IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/finlet/v64y2024ics1544612324004495.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

From ethics to efficiency: Understanding the interconnected dynamics of ESG performance, financial efficiency, and cash holdings in China

Author

Listed:
  • Wang, Ziyuan
  • Zhang, Cong
  • Wu, Ran
  • Sha, Lina

Abstract

This study examines the impact of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles on firm efficiency and cash holdings in China's non-financial sector from 2010 to 2022. Through fixed effect and system GMM regression analyses, it finds that higher ESG scores enhance operational efficiency, leading to decreased cash reserves. The research highlights that sustainable practices contribute to ethical standing and financial resilience, encouraging firms to integrate ESG strategies with financial objectives. The corporate firms are encouraged to view sustainable practices not merely as compliance measures but as strategic imperatives that contribute to both ethical standing and financial resilience. By exploring the linkage between sustainable practices and financial strategies, this study enriches the dialogue on sustainable finance and responsible corporate governance, demonstrating the financial benefits of ESG adherence.

Suggested Citation

  • Wang, Ziyuan & Zhang, Cong & Wu, Ran & Sha, Lina, 2024. "From ethics to efficiency: Understanding the interconnected dynamics of ESG performance, financial efficiency, and cash holdings in China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:finlet:v:64:y:2024:i:c:s1544612324004495
    DOI: 10.1016/j.frl.2024.105419
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1544612324004495
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.frl.2024.105419?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Zhang, Dongyang & Kong, Qunxi & Wang, Yizhi & Vigne, Samuel A., 2023. "Exquisite workmanship through net-zero emissions? The effects of carbon emission trading policy on firms' export product quality," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 123(C).
    2. Fan, Zhangmei & Chen, Ying & Mo, Yifan, 2024. "Management myopia and corporate ESG performance," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    3. Zhang, Jiawei & Li, Yuan & Xu, Hanwen & Ding, Yi, 2023. "Can ESG ratings mitigate managerial myopia? Evidence from Chinese listed companies," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    4. Michalski, Lachlan & Low, Rand Kwong Yew, 2024. "Determinants of corporate credit ratings: Does ESG matter?," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    5. Ali Shaddady & Faisal Alnori, 2024. "ESG practices and bank efficiency: new evidence from an oil-driven economy," International Journal of Islamic and Middle Eastern Finance and Management, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 17(2), pages 233-251, January.
    6. Carnevale, Concetta & Drago, Danilo, 2024. "Do banks price ESG risks? A critical review of empirical research," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    7. Liu, Benjamin & Johl, Shireenjit & Lasantha, Ruwan, 2023. "ESG scores and cash holdings: The role of disciplinary trading," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 55(PA).
    8. Sun, Weizheng & Chen, Shuning & Jiao, Yuqing & Feng, Xu, 2024. "How does ESG constrain corporate earnings management? Evidence from China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    9. He, Feng & Ding, Cong & Yue, Wei & Liu, Guanchun, 2023. "ESG performance and corporate risk-taking: Evidence from China," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    10. Chen, Zhongfei & Xie, Guanxia, 2022. "ESG disclosure and financial performance: Moderating role of ESG investors," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    11. Tahir Akhtar & Mohammad Ali Tareq & Kashif Rashid, 2023. "The role of shareholders and creditors' rights in affecting cash holdings and firm value: A recent evidence from ASEAN," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(1), pages 929-961, January.
    12. Chen, Hanwen & Yang, Daoguang & Zhang, Joseph H. & Zhou, Haiyan, 2020. "Internal controls, risk management, and cash holdings," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    13. Al-Shaer, Habiba & Uyar, Ali & Kuzey, Cemil & Karaman, Abdullah S., 2023. "Do shareholders punish or reward excessive CSR engagement? Moderating effect of cash flow and firm growth," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    14. Guo, Kun & Bian, Yuan & Zhang, Dayong & Ji, Qiang, 2024. "ESG performance and corporate external financing in China: The role of rating disagreement," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    15. Zhang, Qiyu & Ding, Rong & Chen, Ding & Zhang, Xiaoxiang, 2023. "The effects of mandatory ESG disclosure on price discovery efficiency around the world," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    16. Tang, Hua & Xiong, Langyu & Peng, Ru, 2024. "The mediating role of investor confidence on ESG performance and firm value: Evidence from Chinese listed firms," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    17. Nisar Ahmad & Asma Mobarek & Moodhi Raid, 2023. "Impact of global financial crisis on firm performance in UK: Moderating role of ESG, corporate governance and firm size," Cogent Business & Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 10(1), pages 2167548-216, December.
