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Effect of Accounting and ESG Controversies on Financial Performance: Moderating Effect of ESG

Year 2025, Volume: 9 Issue: 2, 1213 - 1224, 25.05.2025
https://doi.org/10.25295/fsecon.1556525

Abstract

This study unveils the crucial impact of ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) performance on controversies and the firm performance nexus for companies listed in S&P1500. We measure firm performance regarding market-based (Tobin’s Q) and profitability-based (ROA) performance, while controversies are gauged by accounting and ESG-related issues. To achieve the highest level of accuracy, we employ the System Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) estimation to address for endogeneity. The key findings reveal a positive interaction effect between lagged ESG and controversies about market-based performance. However, lagged ESG does not significantly impact profitability-based performance measures in the context of controversies.

References

  • Aguilera, R. V., Rupp, D. E., Williams, C. A. & Ganapathi, J. (2007). Putting the S back in corporate social responsibility: A multilevel theory of social change in organizations. Academy of management review, 32(3), 836–863.
  • Akerlof, G. A. (1970). 4. The market for ‘lemons’: quality uncertainty and the market mechanism. Market Failure or Success, 66.
  • Aouadi, A. & Marsat, S. (2018). Do ESG controversies matter for firm value? Evidence from international data. Journal of business ethics, 151(4), 1027-1047.
  • Awaysheh, A., Heron, R. A., Perry, T. & Wilson, J. I. (2020). On the relation between corporate social responsibility and financial performance. Strategic Management Journal, 41(6), 965-987.
  • Azmi, W., Hassan, M. K., Houston, R. & Karim, M. S. (2021). ESG activities and banking performance: International evidence from emerging economies. Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, 70, 101277.
  • Bae, S. M., Masud, M. A. K. & Kim, J. D. (2018). A cross-country investigation of corporate governance and corporate sustainability disclosure: A signaling theory perspective. Sustainability, 10(8), 2611.
  • Becker-Olsen, K. L., Cudmore, B. A. & Hill, R. P. (2006). The impact of perceived corporate social responsibility on consumer behavior. Journal of Business Research, 59(1), 46-53.
  • Bennouri, M., Chtioui, T., Nagati, H. & Nekhili, M. (2018). Female board directorship and firm performance: What really matters? Journal of Banking & Finance, 88, 267-291.
  • Blundell, R. & Bond, S. (1998). Initial conditions and moment restrictions in dynamic panel data models. Journal of econometrics, 87(1), 115-143.
  • Blundell, R. & Bond, S. (2000). GMM estimation with persistent panel data: an application to production functions. Econometric reviews, 19(3), 321-340.
  • Brooks, C. & Oikonomou, I. (2018). The effects of environmental, social and governance disclosures and performance on firm value: A review of the literature in accounting and finance. The British Accounting Review, 50(1), 1-15.
  • Chen, Z. & Xie, G. (2022). ESG disclosure and financial performance: Moderating role of ESG investors. International Review of Financial Analysis, 83, 102291.
  • De Franco, C. (2020). Esg controversies and their impact on performance. The Journal of Investing, 29(2), 33-45.
  • Doni, F., Larsen, M., Martini, S. B. & Corvino, A. (2019). Exploring integrated reporting in the banking industry: the multiple capitals approach. Journal of Intellectual Capital.
  • Duque-Grisales, E. & Aguilera-Caracuel, J. (2021). Environmental, social and governance (ESG) scores and financial performance of multilatinas: Moderating effects of geographic international diversification and financial slack. Journal of business ethics, 168(2), 315-334.
  • Eccles, R. G., Serafeim, G. & Krzus, M. P. (2011). Market interest in nonfinancial information. Journal of Applied Corporate Finance, 23(4), 113-127.
  • Elsayed, K. & Paton, D. (2009). The impact of financial performance on environmental policy: does firm life cycle matter? Business Strategy and the Environment, 18(6), 397-413.
  • Fatemi, A., Glaum, M. & Kaiser, S. (2018). ESG performance and firm value: The moderating role of disclosure. Global Finance Journal, 38, 45-64.
  • Hafsi, T. & Turgut, G. (2013). Boardroom diversity and its effect on social performance: Conceptualization and empirical evidence. Journal of business ethics, 112(3), 463-479.
  • Hart, S. L. & Milstein, M. B. (2003). Creating sustainable value. Academy of Management Perspectives, 17(2), 56-67.
  • He, L., Zhang, L., Zhong, Z., Wang, D. & Wang, F. (2019). Green credit, renewable energy investment and green economy development: Empirical analysis based on 150 listed companies of China. Journal of cleaner production, 208, 363-372.
