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Rhetoric, Reality, and Reputation: Do CSR and Political Lobbying Protect Shareholder Wealth against Environmental Lawsuits?

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  • Liu, Chelsea
  • Cheong, Chee Seng
  • Zurbruegg, Ralf

Abstract

We investigate whether firms’ corporate social responsibility (CSR) reputations and environmental lobbying efforts protect shareholder wealth in the event of environmental lawsuits. Using a sample of lawsuits filed in United States Federal Courts, we find that firms with superior CSR reputations suffer worse market reactions to environmental allegations. In contrast, lobbying cushions filing-date valuation losses, providing insurance-like protection against lawsuits. Our results are robust to subsample analyses, a falsification test, propensity score matching, and alternative empirical proxies and model specifications.

Suggested Citation

  • Liu, Chelsea & Cheong, Chee Seng & Zurbruegg, Ralf, 2020. "Rhetoric, Reality, and Reputation: Do CSR and Political Lobbying Protect Shareholder Wealth against Environmental Lawsuits?," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 55(2), pages 679-706, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:jfinqa:v:55:y:2020:i:2:p:679-706_10
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    Cited by:

    1. Neukirchen, Daniel & Köchling, Gerrit & Posch, Peter N., 2023. "Enforcement of corporate misconduct during Democratic and Republican administrations," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 55(PA).
    2. Wu, Junfeng & Liu, Baohua & Zeng, Yongliang & Luo, Hong, 2022. "Good for the firm, good for the society? Causal evidence of the impact of equity incentives on a firm's green investment," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 435-449.
    3. Huang, Robin Hui & Zhang, Linhan, 2023. "The effects of reputational sanctions on culpable firms: Evidence from China’s stock markets," International Review of Law and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    4. Wong, Jin Boon & Zhang, Qin, 2024. "ESG reputation risks, cash holdings, and payout policies," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    5. Nguyen, Hien T. & Phan, Hieu V. & Vo, Hong, 2023. "Agency problems and corporate social responsibility: Evidence from shareholder-creditor mergers," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    6. Liu, Chelsea, 2021. "CEO gender and employee relations: Evidence from labor lawsuits," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 128(C).
    7. Liu, Chelsea, 2020. "Judge political affiliation and impacts of corporate environmental litigation," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    8. Dai, Yunhao & Tong, Xinchu & Wang, Li, 2022. "Workplace safety accident, employee treatment, and firm value: Evidence from China," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    9. Ağca, Şenay & Togan-Eğrican, Aslı, 2024. "Managerial activism," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    10. Ho, Choy Yeing (Chloe) & Wu, Eliza & Yu, Jing, 2024. "The price of corporate social irresponsibility in seasoned equity offerings: International evidence," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 56(4).
    11. Md Mosharraf Hossain & Lafang Wang & Jing Yu, 2024. "The reputational costs of corporate environmental underperformance: evidence from China," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(2), pages 930-948, February.
    12. Fu, Changluan & Yu, Chenyang & Guo, Mengting & Zhang, Lin, 2024. "ESG rating and financial risk of mining industry companies," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    13. Colak, Gonul & Korkeamäki, Timo P. & Meyer, Niclas Oskar, 2024. "ESG and CEO turnover around the world," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    14. D'Souza, Reagan & Ho, Choy Yeing (Chloe) & Yang, Joey W., 2024. "The cost of corporate social irresponsibility for acquirers," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 162(C).

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