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Controlling shareholder pledging and corporate ESG behavior

Author

Listed:
  • Huang, Wei
  • Luo, Yan
  • Wang, Xiaohuan
  • Xiao, Lifu

Abstract

Utilizing a large sample of Chinese listed firms, we document strong and robust evidence that both firms’ environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance and their ESG disclosure quality deteriorate significantly after controlling shareholders’ pledging of their shares for personal loans. The results are especially evident among firms with higher valuation uncertainty, such as small firms and high-tech firms. Lastly, we show that external monitoring by institutional investors helps to mitigate such adverse impacts of controlling shareholder pledging.

Suggested Citation

  • Huang, Wei & Luo, Yan & Wang, Xiaohuan & Xiao, Lifu, 2022. "Controlling shareholder pledging and corporate ESG behavior," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:riibaf:v:61:y:2022:i:c:s0275531922000435
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ribaf.2022.101655
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    Cited by:

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    4. Bolognesi, Enrica & Burchi, Alberto, 2023. "The impact of the ESG disclosure on sell-side analysts’ target prices: The new era post Paris agreements," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    5. Yuxin Ning & Yihan Zhang, 2023. "Does Digital Finance Improve Corporate ESG Performance? An Intermediary Role Based on Financing Constraints," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-17, July.
    6. Mu, Weiwei & Liu, Kefu & Tao, Yunqing & Ye, Yongwei, 2023. "Digital finance and corporate ESG," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 51(C).
    7. Jinyu Chen & Yan Yang & Ran Liu & Yuan Geng & Xiaohang Ren, 2023. "Green bond issuance and corporate ESG performance: the perspective of internal attention and external supervision," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-12, December.
    8. Khurram, Muhammad Usman & Chen, Lifeng & Abedin, Mohammad Zoynul & Adu, Douglas A. & Lucey, Brian, 2024. "ESG disclosure and internal pay gap: Empirical evidence from China," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 228-244.
    9. Tian, Zhongliang & Tang, Ruoyuan & Liu, Wenhe & Qi, Yuan, 2024. "Controlling shareholder's equity pledge and corporate financialization," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    10. Bai, Keke & Jing, Kun & Li, Tianyu, 2024. "Corporate ESG Performance and Stock Pledge Risk," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    ESG; Controlling shareholder pledging; Chinese A-share stock markets;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill
    • G34 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Mergers; Acquisitions; Restructuring; Corporate Governance
    • M14 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - Corporate Culture; Diversity; Social Responsibility
    • Q5 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics
    • G23 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Non-bank Financial Institutions; Financial Instruments; Institutional Investors

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