IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/riibaf/v67y2024ipbs0275531923002842.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Hidden effects of Brexit

Author

Listed:
  • Piserà, Stefano

Abstract

This paper investigates the hidden effects for UK firms of the 2016 choice to leave the European Union (EU). By applying a difference-in-difference (DID) methodology to a sample of 1166 firm-year observations from 2012 to 2018, we observe a decrease in UK firms’ environmental and social performance compared to those headquartered in the EU. Our evidence also stresses the importance of the adoption of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards in reducing the negative impact of Brexit on sustainability performance. Moreover, supported by the stakeholder theory, we confirm the existence of an ESG ‘insurance mechanism’ reducing the detrimental effect of Brexit on UK firms’ market risks. Overall, our results uncover the social responsibility effects of exiting the EU’s stakeholder-oriented regulatory approach emerge in terms of a greater exposure of UK firms to future financial risk.

Suggested Citation

  • Piserà, Stefano, 2024. "Hidden effects of Brexit," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 67(PB).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:riibaf:v:67:y:2024:i:pb:s0275531923002842
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ribaf.2023.102158
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0275531923002842
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.ribaf.2023.102158?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. Glen Lehman & Sanjaya Chinthana Kuruppu, 2017. "A framework for social and environmental accounting research," Accounting Forum, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(3), pages 139-146, September.
    2. Liang, Hao & Renneboog, Luc, 2017. "On the foundations of corporate social responsibility," Other publications TiSEM c6821f0a-e7f0-41da-adba-1, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    3. Nicholas Bloom & Philip Bunn & Scarlet Chen & Paul Mizen & Pawel Smietanka & Gregory Thwaites, 2019. "The Impact of Brexit on UK Firms," NBER Working Papers 26218, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    4. Jean Tirole & Roland Bénabou, 2006. "Incentives and Prosocial Behavior," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 96(5), pages 1652-1678, December.
    5. Ellen R. McGrattan & Andrea Waddle, 2020. "The Impact of Brexit on Foreign Investment and Production," American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 12(1), pages 76-103, January.
    6. Bouten, Lies & Everaert, Patricia & Van Liedekerke, Luc & De Moor, Lieven & Christiaens, Johan, 2011. "Corporate social responsibility reporting: A comprehensive picture?," Accounting forum, Elsevier, vol. 35(3), pages 187-204.
    7. Di Iasio, Valentina & Wahba, Jackline, 2023. "Expecting Brexit and UK migration: Should I go?," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    8. Fleissig, Adrian R. & Swofford, James L., 2023. "The impact of Brexit on U.K. habits for expenditure on imports and consumption," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 196-203.
    9. Kabir Hassan, M. & Chiaramonte, Laura & Dreassi, Alberto & Paltrinieri, Andrea & Piserà, Stefano, 2021. "The crossroads of ESG and religious screening on firm risk," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 58(C).
    10. Chunfang Cao & Xiaoyang Li & Guilin Liu, 2019. "Political Uncertainty and Cross-Border Acquisitions," Review of Finance, European Finance Association, vol. 23(2), pages 439-470.
    11. Mr. Philip Barrett & Sophia Chen & Miss Mali Chivakul & Ms. Deniz O Igan, 2021. "Pricing Protest: The Response of Financial Markets to Social Unrest," IMF Working Papers 2021/079, International Monetary Fund.
    12. Hannu Schadewitz & Mikael Niskala, 2010. "Communication via responsibility reporting and its effect on firm value in Finland," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 17(2), pages 96-106, March.
    13. Lys, Thomas & Naughton, James P. & Wang, Clare, 2015. "Signaling through corporate accountability reporting," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 60(1), pages 56-72.
    14. Renzo Junior & Peter Best & Julie Cotter, 2014. "Sustainability Reporting and Assurance: A Historical Analysis on a World-Wide Phenomenon," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 120(1), pages 1-11, March.
    15. Cheung, Adrian (Wai Kong), 2016. "Corporate social responsibility and corporate cash holdings," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 412-430.
    16. Xiaoqing An & William A. Barnett & Xue Wang & Qingyuan Wu, 2023. "Brexit spillovers: how economic policy uncertainty affects foreign direct investment and international trade," The European Journal of Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 29(16), pages 1913-1932, November.
    17. David Detomasi, 2008. "The Political Roots of Corporate Social Responsibility," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 82(4), pages 807-819, November.
