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The role of public environmental concern on corporate social responsibility: Evidence from search index of web users

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  • Tao, Yunqing
  • Wang, Dianjie
  • Ye, Yongwei
  • Wu, Haitao
  • Zhang, Yao

Abstract

This study studies the effects of informal institutions of public environmental concerns (PEC) on corporate social responsibility (CSR) regarding public environmental concerns. Using the search index of web users for specific environmental keywords to construct a proxy variable for PEC, we empirically analyze the effects of PEC on CSR using data from publicly listed Chinese firms. The results suggest that PEC significantly and positively impacts CSR, which still holds after several robustness and endogeneity tests. We further verify that the PEC promotes CSR by strengthening government, market, and internal corporate regulations. Further analysis shows that our results are more pronounced for firms located downstream in the industry chain and for cities with a better legal environment. This study provides essential insights into how PEC shapes CSR in emerging markets.

Suggested Citation

  • Tao, Yunqing & Wang, Dianjie & Ye, Yongwei & Wu, Haitao & Zhang, Yao, 2023. "The role of public environmental concern on corporate social responsibility: Evidence from search index of web users," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:eneeco:v:126:y:2023:i:c:s014098832300539x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.eneco.2023.107041
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Public environmental concerns; Corporate social responsibility; Government regulation; Market regulation; Corporate internal regulation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D22 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Empirical Analysis
    • L25 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Performance
    • Q56 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environment and Development; Environment and Trade; Sustainability; Environmental Accounts and Accounting; Environmental Equity; Population Growth

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