  • Huang, D. Z. (2021). Environmental, social and governance (ESG) activity and firm performance: A review and consolidation. Accounting & finance, 61(1), 335-360.
  • Hussainey, K. & Salama, A. (2010). The importance of corporate environmental reputation to investors. Journal of Applied Accounting Research.
  • Ibrahim, M. H. & Rizvi, S. A. R. (2017). Do we need bigger Islamic banks? An assessment of bank stability. Journal of multinational financial management, 40, 77-91.
  • Kim, E.-H. & Lyon, T. P. (2015). Greenwash vs. brownwash: Exaggeration and undue modesty in corporate sustainability disclosure. Organization Science, 26(3), 705-723.
  • Kim, K.-H., Kim, M. & Qian, C. (2018). Effects of corporate social responsibility on corporate financial performance: A competitive-action perspective. Journal of management, 44(3), 1097-1118.
  • Klein, J. & Dawar, N. (2004). Corporate social responsibility and consumers' attributions and brand evaluations in a product–harm crisis. International Journal of research in Marketing, 21(3), 203-217.
  • Lange, D. & Washburn, N. T. (2012). Understanding attributions of corporate social irresponsibility. Academy of management review, 37(2), 300-326.
  • Li, J., Haider, Z. A., Jin, X. & Yuan, W. (2019). Corporate controversy, social responsibility and market performance: International evidence. Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, 60, 1-18.
  • Limkriangkrai, M., Koh, S. & Durand, R. B. (2017). Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) profiles, stock returns, and financial policy: Australian evidence. International Review of Finance, 17(3), 461-471.
  • Liu, M. T., Wong, I. A., Shi, G., Chu, R. & Brock, J. L. (2014). The impact of corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance and perceived brand quality on customer-based brand preference. Journal of Services Marketing.
  • Livesey, S. M. & Kearins, K. (2002). Transparent and caring corporations? A study of sustainability reports by The Body Shop and Royal Dutch/Shell. Organization & Environment, 15(3), 233-258.
  • Love, E. G. & Kraatz, M. (2009). Character, conformity, or the bottom line? How and why downsizing affected corporate reputation. Academy of management Journal, 52(2), 314-335.
  • Lys, T., Naughton, J. P. & Wang, C. (2015). Signaling through corporate accountability reporting. Journal of accounting and economics, 60(1), 56-72.
  • McWilliams, A. & Siegel, D. (2001). Corporate social responsibility: A theory of the firm perspective. Academy of management review, 26(1), 117-127.
  • Melinda, A. & Wardhani, R. (2020). The Effect of environmental, social, governance, and controversies on firms’ value: Evidence from Asia. In Advanced Issues in the Economics of Emerging Markets. Emerald Publishing Limited.
  • Nekhili, M., Boukadhaba, A. & Nagati, H. (2021). The ESG–financial performance relationship: Does the type of employee board representation matter? Corporate Governance: An International Review, 29(2), 134-161.
  • Nirino, N., Miglietta, N. & Salvi, A. (2019). The impact of corporate social responsibility on firms’ financial performance, evidence from the food and beverage industry. British Food Journal.
  • Nirino, N., Santoro, G., Miglietta, N. & Quaglia, R. (2021). Corporate controversies and company's financial performance: Exploring the moderating role of ESG practices. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 162, 120341.
  • O’brien, R. M. (2007). A caution regarding rules of thumb for variance inflation factors. Quality & Quantity, 41(5), 673-690.
  • Park, J., Lee, H. & Kim, C. (2014). Corporate social responsibilities, consumer trust and corporate reputation: South Korean consumers' perspectives. Journal of Business Research, 67(3), 295-302.
  • Pierce, J. R. (2018). Reexamining the cost of corporate criminal prosecutions. Journal of management, 44(3), 892-918.
  • Ramchander, S., Schwebach, R. G. & Staking, K. (2012). The informational relevance of corporate social responsibility: Evidence from DS400 index reconstitutions. Strategic Management Journal, 33(3), 303-314.
  • Servaes, H. & Tamayo, A. (2013). The impact of corporate social responsibility on firm value: The role of customer awareness. Management science, 59(5), 1045-1061.
  • Shaukat, A., Qiu, Y. & Trojanowski, G. (2016). Board attributes, corporate social responsibility strategy, and corporate environmental and social performance. Journal of business ethics, 135(3), 569-585.
  • Spence, M. (1974). Market signaling: Informational transfer in hiring and related screening processes. cambridge: harvard university press.
  • Wong, J. B. & Zhang, Q. (2022). Stock market reactions to adverse ESG disclosure via media channels. The British Accounting Review, 54(1), 101045.