    18. Federica Farneti & James Guthrie, 2009. "Sustainability reporting by Australian public sector organisations: Why they report," Accounting Forum, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 33(2), pages 89-98, June.
    19. Gregory Jackson & Androniki Apostolakou, 2010. "Corporate Social Responsibility in Western Europe: An Institutional Mirror or Substitute?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 94(3), pages 371-394, July.
    20. Farneti, Federica & Guthrie, James, 2009. "Sustainability reporting by Australian public sector organisations: Why they report," Accounting forum, Elsevier, vol. 33(2), pages 89-98.
    21. Chitra Sriyani De Silva Lokuwaduge & Kumudini Heenetigala, 2017. "Integrating Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Disclosure for a Sustainable Development: An Australian Study," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(4), pages 438-450, May.
    22. Diogenis Baboukardos, 2017. "Market valuation of greenhouse gas emissions under a mandatory reporting regime: Evidence from the UK," Accounting Forum, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(3), pages 221-233, September.
    23. Iftekhar Hasan & Nada Kobeissi & Liuling Liu & Haizhi Wang, 2018. "Corporate Social Responsibility and Firm Financial Performance: The Mediating Role of Productivity," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 149(3), pages 671-688, May.
    24. Kais Bouslah & Lawrence Kryzanowski & Bouchra M’Zali, 2018. "Social Performance and Firm Risk: Impact of the Financial Crisis," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 149(3), pages 643-669, May.
    25. Bariviera, Aurelio F. & Fabregat-Aibar, Laura & Sorrosal-Forradellas, Maria-Teresa, 2023. "Disentangling the impact of economic and health crises on financial markets," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    26. Alberto Romolini & Silvia Fissi & Elena Gori, 2014. "Scoring CSR Reporting in Listed Companies – Evidence from Italian Best Practices," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 21(2), pages 65-81, March.
    27. Buchanan, Bonnie & Cao, Cathy Xuying & Chen, Chongyang, 2018. "Corporate social responsibility, firm value, and influential institutional ownership," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 73-95.
    28. Alessandro Zattoni & Francesca Cuomo, 2008. "Why Adopt Codes of Good Governance? A Comparison of Institutional and Efficiency Perspectives," Corporate Governance: An International Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 16(1), pages 1-15, January.
    29. Hao Liang & Luc Renneboog, 2017. "On the Foundations of Corporate Social Responsibility," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 72(2), pages 853-910, April.
    30. Glen Dowell & Stuart Hart & Bernard Yeung, 2000. "Do Corporate Global Environmental Standards Create or Destroy Market Value?," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 46(8), pages 1059-1074, August.
    31. Jonathan Portes & Giuseppe Forte, 2017. "The economic impact of Brexit-induced reductions in migration," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 33(suppl_1), pages 31-44.
    32. Stefano Piserà & Helen Chiappini, 2022. "Are ESG indexes a safe-haven or hedging asset? Evidence from the COVID-19 pandemic in China," International Journal of Emerging Markets, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 19(1), pages 56-75, May.
    33. Weichieh Su & Mike W. Peng & Weiqiang Tan & Yan-Leung Cheung, 2016. "The Signaling Effect of Corporate Social Responsibility in Emerging Economies," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 134(3), pages 479-491, March.
    34. Harrison Hong & Jeffrey D. Kubik & Jose A. Scheinkman, 2012. "Financial Constraints on Corporate Goodness," NBER Working Papers 18476, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    35. Latorre, María C. & Olekseyuk, Zoryana & Yonezawa, Hidemichi & Robinson, Sherman, 2020. "Making sense of Brexit losses: An in-depth review of macroeconomic studies," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 72-87.
    36. Hill, Paula & Korczak, Adriana & Korczak, Piotr, 2019. "Political uncertainty exposure of individual companies: The case of the Brexit referendum," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 58-76.
    37. Hassan, M. Kabir & Chiaramonte, Laura & Dreassi, Alberto & Paltrinieri, Andrea & Piserà, Stefano, 2023. "Equity costs and risks in emerging markets: Are ESG and Sharia principles complementary?," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    38. Valentina Marano & Tatiana Kostova, 2016. "Unpacking the Institutional Complexity in Adoption of CSR Practices in Multinational Enterprises," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 53(1), pages 28-54, January.
