna Maria Moisello, 2022. "Related Party Transactions and Earnings Management: The Moderating Effect of ESG Performance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-21, May.
    10. Wu, Zhenshu, 2023. "Essays in corporate finance and ESG," Other publications TiSEM fe6f9604-d0c5-46f3-9492-f, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    11. Zhao‐Yong Sun & Meng‐Jie Li & Dongdong Li, 2023. "Carbon performance and corporate financial performance: The moderating role of consumer awareness of corporate social responsibility," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 44(1), pages 663-670, January.
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