IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/pal/palcom/v11y2024i1d10.1057_s41599-024-03596-z.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Real green or fake green? Impact of green credit policy on corporate ESG performance

Author

Listed:
  • Yangjie Liao

    (Chongqing University)

  • Xiaokun Zhou

    (Chongqing University)

Abstract

This study examines the effect of the 2012 introduction of the “Green Credit Guidelines” on the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) performance of polluting enterprises listed on the Chinese A-share market from 2009 to 2019. Using a quasi-natural experiment framework, we employ a difference-in-differences model to evaluate the effectiveness of this green credit policy. Our analysis suggests that the green credit policy significantly hinders the ESG performance of polluting enterprises due to the “crowding out effect.” Further investigation reveals that a notable decrease in green innovation, especially in its quality, impedes ESG improvements for these enterprises. Notably, the negative effects are more pronounced for non-state-owned enterprises. Our study provides valuable insights into the dual effects of the green credit policy, highlighting its potential to restrict financing options for polluting enterprises but crowd out resources allocated for environmental projects. To address these challenges, we propose practical strategies aimed at transforming the dual effects into dual benefits, optimizing both economic and environmental effects, and enhancing the overall effectiveness of the policy.

Suggested Citation

  • Yangjie Liao & Xiaokun Zhou, 2024. "Real green or fake green? Impact of green credit policy on corporate ESG performance," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-13, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:palcom:v:11:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1057_s41599-024-03596-z
    DOI: 10.1057/s41599-024-03596-z
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1057/s41599-024-03596-z
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1057/s41599-024-03596-z?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. Hartmut Egger & Udo Kreickemeier & Philipp M. Richter, 2021. "Environmental Policy and Firm Selection in the Open Economy," Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, University of Chicago Press, vol. 8(4), pages 655-690.
    2. Sun, Xian & Gunia, Brian C., 2018. "Economic resources and corporate social responsibility," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 332-351.
    3. Huang, Zhen & Gao, Ning & Jia, Ming, 2023. "Green credit and its obstacles: Evidence from China's green credit guidelines," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    4. Gillan, Stuart L. & Koch, Andrew & Starks, Laura T., 2021. "Firms and social responsibility: A review of ESG and CSR research in corporate finance," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    5. Li, Shihan & Liu, Qingfu & Lu, Lei & Zheng, Kaixin, 2022. "Green policy and corporate social responsibility: Empirical analysis of the Green Credit Guidelines in China," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    6. Gray, Wayne B. & Shadbegian, Ronald J., 2003. "Plant vintage, technology, and environmental regulation," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 46(3), pages 384-402, November.
    7. Gao, Wei & Liu, Zebin, 2023. "Green credit and corporate ESG performance: Evidence from China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 55(PB).
    8. repec:cup:jfinqa:v:46:y:2011:i:06:p:1545-1580_00 is not listed on IDEAS
    9. Ayyagari, Meghana & Demirgüç-Kunt, Asli & Maksimovic, Vojislav, 2011. "Firm Innovation in Emerging Markets: The Role of Finance, Governance, and Competition," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 46(6), pages 1545-1580, December.
    10. Wang, Ying & Li, Mingsheng, 2022. "Credit policy and its heterogeneous effects on green innovations," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 58(C).
    11. Lei, Ni & Miao, Qin & Yao, Xin, 2023. "Does the implementation of green credit policy improve the ESG performance of enterprises? Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment in China," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    12. Rongyan Liu & Deqing Wang & Li Zhang & Lihong Zhang, 2019. "Can green financial development promote regional ecological efficiency? A case study of China," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 95(1), pages 325-341, January.
    13. 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.
    14. Brandt, Loren & Li, Hongbin, 2003. "Bank discrimination in transition economies: ideology, information, or incentives?," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 31(3), pages 387-413, September.
    15. Somya Arora & Jagan Kumar Sur & Yogesh Chauhan, 2022. "Does corporate social responsibility affect shareholder value? Evidence from the COVID‐19 crisis," International Review of Finance, International Review of Finance Ltd., vol. 22(2), pages 325-334, June.
    16. Ioannis Oikonomou & Chris Brooks & Stephen Pavelin, 2014. "The Effects of Corporate Social Performance on the Cost of Corporate Debt and Credit Ratings," The Financial Review, Eastern Finance Association, vol. 49(1), pages 49-75, February.
    17. Fan, Haichao & Peng, Yuchao & Wang, Huanhuan & Xu, Zhiwei, 2021. "Greening through finance?," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 152(C).
    18. Jiang, Xin-Feng & Zhao, Chun-Xiang & Ma, Jing-Juan & Liu, Jian-Qiu & Li, Si-Hai, 2021. "Is enterprise environmental protection investment responsibility or rent-seeking? Chinese evidence," Environment and Development Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 26(2), pages 169-187, April.