    18. Wang, Yizhi & Wei, Yu & Lucey, Brian M. & Su, Yang, 2023. "Return spillover analysis across central bank digital currency attention and cryptocurrency markets," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    19. Alves, Carlos Francisco & Meneses, Lilian Lima, 2024. "ESG scores and debt costs: Exploring indebtedness, agency costs, and financial system impact," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    20. Mishra, Geeti & Patro, Archana & Tiwari, Aviral Kumar, 2024. "Does climate governance moderate the relationship between ESG reporting and firm value? Empirical evidence from India," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 920-941.
    21. Wang, Yizhi, 2022. "Volatility spillovers across NFTs news attention and financial markets," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    22. Kai Chang & Xiaochang Cheng & Yiran Wang & Qiming Liu & Jie Hu, 2023. "The impacts of ESG performance and digital finance on corporate financing efficiency in China," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(4), pages 516-523, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Chen, Qianqian, 2024. "From concept to capital: Investigating the influence of green innovation on equity financing in BRICS economies," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    2. Wei, Yu & Wang, Yizhi & Vigne, Samuel A. & Ma, Zhenyu, 2023. "Alarming contagion effects: The dangerous ripple effect of extreme price spillovers across crude oil, carbon emission allowance, and agriculture futures markets," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    3. Huang, Wenyang & Zhao, Jianyu & Wang, Xiaokang, 2024. "Model-driven multimodal LSTM-CNN for unbiased structural forecasting of European Union allowances open-high-low-close price," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
    4. Dunbar, Kwamie & Treku, Daniel & Sarnie, Robert & Hoover, Jack, 2023. "What does ESG risk premia tell us about mutual fund sustainability levels: A difference-in-differences analysis," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 57(C).
    5. Hao, Yun & Wu, Wenzhao, 2024. "Environment, social, and governance performance and corporate financing constraints," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 62(PA).
    6. Liyuan Meng & Yuchen Zhang, 2023. "Impact of Tax Administration on ESG Performance—A Quasi-Natural Experiment Based on China’s Golden Tax Project III," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-23, July.
    7. Liu, Yue & Li, Zhi & Huang, Wenxuan, 2024. "Analyzing the influence of environmental protection law amendments on financing efficiency in Chinese industrial enterprises: A retrospective examination," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    8. Chai, Shanglei & Cao, Mengjun & Li, Qiang & Ji, Qiang & Liu, Zuankuo, 2023. "Exploring the nexus between ESG disclosure and corporate sustainable growth: Moderating role of media attention," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 58(PC).
    9. Jiang, Hongli & Hu, Wenjie & Jiang, Pengcheng, 2024. "Does ESG performance affect corporate tax avoidance? Evidence from China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    10. Tan, Xiujie & Liu, Gufeng & Cheng, Si, 2024. "How does ESG performance affect green transformation of resource-based enterprises: Evidence from Chinese listed enterprises," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    11. Liu, Changyu & Wang, Jing & Ji, Qiang & Zhang, Dayong, 2024. "To be green or not to be: How governmental regulation shapes financial institutions' greenwashing behaviors in green finance," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    12. Liang, Yuchao & Tan, Qi & Pang, Jun, 2024. "Bless or curse, how does extreme temperature shape heavy pollution companies' ESG performance?-Evidence from China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    13. Wu, Zewen, 2024. "Are we in a bubble? Financial vulnerabilities in semiconductor, Web3, and genetic engineering markets," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 32-44.
    14. Song, Yunling & Wu, Hao & Ma, Yan, 2023. "Does ESG performance affect audit pricing? Evidence from China," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    15. Yousaf, Imran & Ijaz, Muhammad Shahzad & Umar, Muhammad & Li, Yanshuang, 2024. "Exploring volatility interconnections between AI tokens, AI stocks, and fossil fuel markets: evidence from time and frequency-based connectedness analysis," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    16. Zhao, Shuai & Chen, Yan, 2024. "ESG rating and labor income share: Firm-level evidence," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    17. Xie, Qichang & Fang, Tingwei & Rong, Xueyun & Xu, Xin, 2024. "Nonlinear behavior of tail risk resonance and early warning: Insight from global energy stock markets," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    18. Song, Jiayi, 2024. "Corporate ESG performance and human capital investment efficiency," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 62(PB).
    19. Wan, Jieru & Yin, Libo & Wu, You, 2024. "Return and volatility connectedness across global ESG stock indexes: Evidence from the time-frequency domain analysis," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 89(PB), pages 397-428.
    20. Dunbar, Kwamie, 2023. "CBDC uncertainty: Financial market implications," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    China; ESG Performance; Financial efficiency; Cash holdings; ESG scores;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G30 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - General
    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill
    • 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

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:finlet:v:64:y:2024:i:c:s1544612324004495. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/frl .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.