Muhasebe ve ESG Tartışmalarının Finansal Performans Üzerindeki Etkisi: ESG’nin Düzenleyici Rolü

Year 2025, Volume: 9 Issue: 2, 1213 - 1224, 25.05.2025
https://doi.org/10.25295/fsecon.1556525

Abstract

Bu çalışma, S&P1500'de listelenen şirketler için ESG performansının tartışmalar ve şirket performansı bağlantısı üzerindeki etkisini ölçmektedir. Şirket performansı, piyasa bazlı (Tobin's Q) ve karlılık bazlı (ROA) performans olarak ölçülmekte, tartışmalar ise muhasebe ve ESG ile ilgili tartışmalar olarak değerlendirilmektedir. Endojeniteyi kontrol etmek için Sistem Genelleştirilmiş Momentler Metodu (GMM) tahmini kullanılmaktadır. Sonuçlar, gecikmeli ESG'nin tartışmalar ve piyasa bazlı performans arasında pozitif bir etkileşim etkisi gösterdiğini kanıtlamaktadır. Gecikmeli ESG, tartışmalar ve karlılık bazlı performans ölçümleri arasında önemli bir etki gösterememiştir.

References

  • Aguilera, R. V., Rupp, D. E., Williams, C. A. & Ganapathi, J. (2007). Putting the S back in corporate social responsibility: A multilevel theory of social change in organizations. Academy of management review, 32(3), 836–863.
  • Akerlof, G. A. (1970). 4. The market for ‘lemons’: quality uncertainty and the market mechanism. Market Failure or Success, 66.
  • Aouadi, A. & Marsat, S. (2018). Do ESG controversies matter for firm value? Evidence from international data. Journal of business ethics, 151(4), 1027-1047.
  • Awaysheh, A., Heron, R. A., Perry, T. & Wilson, J. I. (2020). On the relation between corporate social responsibility and financial performance. Strategic Management Journal, 41(6), 965-987.
  • Azmi, W., Hassan, M. K., Houston, R. & Karim, M. S. (2021). ESG activities and banking performance: International evidence from emerging economies. Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, 70, 101277.
  • Bae, S. M., Masud, M. A. K. & Kim, J. D. (2018). A cross-country investigation of corporate governance and corporate sustainability disclosure: A signaling theory perspective. Sustainability, 10(8), 2611.
  • Becker-Olsen, K. L., Cudmore, B. A. & Hill, R. P. (2006). The impact of perceived corporate social responsibility on consumer behavior. Journal of Business Research, 59(1), 46-53.
  • Bennouri, M., Chtioui, T., Nagati, H. & Nekhili, M. (2018). Female board directorship and firm performance: What really matters? Journal of Banking & Finance, 88, 267-291.
  • Blundell, R. & Bond, S. (1998). Initial conditions and moment restrictions in dynamic panel data models. Journal of econometrics, 87(1), 115-143.
  • Blundell, R. & Bond, S. (2000). GMM estimation with persistent panel data: an application to production functions. Econometric reviews, 19(3), 321-340.
  • Brooks, C. & Oikonomou, I. (2018). The effects of environmental, social and governance disclosures and performance on firm value: A review of the literature in accounting and finance. The British Accounting Review, 50(1), 1-15.
  • Chen, Z. & Xie, G. (2022). ESG disclosure and financial performance: Moderating role of ESG investors. International Review of Financial Analysis, 83, 102291.
  • De Franco, C. (2020). Esg controversies and their impact on performance. The Journal of Investing, 29(2), 33-45.
  • Doni, F., Larsen, M., Martini, S. B. & Corvino, A. (2019). Exploring integrated reporting in the banking industry: the multiple capitals approach. Journal of Intellectual Capital.
  • Duque-Grisales, E. & Aguilera-Caracuel, J. (2021). Environmental, social and governance (ESG) scores and financial performance of multilatinas: Moderating effects of geographic international diversification and financial slack. Journal of business ethics, 168(2), 315-334.
  • Eccles, R. G., Serafeim, G. & Krzus, M. P. (2011). Market interest in nonfinancial information. Journal of Applied Corporate Finance, 23(4), 113-127.
  • Elsayed, K. & Paton, D. (2009). The impact of financial performance on environmental policy: does firm life cycle matter? Business Strategy and the Environment, 18(6), 397-413.
