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Corporate environmental performance and financing constraints: An empirical study in the Chinese context

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  • Zhenjie Liu
  • Weian Li
  • Chen Hao
  • Huan Liu

Abstract

Between 2006 and 2017, 2,965 Chinese firms listed on the Shanghai/Shenzhen Stock Exchange have been studied to investigate whether better corporate environmental performance (CEP) leads to better access to capital and mitigates firms' financing constraints. It is hypothesized that better access to finance can be attributed to the increased government support due to enhanced firm political legitimacy and market legitimacy. Event studies find that the firms with better CEP suffer significantly lower finance constraints, and the evidence from the studies proves that firms' political legitimacy and market legitimacy are important in mitigating finance constraints. The results of the studies are confirmed by using two alternative measures of capital constraints and CEP, an instrumental variable approach, and a simultaneous equations approach.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhenjie Liu & Weian Li & Chen Hao & Huan Liu, 2021. "Corporate environmental performance and financing constraints: An empirical study in the Chinese context," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 28(2), pages 616-629, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:corsem:v:28:y:2021:i:2:p:616-629
    DOI: 10.1002/csr.2073
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