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ESG Shareholder Engagement and Downside Risk

Author

Listed:
  • Andreas G. F. Hoepner

    (University College Dublin)

  • Ioannis Oikonomou

    (University of Reading)

  • Zacharias Sautner

    (University of Zurich; Swiss Finance Institute; ECGI)

  • Laura T. Starks

    (University of Texas at Austin)

  • Xiaoyan Zhou

    (University of Oxford)

Abstract

We show that engagement on environmental, social, and governance issues can benefit shareholders by reducing firms’ downside risks. We find that the risk reductions (measured using value at risk and lower partial moments) vary across engagement types and success rates. Engagement is most effective in lowering downside risk when addressing environmental topics (primarily climate change). Further, targets with large downside risk reductions exhibit a decrease in environmental incidents after the engagement. We estimate that the value at risk of engagement targets decreases by 9% of the standard deviation after successful engagements, relative to control firms.

Suggested Citation

  • Andreas G. F. Hoepner & Ioannis Oikonomou & Zacharias Sautner & Laura T. Starks & Xiaoyan Zhou, 2023. "ESG Shareholder Engagement and Downside Risk," Swiss Finance Institute Research Paper Series 23-77, Swiss Finance Institute.
    • Handle: RePEc:chf:rpseri:rp2377
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    File URL: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2874252
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    Cited by:

    1. Ginglinger, Edith & Raskopf, Caroline, 2023. "Women directors and E&S performance: Evidence from board gender quotas," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    2. Ben Ameur, Hachmi & Ftiti, Zied & Louhichi, Waël & Yousfi, Mohamed, 2024. "Do green investments improve portfolio diversification? Evidence from mean conditional value-at-risk optimization," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    3. Hastreiter, Nikolaus, 2024. "Can investor coalitions drive corporate climate action?," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 125852, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    4. DeLisle, R. Jared & Grant, Andrew & Mao, Ruiqi, 2024. "Does environmental and social performance affect pricing efficiency? Evidence from earnings conference call tones," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    5. Tamara Teplova & Tatiana Sokolova & Sergei Gurov, 2024. "Do ESG Factors Prove Significant Predictors of Systematic and Downside Risks in the Russian Market after Controlling for Stock Liquidity?," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 17(4), pages 1-18, April.
    6. Tang, Chia-Hsien & Lee, Yen-Hsien & Hsiao, Ming-Chun & Liu, Hung-Chun, 2024. "Exploring the impact of ESG components, CEO characteristics, and organizational themes on downside risk: Insights from Chinese firms," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    7. Armin Varmaz & Christian Fieberg & Thorsten Poddig, 2024. "Portfolio optimization for sustainable investments," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 341(2), pages 1151-1176, October.
    8. Foroughi, Pouyan & Marcus, Alan & Nguyen, Vinh, 2024. "Mutual fund pollution experience and environmental voting," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 162(C).
    9. Li, Lidan & Han, Jie & Mo, Shenwei & Yang, Yupeng, 2024. "Tackling competition by reducing emissions: Private firms’ polluting behavior under peer IPOs," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 89(PB), pages 232-249.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ESG; Shareholder Activism; Downside Risk; Corporate Governance; Climate Change;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill
    • M14 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - Corporate Culture; Diversity; Social Responsibility

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