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Institutional Ownership and Greenhouse Gas Emissions: A Comparative Study of the UK and the USA

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  • Mohammed Benlemlih

    (Métis Lab EM Normandie - EM Normandie - École de Management de Normandie)

  • M. Arif
  • M. Nadeem

Abstract

Motivated by the growing attention on climate change and the ethical role that board characteristics and ownership may play in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, this paper investigates the relationship between institutional ownership and GHG emissions. Using an extensive dataset from the UK and the USA, we show that institutional ownership is associated with less GHG emissions \textendash a one standard deviation increase in the proportion of institutional ownership reduces carbon emissions by 1.02 metric tons. Our findings are robust when using alternative measures, econometric specifications and several approaches to address endogeneity. Further, we find no evidence for a stronger effect in the UK compared with the USA, as expected from our discussion of the governance contexts in the two countries. We also test the possible channel (i.e. exit and selection) through which institutional investors affect GHG emissions. In a set of additional analyses, we show that litigation risk and board gender diversity moderate the relationship between institutional ownership and GHG emissions. Finally, we also document a positive effect of the stewardship codes on the relationship between institutional ownership and GHG emissions. Our findings make significant theoretical and regulatory contributions. \textcopyright 2022 The Authors. British Journal of Management published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Academy of Management.

Suggested Citation

  • Mohammed Benlemlih & M. Arif & M. Nadeem, 2023. "Institutional Ownership and Greenhouse Gas Emissions: A Comparative Study of the UK and the USA," Post-Print hal-04435468, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-04435468
    DOI: 10.1111/1467-8551.12613
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://normandie-univ.hal.science/hal-04435468
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    Cited by:

    1. Kentaro Azuma & Akira Higashida, 2024. "Climate change disclosure and evolving institutional investor salience: Roles of the Principles for Responsible Investment," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(4), pages 3669-3686, May.
    2. Dewan Muktadir‐Al‐Mukit & Firoz Haroon Bhaiyat, 2024. "Impact of corporate governance diversity on carbon emission under environmental policy via the mandatory nonfinancial reporting regulation," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(2), pages 1397-1417, February.
    3. Gull, Ammar Ali & Carvajal, Mariela & Atif, Muhammad & Nadeem, Muhammad, 2024. "The presence and composition of sustainability committee and waste management practices," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).

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