    19. Healy, Paul M. & Palepu, Krishna G., 2001. "Information asymmetry, corporate disclosure, and the capital markets: A review of the empirical disclosure literature," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 31(1-3), pages 405-440, September.
    20. Gilbert Kofi Adarkwah & Tine Petersen Malonæs, 2022. "Firm-specific advantages: a comprehensive review with a focus on emerging markets," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 39(2), pages 539-585, June.
    21. Qiaoxin Xie & Yu Zhang & Lei Chen, 2022. "Does green credit policy promote innovation: A case of China," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 43(7), pages 2704-2714, October.
    22. Xingshuai Wang & Ehsan Elahi & Zainab Khalid, 2022. "Do Green Finance Policies Foster Environmental, Social, and Governance Performance of Corporate?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-15, November.
    23. Tuan-Hock Ng & Chun-Teck Lye & Kar-Hoong Chan & Ying-Zhee Lim & Ying-San Lim, 2020. "Sustainability in Asia: The Roles of Financial Development in Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Performance," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 150(1), pages 17-44, July.
    24. Clarkson, Peter M. & Li, Yue & Richardson, Gordon D. & Vasvari, Florin P., 2008. "Revisiting the relation between environmental performance and environmental disclosure: An empirical analysis," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 33(4-5), pages 303-327.
    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. Da Gao & Xiaotian Zhou & Jing Wan, 2024. "Unlocking sustainability potential: The impact of green finance reform on corporate ESG performance," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(5), pages 4211-4226, September.
    2. Yang Stephanie Liu & Xiaoyan Zhou & Jessica Yang & Andreas Hoepner, 2016. "Corporate Carbon Emission and Financial Performance: Does Carbon Disclosure Mediate the Relationship in the UK?," ICMA Centre Discussion Papers in Finance icma-dp2016-03, Henley Business School, University of Reading.
    3. Qihang Xue & Huimin Wang & Caiquan Bai, 2023. "Local green finance policies and corporate ESG performance," International Review of Finance, International Review of Finance Ltd., vol. 23(4), pages 721-749, December.
    4. Zhiyang Hui & Haoyu Li & Ahmed A. Elamer, 2024. "Financing sustainability: How environmental disclosures shape bank lending decisions in emerging markets," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(5), pages 3940-3967, September.
    5. Wang, Mei Ling, 2023. "Effects of the green finance policy on the green innovation efficiency of the manufacturing industry: A difference-in-difference model," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    6. Lei, Ni & Miao, Qin & Yao, Xin, 2023. "Does the implementation of green credit policy improve the ESG performance of enterprises? Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment in China," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    7. Wang, Xiaoyin & Gao, Cuiyun, 2024. "Does green finance policy help to improve carbon reduction welfare performance? Evidence from China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
    8. Peng, Wei & Xiong, Langyu, 2022. "Managing financing costs and fostering green transition: The role of green financial policy in China," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 820-836.
    9. Zhao, Xing & Li, Xiangqian & He, Zhuoyi & Shi, Ruoying, 2024. "The relationship between the acquisition of corporate credit and the gender of executives: Evidence from developing countries," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 62(PA).
    10. Lu Zhang & Yuan George Shan & Millicent Chang, 2021. "Can CSR Disclosure Protect Firm Reputation During Financial Restatements?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 173(1), pages 157-184, September.
    11. Zhang, Dongyang, 2023. "Does green finance really inhibit extreme hypocritical ESG risk? A greenwashing perspective exploration," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).
    12. Lan Guo & Ling Yang, 2023. "The Corporate Economic Influence and Corporate Social Responsibility: Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-22, July.
    13. Liu, Jiangtao & Zhang, Yi & Kuang, Jia, 2023. "Fintech development and green innovation: Evidence from China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 183(C).
    14. 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.
    15. Wang, Xiaolin & Ye, Yingying, 2024. "Environmental protection tax and firms’ ESG investment: Evidence from China," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    16. Arouri, Mohamed & Gomes, Mathieu & Pukthuanthong, Kuntara, 2019. "Corporate social responsibility and M&A uncertainty," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 176-198.
    17. Ruichen Ma, 2023. "The sustainable development trend in environmental, social, and governance issues and stakeholder engagement: Evidence from mergers and acquisitions in China," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(6), pages 3159-3173, November.
    18. Danlin Shen & Carl R. Chen & Xinyan Yan & Zhihong Yi, 2022. "Do credit market accessibility and legal protection shape corporate innovation?," Journal of Financial Research, Southern Finance Association;Southwestern Finance Association, vol. 45(3), pages 719-754, September.
    19. Guidry, Ronald P. & Patten, Dennis M., 2012. "Voluntary disclosure theory and financial control variables: An assessment of recent environmental disclosure research," Accounting forum, Elsevier, vol. 36(2), pages 81-90.
    20. Denis Cormier & Walter Aerts & Marie‐Josée Ledoux & Michel Magnan, 2010. "Web‐Based Disclosure About Value Creation Processes: A Monitoring Perspective," Abacus, Accounting Foundation, University of Sydney, vol. 46(3), pages 320-347, September.

    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_s41599-024-03596-z. 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.