IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/wly/corsem/v31y2024i5p3884-3901.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Do anticipated government environmental audits promote corporate social responsibility? Evidence from China

Author

Listed:
  • Jianhua Tan
  • Kam C. Chan
  • Runkai Niu

Abstract

We examine the impact of China's announcements of upcoming government environmental audits (GEAs) on firms' corporate social responsibility (CSR). We hypothesize that firms, especially heavily polluting firms, engage in more CSR to proactively burnish their public image to weather forthcoming adverse outcomes from a GEA. Our baseline findings confirm that firms respond to the government's GEA announcement by engaging in more CSR. Additional analysis suggests that reputation concerns and environmental fines mediate the impact of GEA announcements on CSR. Cross‐sectional analyses show that the effect of GEA announcements on CSR is more salient for firms: (1) in a business environment in which GEAs are more effective, (2) that CSR engagement is critically important, or (3) that CSR can serve some special function. Overall, our findings imply that it is generally a good government policy to implement GEAs.

Suggested Citation

  • Jianhua Tan & Kam C. Chan & Runkai Niu, 2024. "Do anticipated government environmental audits promote corporate social responsibility? Evidence from China," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(5), pages 3884-3901, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:corsem:v:31:y:2024:i:5:p:3884-3901
    DOI: 10.1002/csr.2780
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/csr.2780
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1002/csr.2780?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
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Kent Walker & Fang Wan, 2012. "The Harm of Symbolic Actions and Green-Washing: Corporate Actions and Communications on Environmental Performance and Their Financial Implications," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 109(2), pages 227-242, August.
    2. R. H. Coase, 2013. "The Problem of Social Cost," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 56(4), pages 837-877.
    3. Karl V. Lins & Henri Servaes & Ane Tamayo, 2017. "Social Capital, Trust, and Firm Performance: The Value of Corporate Social Responsibility during the Financial Crisis," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 72(4), pages 1785-1824, August.
    4. Petrovits, Christine M., 2006. "Corporate-sponsored foundations and earnings management," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 41(3), pages 335-362, September.
    5. P. D. Hiwase & N. S. Raman & H. V. Hajare, 2018. "Critical factor of large township building and its relevance in environmental audit: a critical evaluation," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 20(1), pages 433-449, February.
    6. Xue, Fei & Chen, Qinyuan & Chan, Kam C. & Yi, Zhihong, 2022. "Is corporate social responsibility value relevant? Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment of anti-corruption campaign," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 140(C), pages 520-532.
    7. Charles J. Hadlock & Joshua R. Pierce, 2010. "New Evidence on Measuring Financial Constraints: Moving Beyond the KZ Index," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 23(5), pages 1909-1940.
    8. Lexis Alexander Tetteh & Cletus Agyenim‐Boateng & Samuel Nana Yaw Simpson, 2024. "Institutional pressures and accountability processes in pursuit of sustainable development goals: Insights from Ghanaian indigenous oil companies," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(1), pages 89-107, January.
    9. Tan, Jianhua & Hua, Min & Chan, Kam C., 2024. "Do anticipated government environmental audits improve firm productivity? Evidence from China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    10. Nan Zhou & Heli Wang, 2020. "Foreign subsidiary CSR as a buffer against parent firm reputation risk," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 51(8), pages 1256-1282, October.
    11. Lei Zhu & Yuyu Liu & Chun Cai, 2023. "Natural resources and assets accountability audit of local officials and government subsidies: evidence from China," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(7), pages 981-985, April.
    12. Linda Lewis, 2000. "Environmental audits in local government: a useful means to progress in sustainable development," Accounting Forum, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(3), pages 296-318, September.
    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. Douglas Cumming & Jun Hu & Huiying Wu, 2024. "Leaving a Legacy for my Children: The One-Child Policy Reform and Engagement in CSR Among Family Firms in China," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 193(3), pages 611-632, September.
    2. Anagnostopoulou, Seraina C. & Tsekrekos, Andrianos E. & Voulgaris, Georgios, 2021. "Accounting conservatism and corporate social responsibility," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 53(4).
    3. Zhihong Mao & Siyang Wang & Yu‐En Lin, 2024. "ESG, ESG rating divergence and earnings management: Evidence from China," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(4), pages 3328-3347, July.
    4. Tan, Jianhua & Hua, Min & Chan, Kam C., 2024. "Do anticipated government environmental audits improve firm productivity? Evidence from China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    5. Xue, Fei & Chen, Qinyuan & Chan, Kam C. & Yi, Zhihong, 2022. "Is corporate social responsibility value relevant? Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment of anti-corruption campaign," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 140(C), pages 520-532.
    6. Wang, Fengrong & Mbanyele, William & Muchenje, Linda, 2022. "Economic policy uncertainty and stock liquidity: The mitigating effect of information disclosure," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    7. Ben-Nasr, Hamdi & Ghouma, Hatem, 2018. "Employee welfare and stock price crash risk," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 700-725.
    8. Bu, Maoliang & Xu, Liang & Tang, Ryan W., 2023. "MNEs’ transfer of socially irresponsible practices: A replication with new extensions," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 58(2).
    9. Dak-Adzaklo, Cephas Simon Peter & Wong, Raymond M.K., 2024. "Corporate governance reforms, societal trust, and corporate financial policies," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    10. Bai, Min & Shen, Luxi & Li, Yue & Yu, Chia-Feng (Jeffrey), 2024. "Does legal justice promote stakeholder justice? Evidence from a judicial reform in China," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    11. Garanina, Tatiana & Kim, Oksana, 2023. "The relationship between CSR disclosure and accounting conservatism: The role of state ownership," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 50(C).
    12. Wang, Kai & Li, Tingting & San, Ziyao & Gao, Hao, 2023. "How does corporate ESG performance affect stock liquidity? Evidence from China," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    13. Yin, Lei & Yang, Yuanyuan, 2024. "How does digital finance influence corporate greenwashing behavior?," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 93(PB), pages 359-373.
    14. Balyuk, Tetyana & Fedyk, Anastassia, 2023. "Divesting under Pressure: U.S. firms’ exit in response to Russia’s war against Ukraine," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 51(4), pages 1253-1273.
    15. Wang, Jiaxin & Chen, Jin & Huang, Xiang & Song, Zilong, 2023. "Principal SOE customers and corporate tax avoidance: Evidence from the government arrears clearance reform," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 128(C).
    16. Thomas J. Chemmanur & Dimitrios Gounopoulos & Panagiotis Koutroumpis & Yu Zhang, 2022. "CSR and Firm Survival: Evidence from the Climate and Pandemic Crises," Working Papers 935, Queen Mary University of London, School of Economics and Finance.
    17. Marshall, Ben R. & Nguyen, Justin Hung & Nguyen, Nhut H. & Visaltanachoti, Nuttawat, 2021. "Does a change in the information environment affect labor adjustment costs?," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    18. Zhenjie Wang & Jiewei Zhang, 2023. "Nexus between corporate environmental performance and corporate environmental responsibility on innovation performance," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(10), pages 11645-11672, October.
    19. Tsang, Albert & Frost, Tracie & Cao, Huijuan, 2023. "Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) disclosure: A literature review," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 55(1).
    20. Zhang, Huiming & Wan, Dayu & Sun, Chuanwang & Wu, Kai & Lin, Caixia, 2023. "Does political inspection promote corporate green innovation?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 123(C).

    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:wly:corsem:v:31:y:2024:i:5:p:3884-3901. 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: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://doi.org/10.1002/(ISSN)1535-3966 .

    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.