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Voluntary Corporate Environmental Initiatives and Shareholder Wealth

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  • Thorburn, Karin S
  • Fisher-Vanden, Karen

Abstract

Researchers debate whether environmental investments reduce firm value or can actually improve financial performance. We provide some first evidence on shareholder wealth effects of voluntary corporate environmental initiatives. Companies announcing membership in Climate Leaders and Ceres - two voluntary environmental programs related to climate change - experience significantly negative abnormal stock returns. The price decline is smaller in carbon-intensive industries, where regulatory actions are more likely, and for high book-to-market firms, suggesting that "green" expenditures crowd out growth-related investments. We also document insignificant announcement returns for portfolios of industry rivals. Overall, the environmental investments appear to conflict with shareholder value-maximization. This has far reaching implications since the U.S. government relies on voluntary initiatives to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases.

Suggested Citation

  • Thorburn, Karin S & Fisher-Vanden, Karen, 2008. "Voluntary Corporate Environmental Initiatives and Shareholder Wealth," CEPR Discussion Papers 6698, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:6698
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Capital expenditures; Climate change; Corporate social responsibility; Environmentally responsible investing; Shareholder wealth;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G31 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Capital Budgeting; Fixed Investment and Inventory Studies
    • G38 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Government Policy and Regulation
    • Q5 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics

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