    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. Hassan, M. Kabir & Chiaramonte, Laura & Dreassi, Alberto & Paltrinieri, Andrea & Piserà, Stefano, 2023. "Equity costs and risks in emerging markets: Are ESG and Sharia principles complementary?," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    2. Thomas J. Chemmanur & Dimitrios Gounopoulos & Panagiotis Koutroumpis & Yu Zhang, 2022. "CSR and Firm Survival: Evidence from the Climate and Pandemic Crises," Working Papers 935, Queen Mary University of London, School of Economics and Finance.
    3. Hassan, M. Kabir & Chiaramonte, Laura & Dreassi, Alberto & Paltrinieri, Andrea & Piserà, Stefano, 2022. "The religious fringe of Corporate Social Responsibility," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 243-265.
    4. Chowdhury, Hasibul & Hodgson, Allan & Hasan, Mostafa Monzur, 2022. "Does a competitive external labour market affect corporate social responsibility? Evidence from industry tournament incentives," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 33(C).
    5. Kais Bouslah & Abdelmajid Hmaittane & Lawrence Kryzanowski & Bouchra M’Zali, 2023. "CSR Structures: Evidence, Drivers, and Firm Value Implications," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 185(1), pages 115-145, June.
    6. Malik, Ihtisham A. & Chowdhury, Hasibul & Alam, Md Samsul, 2023. "Equity market response to natural disasters: Does firm's corporate social responsibility make difference?," Global Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 55(C).
    7. Hans B. Christensen & Luzi Hail & Christian Leuz, 2021. "Mandatory CSR and sustainability reporting: economic analysis and literature review," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 26(3), pages 1176-1248, September.
    8. Liu, Xianda & Hou, Wenxuan & Main, Brian G.M., 2022. "Anti-market sentiment and corporate social responsibility: Evidence from anti-Jewish pogroms," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    9. Boubaker, Sabri & Cellier, Alexis & Manita, Riadh & Saeed, Asif, 2020. "Does corporate social responsibility reduce financial distress risk?," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 835-851.
    10. Xiaomeng Chen & Xiao Liang & Hai Wu, 2023. "Cross-Border Mergers and Acquisitions and CSR Performance: Evidence from China," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 183(1), pages 255-288, February.
    11. Liu, Xianda & An, Jiafu & Duan, Tinghua & Hou, Wenxuan & Zhao, Ruoran, 2023. "Lawyers in the boardroom and firms’ environmental performance," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    12. Xiuli Sun & Cui Zhou & Zhuojiong Gan, 2023. "Green Finance Policy and ESG Performance: Evidence from Chinese Manufacturing Firms," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-27, April.
    13. Buchanan, Bonnie G. & Cao, Cathy Xuying & Wang, Shuhui, 2021. "Corporate social responsibility and inside debt: The long game," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    14. Laura Chiaramonte & Alberto Dreassi & Andrea Paltrinieri & Stefano Piserà, 2020. "Sustainability Practices and Stability in the Insurance Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(14), pages 1-25, July.
    15. Charl de Villiers & Diandian Ma & Ana Marques, 2024. "Corporate social responsibility disclosure, dividend payments and firm value – Relations and mediating effects," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 64(1), pages 185-219, March.
    16. Dina Patrisia & Shabbir Dastgir, 2017. "Diversification and corporate social performance in manufacturing companies," Eurasian Business Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 7(1), pages 121-139, April.
    17. Farah, Tazrina & Li, Jialong & Li, Zhicheng & Shamsuddin, Abul, 2021. "The non-linear effect of CSR on firms’ systematic risk: International evidence," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    18. She‐Chih Chiu & Hsuan‐Chu Lin & Chuan‐San Wang, 2017. "The Impact of Investments in Pollution Reduction on Shareholder Wealth: Evidence from Taiwanese Manufacturing Companies," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 24(6), pages 676-691, November.
    19. Kabir Hassan, M. & Chiaramonte, Laura & Dreassi, Alberto & Paltrinieri, Andrea & Piserà, Stefano, 2021. "The crossroads of ESG and religious screening on firm risk," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 58(C).
    20. 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).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Brexit; Environmental; Social and Governance (ESG) performance; Global reporting initiative (GRI); Market risks; Difference-in-difference;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G30 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - General
    • M14 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - Corporate Culture; Diversity; Social Responsibility
    • F23 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - Multinational Firms; International Business

    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:riibaf:v:67:y:2024:i:pb:s0275531923002842. 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/ribaf .

    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.