Can ESG Disclosure Stimulate Corporations' Sustainable Green Innovation Efforts? Evidence from China
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
11-1-2024
Abstract
The Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Composite Rating denotes corporations' capability for supporting sustainable development activities, social responsibility, and transparent and ethical governance. It aims to inform investors and stakeholders about the company's sustainability and social responsibility risks. ESG has increasingly become an informal yet significant driving force in promoting sustainable green innovation within the diversified co-governance environmental management system. This paper examines the dynamic relationship between ESG performance and sustainable green innovation practices in Chinese A-share listed companies from 2011 to 2022. The results show a positive correlation between ESG performance and the level of corporate sustainable green innovation. They also validate the moderating roles of informal external pressure and internal development demands. While the moderating effect of public environmental concern (PEC) is not significant, corporate digital transformation (CDT) significantly and positively moderates the relationship between ESG performance and sustainable green innovation. These findings offer policymakers and corporations a means to formulate a framework to shape the conduct of corporations to meet the market's green development needs and to establish instruments that promote green innovation.
Keywords
ESG, sustainable green innovation, public environmental concern (PEC), corporate digital transformation (CDT)
Divisions
aei
Publication Title
Sustainability
Volume
16
Issue
21
Publisher
MDPI
Publisher Location
ST ALBAN-ANLAGE 66, CH-4052 BASEL, SWITZERLAND