IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/pal/palcom/v11y2024i1d10.1057_s41599-024-03495-3.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Corporate social responsibility disclosure in Saudi companies: analysing the impact of board independence in family and non-family companies

Author

Listed:
  • Ameen Qasem

    (University of Hail
    Taiz University)

  • Bazeet Olayemi Badru

    (University of Hail)

  • Belal Ali Ghaleb

    (University of Tabuk)

  • Shaker Dahan AL-Duais

    (Ibb University
    Alaziq & Alzailiae CPA)

  • Adel Ali Al-Qadasi

    (Shaqra University
    Department of Accounting, Hodeidah University)

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between family-controlled companies and corporate social responsibility practice disclosure (CSRPD) and examines whether board independence influences this relationship. A self-constructed CSR disclosure index is developed to measure the CSRPD in a sample of 152 publicly listed companies in Saudi Arabia from 2016 to 2021. The findings from the pooled ordinary least squares (POLS) regression reveal that family-controlled companies exhibit lower levels of CSRPD than non-family companies. However, family-controlled companies with a higher number of independent directors on their boards show higher CSRPD, indicating a significant positive interaction effect of board independence. These results remain robust even after applying a variety of econometric techniques, including Newey-West regression, panel corrected standard error (PCSE), logistic regression, and addressing endogeneity problems, along with using different measures for CSRPD and family-controlled companies. These findings suggest that the governance structure of the boards, particularly independent directors, can support the prosocial and positive stimulus of socioemotional wealth (SEW) theory. Therefore, Saudi Arabian capital market regulators need to be aware of the importance of companies’ governance structures.

