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A Bi-Directional Examination of the Relationship Between Corporate Social Responsibility Ratings and Company Financial Performance in the European Context

Author

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  • Bertrand P. Quéré

    (University Grenoble Alpes - CERAG UMR 5820 CNRS)

  • Geneviève Nouyrigat

    (University Grenoble Alpes - CERAG UMR 5820 CNRS)

  • C. Richard Baker

    (Adelphi University)

Abstract

Research focusing on the relationship between measures of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and company financial performance has led to mixed results in the North American context. In addition, the ethical attitudes and approaches toward CSR investments of both companies and rating agencies are not necessarily the same in Europe and the United States. In this study, we use CSR ratings issued by a major European CSR ratings agency (Vigeo) to examine in a bi-directional manner the relationships between CSR ratings and financial performance in the European context. By bi-directional, we mean an examination of the relationship between prior CSR ratings and subsequent accounting and financial performance and reciprocally, the impact of accounting and financial performance of year N − 1 on CSR ratings of year N. Our principal findings are: (1) the greater the market capitalization of a company, the higher the Vigeo rating, (2) the higher the risk of the company, the lower the Vigeo rating, and (3) the greater the stock market return of a company, the lower the Vigeo rating. Based on these findings, we propose (1) a concept of “political visibility” pursuant to which enterprises of a greater size are exposed to greater pressure to conform to norms of socially acceptable behavior, (2) a concept of “priorities” in which enterprises that have resolved their most urgent financial needs have a greater ability to invest in CSR, (3) a concept of “rating downgrading” which reveals the sanctioning role of the rating agency from an ethical standpoint.

Suggested Citation

  • Bertrand P. Quéré & Geneviève Nouyrigat & C. Richard Baker, 2018. "A Bi-Directional Examination of the Relationship Between Corporate Social Responsibility Ratings and Company Financial Performance in the European Context," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 148(3), pages 527-544, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:148:y:2018:i:3:d:10.1007_s10551-015-2998-1
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-015-2998-1
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    4. Magrizos, Solon & Apospori, Eleni & Carrigan, Marylyn & Jones, Rosalind, 2021. "Is CSR the panacea for SMEs? A study of socially responsible SMEs during economic crisis," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 39(2), pages 291-303.
    5. Irina I. Smotritskaya & Nadezhda D. Frolova, 2021. "The corporate governance quality and market capitalization of Russian companies: An empirical analysis," Upravlenets, Ural State University of Economics, vol. 12(4), pages 2-15, September.
    6. Lin, Woon Leong & Law, Siong Hook & Ho, Jo Ann & Sambasivan, Murali, 2019. "The causality direction of the corporate social responsibility – Corporate financial performance Nexus: Application of Panel Vector Autoregression approach," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 401-418.
    7. Ajay Kumar & Jyotirani Gupta & Niladri Das, 2022. "Revisiting the influence of corporate sustainability practices on corporate financial performance: An evidence from the global energy sector," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(7), pages 3231-3253, November.
    8. Raja Abid, 2023. "Corporate social (ir)responsibility towards employees and financial performance: using time to solve the chicken-egg problem," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 17(2), pages 635-659, February.
    9. Iram Hasan & Shveta Singh & Smita Kashiramka, 2022. "Does corporate social responsibility disclosure impact firm performance? An industry-wise analysis of Indian firms," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 24(8), pages 10141-10181, August.
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