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ESG risks and corporate survival

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  • Gil Cohen

    (Western Galilee Academic College)

Abstract

This research is the first attempt to examine the impact of corporate sustainability risks factors on its financial stability. By using S&P500 stocks data from 2019 to 2021 and calculating Altman’s Z-score, we examined the influence of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance) risks score on the company survival chances. We documented diminishing total ESG scores of S&P500 stocks in recent years pointing out that companies pay attention to sustainability issues and invest resources to reduce them. We documented that Altman’s Z-score is negatively influenced by E and S and not by G. These findings are very important since they prove for the first time that high environmental and social risks may reduce corporates’ financial stability and rise their default risks incurring default costs. Moreover, high sensitivity of Altman’s Z-score changes to S changes was found especially for relatively smaller firms. The result of this study emphasizes the importance of sustainability risk and especially social risk to a firm’s survival chances and therefore mitigating those risks can dramatically improve corporates’ financial stability.

Suggested Citation

  • Gil Cohen, 2023. "ESG risks and corporate survival," Environment Systems and Decisions, Springer, vol. 43(1), pages 16-21, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:envsyd:v:43:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1007_s10669-022-09886-8
    DOI: 10.1007/s10669-022-09886-8
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Leogrande, Angelo & Costantiello, Alberto, 2023. "The Role of GDP Growth in the ESG Approach at World Level," SocArXiv 93sn2, Center for Open Science.
    2. Syed Hassan Jamil & Majid Jamal Khan, 2024. "Do corporate environmental protection efforts reduce firm‐level operating risk? Evidence from a developing country," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(5), pages 4480-4492, July.

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