Suggested Citation

  • Ameen Qasem & Bazeet Olayemi Badru & Belal Ali Ghaleb & Shaker Dahan AL-Duais & Adel Ali Al-Qadasi, 2024. "Corporate social responsibility disclosure in Saudi companies: analysing the impact of board independence in family and non-family companies," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-18, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:palcom:v:11:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1057_s41599-024-03495-3
    DOI: 10.1057/s41599-024-03495-3
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1057/s41599-024-03495-3
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1057/s41599-024-03495-3?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. Lammertjan Dam & Bert Scholtens, 2013. "Ownership Concentration and CSR Policy of European Multinational Enterprises," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 118(1), pages 117-126, November.
    2. Shaban Mohammadi & Hadi Saeidi, 2022. "Corporate social responsibility and financial accounting concepts: evidence from an emerging market," Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 13(3), pages 740-764, January.
    3. Giovanna Gavana & Pietro Gottardo & Anna Maria Moisello, 2023. "Board diversity and corporate social performance in family firms. The moderating effect of the institutional and business environment," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(5), pages 2194-2218, September.
    4. Madden, Laura & McMillan, Amy & Harris, Oneil, 2020. "Drivers of selectivity in family firms: Understanding the impact of age and ownership on CSR," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 11(2).
    5. Haishi Li & Hafiz Muhammad Arslan & Gehan A. Mousa & Bilal & Ali Abbas & Rocky J. Dwyer, 2023. "Exploring sustainability disclosures in family firms: a bibliometric analysis," Economic Research-Ekonomska Istraživanja, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 36(3), pages 2188238-218, December.
    6. Shantanu Dutta & Supriya Katti & B. V. Phani & Pengcheng Zhu, 2022. "Corporate social responsibility spending as a building block for sustainable corporate ethical identity: Lessons from Indian business groups," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 43(3), pages 696-717, April.
    7. Karl V. Lins & Paolo Volpin & Hannes F. Wagner, 2013. "Does Family Control Matter? International Evidence from the 2008--2009 Financial Crisis," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 26(10), pages 2583-2619.
    8. Khaled Hussainey & Thomas Schleicher & Martin Walker, 2003. "Undertaking large-scale disclosure studies when AIMR-FAF ratings are not available: the case of prices leading earnings," Accounting and Business Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 33(4), pages 275-294.
    9. Roberto Fernández‐Gago & Laura Cabeza‐García & Mariano Nieto, 2018. "Independent directors' background and CSR disclosure," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 25(5), pages 991-1001, September.
    10. Chourou, Lamia, 2023. "Corporate donations and religiosity: Cross-country evidence," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 39(C).
    11. Dima Jamali & Asem M. Safieddine & Myriam Rabbath, 2008. "Corporate Governance and Corporate Social Responsibility Synergies and Interrelationships," Corporate Governance: An International Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 16(5), pages 443-459, September.
    12. Ma, Liangbo, 2023. "Corporate social responsibility reporting in family firms: Evidence from China," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 37(C).
    13. Murya Habbash, 2016. "Corporate governance and corporate social responsibility disclosure: evidence from Saudi Arabia," Social Responsibility Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 12(4), pages 740-754, October.
    14. Mitchell A. Petersen, 2009. "Estimating Standard Errors in Finance Panel Data Sets: Comparing Approaches," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 22(1), pages 435-480, January.
    15. Breton-Miller, Isabelle Le & Miller, Danny, 2016. "Family firms and practices of sustainability: A contingency view," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 7(1), pages 26-33.
    16. Jaggi, Bikki & Leung, Sidney & Gul, Ferdinand, 2009. "Family control, board independence and earnings management: Evidence based on Hong Kong firms," Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, Elsevier, vol. 28(4), pages 281-300, July.
    17. Sofia Brunelli & Salvatore Sciascia & Massimo Baù, 2024. "Nonfinancial reporting in family firms: A systematic review and agenda for future research," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(2), pages 162-179, February.
    18. Ameen Qasem & Shaker Dahan AL-Duais & Wan Nordin Wan-Hussin & Hasan Mohamad Bamahros & Abdulsalam Alquhaif & Murad Thomran, 2022. "Institutional Ownership Types and ESG Reporting: The Case of Saudi Listed Firms," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-23, September.
    19. Hoje Jo & Maretno Harjoto, 2012. "The Causal Effect of Corporate Governance on Corporate Social Responsibility," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 106(1), pages 53-72, March.
    20. Cuadrado-Ballesteros, Beatriz & Rodríguez-Ariza, Lázaro & García-Sánchez, Isabel-María, 2015. "The role of independent directors at family firms in relation to corporate social responsibility disclosures," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 24(5), pages 890-901.
    21. Husted, Bryan W. & Sousa-Filho, José Milton de, 2019. "Board structure and environmental, social, and governance disclosure in Latin America," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 220-227.
    22. Chen, Kevin C. W. & Chen, Zhihong & Wei, K. C. John, 2011. "Agency Costs of Free Cash Flow and the Effect of Shareholder Rights on the Implied Cost of Equity Capital," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 46(1), pages 171-207, February.
    23. Lorenzo Dal Maso & Rodrigo Basco & Thomas Bassetti & Nicola Lattanzi, 2020. "Family ownership and environmental performance: The mediation effect of human resource practices," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(3), pages 1548-1562, March.
    24. Jeanne, Amar & Demaria, Samira & Rigot, Sandra, 2023. "What are the drivers of corporates' climate transparency? Evidence from the S&P 1200 index," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 213(C).
    25. El Ghoul, Sadok & Guedhami, Omrane & Wang, He & Kwok, Chuck C.Y., 2016. "Family control and corporate social responsibility," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 131-146.
    26. Ronald W. Masulis & Syed Walid Reza, 2015. "Agency Problems of Corporate Philanthropy," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 28(2), pages 592-636.
    27. Nekhili, Mehdi & Nagati, Haithem & Chtioui, Tawhid & Rebolledo, Claudia, 2017. "Corporate social responsibility disclosure and market value: Family versus nonfamily firms," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 41-52.
    28. Liu, Mingzhi & Shi, Yulin & Wilson, Craig & Wu, Zhenyu, 2017. "Does family involvement explain why corporate social responsibility affects earnings management?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 8-16.
    29. Roland Kidwell & Franz Kellermanns & Kimberly Eddleston, 2012. "Harmony, Justice, Confusion, and Conflict in Family Firms: Implications for Ethical Climate and the “Fredo Effect”," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 106(4), pages 503-517, April.
    30. 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.
    31. Shahid, Ahmad Usman & Patel, Chris & Pan, Peipei, 2022. "Corporate social responsibility, intrinsic religiosity, and investment decisions," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 34(C).
    32. Krueger, Norris & Bogers, Marcel L.A.M. & Labaki, Rania & Basco, Rodrigo, 2021. "Advancing family business science through context theorizing: The case of the Arab world," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 12(1).
    33. Wan Nordin Wan-Hussin & Ameen Qasem & Norhani Aripin & Mohd Shazwan Mohd Ariffin, 2021. "Corporate Responsibility Disclosure, Information Environment and Analysts’ Recommendations: Evidence from Malaysia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-27, March.
    34. Franco Rubino & Francesco Napoli, 2020. "What Impact Does Corporate Governance Have on Corporate Environmental Performances? An Empirical Study of Italian Listed Firms," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(14), pages 1-21, July.
    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. Saier Su & Fei Zhu & Haibo Zhou, 2022. "A Systematic Literature Review on Ownership and Corporate Social Responsibility in Family Firms," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-25, June.
    2. Christoph Stock & Laura Pütz & Sabrina Schell & Arndt Werner, 2024. "Corporate Social Responsibility in Family Firms: Status and Future Directions of a Research Field," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 190(1), pages 199-259, February.
    3. Anjali Kaimal & Shigufta Hena Uzma, 2024. "CSR and ownership structure: Moderating role of board characteristics in an emerging country context," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(5), pages 4933-4955, September.
    4. Rania Beji & Ouidad Yousfi & Nadia Loukil & Abdelwahed Omri, 2021. "Board Diversity and Corporate Social Responsibility: Empirical Evidence from France," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 173(1), pages 133-155, September.
    5. Sreevas Sahasranamam & Bindu Arya & Mukesh Sud, 2020. "Ownership structure and corporate social responsibility in an emerging market," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 37(4), pages 1165-1192, December.
    6. El Ghoul, Sadok & Guedhami, Omrane & Wang, He & Kwok, Chuck C.Y., 2016. "Family control and corporate social responsibility," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 131-146.
    7. Ivo Hristov & Antonio Chirico & Francesco Ranalli & Riccardo Camilli, 2022. "La pianificazione della sostenibilit? nelle aziende familiari: il ruolo dei key value drivers," MANAGEMENT CONTROL, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2022(3), pages 109-134.
    8. Sang‐Joon Kim & Jongwan Bae & SoHyeon Kang, 2024. "The cross‐cutting pursuit of family values: When and how do family firms engage in corporate environmental responsibility," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(4), pages 2749-2769, July.
    9. Chowdhury, Rajib & Doukas, John A. & Park, Jong Chool, 2021. "Stakeholder orientation and the value of cash holdings: Evidence from a natural experiment," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    10. Shaker Dahan AL-Duais & Ameen Qasem & Wan Nordin Wan-Hussin & Hasan Mohamad Bamahros & Murad Thomran & Abdulsalam Alquhaif, 2021. "CEO Characteristics, Family Ownership and Corporate Social Responsibility Reporting: The Case of Saudi Arabia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-21, November.
    11. 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).
    12. Ma, Liangbo, 2023. "Corporate social responsibility reporting in family firms: Evidence from China," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 37(C).
    13. Nils Engelhardt & Jens Ekkenga & Peter Posch, 2021. "ESG Ratings and Stock Performance during the COVID-19 Crisis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-15, June.
    14. Kuo, Ya-Fen & Lin, Yi-Mien & Chien, Hsiu-Fang, 2021. "Corporate social responsibility, enterprise risk management, and real earnings management: Evidence from managerial confidence," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 41(C).
    15. Zhen Li & Yitong Sun & Jinhao Liu & Yi Li & Zhifang Zhou, 2024. "Corporate violations and bank debt cost: The insurance effect of corporate social responsibility," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(5), pages 4487-4503, September.
    16. Zadeh, Mohammad Hendijani, 2023. "Stock liquidity and societal trust," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 37(C).
    17. Rayed Obaid Hammoud Alobaid & Ameen Qasem & Adel Ali Al-Qadasi, 2024. "Corporate Social Responsibility, Ownership Structure, and Firm Investment Efficiency: Evidence from the Saudi Stock Market," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(15), pages 1-25, August.
    18. Boubaker, Sabri & Chebbi, Kaouther & Grira, Jocelyn, 2020. "Top management inside debt and corporate social responsibility? Evidence from the US," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 98-115.
    19. Servaes, Henri & Amiraslani, Hami & Lins, Karl & Tamayo, Ane, 2017. "A Matter of Trust? The Bond Market Benefits of Corporate Social Capital during the Financial Crisis," CEPR Discussion Papers 12321, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    20. Ding, Wenzhi & Levine, Ross & Lin, Chen & Xie, Wensi, 2021. "Corporate immunity to the COVID-19 pandemic," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 141(2), pages 802-830.

    More about this item

    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:pal:palcom:v:11:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1057_s41599-024-03495-3. 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: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.nature.com/ .

    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.