  • Fatemi, A., Glaum, M. & Kaiser, S. (2018). ESG performance and firm value: The moderating role of disclosure. Global Finance Journal, 38, 45-64.
  • Hafsi, T. & Turgut, G. (2013). Boardroom diversity and its effect on social performance: Conceptualization and empirical evidence. Journal of business ethics, 112(3), 463-479.
  • Hart, S. L. & Milstein, M. B. (2003). Creating sustainable value. Academy of Management Perspectives, 17(2), 56-67.
  • He, L., Zhang, L., Zhong, Z., Wang, D. & Wang, F. (2019). Green credit, renewable energy investment and green economy development: Empirical analysis based on 150 listed companies of China. Journal of cleaner production, 208, 363-372.
  • Huang, D. Z. (2021). Environmental, social and governance (ESG) activity and firm performance: A review and consolidation. Accounting & finance, 61(1), 335-360.
  • Hussainey, K. & Salama, A. (2010). The importance of corporate environmental reputation to investors. Journal of Applied Accounting Research.
  • Ibrahim, M. H. & Rizvi, S. A. R. (2017). Do we need bigger Islamic banks? An assessment of bank stability. Journal of multinational financial management, 40, 77-91.
  • Kim, E.-H. & Lyon, T. P. (2015). Greenwash vs. brownwash: Exaggeration and undue modesty in corporate sustainability disclosure. Organization Science, 26(3), 705-723.
  • Kim, K.-H., Kim, M. & Qian, C. (2018). Effects of corporate social responsibility on corporate financial performance: A competitive-action perspective. Journal of management, 44(3), 1097-1118.
  • Klein, J. & Dawar, N. (2004). Corporate social responsibility and consumers' attributions and brand evaluations in a product–harm crisis. International Journal of research in Marketing, 21(3), 203-217.
  • Lange, D. & Washburn, N. T. (2012). Understanding attributions of corporate social irresponsibility. Academy of management review, 37(2), 300-326.
  • Li, J., Haider, Z. A., Jin, X. & Yuan, W. (2019). Corporate controversy, social responsibility and market performance: International evidence. Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, 60, 1-18.
  • Limkriangkrai, M., Koh, S. & Durand, R. B. (2017). Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) profiles, stock returns, and financial policy: Australian evidence. International Review of Finance, 17(3), 461-471.
  • Liu, M. T., Wong, I. A., Shi, G., Chu, R. & Brock, J. L. (2014). The impact of corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance and perceived brand quality on customer-based brand preference. Journal of Services Marketing.
  • Livesey, S. M. & Kearins, K. (2002). Transparent and caring corporations? A study of sustainability reports by The Body Shop and Royal Dutch/Shell. Organization & Environment, 15(3), 233-258.
  • Love, E. G. & Kraatz, M. (2009). Character, conformity, or the bottom line? How and why downsizing affected corporate reputation. Academy of management Journal, 52(2), 314-335.
  • Lys, T., Naughton, J. P. & Wang, C. (2015). Signaling through corporate accountability reporting. Journal of accounting and economics, 60(1), 56-72.
  • McWilliams, A. & Siegel, D. (2001). Corporate social responsibility: A theory of the firm perspective. Academy of management review, 26(1), 117-127.
  • Melinda, A. & Wardhani, R. (2020). The Effect of environmental, social, governance, and controversies on firms’ value: Evidence from Asia. In Advanced Issues in the Economics of Emerging Markets. Emerald Publishing Limited.
  • Nekhili, M., Boukadhaba, A. & Nagati, H. (2021). The ESG–financial performance relationship: Does the type of employee board representation matter? Corporate Governance: An International Review, 29(2), 134-161.
  • Nirino, N., Miglietta, N. & Salvi, A. (2019). The impact of corporate social responsibility on firms’ financial performance, evidence from the food and beverage industry. British Food Journal.
  • Nirino, N., Santoro, G., Miglietta, N. & Quaglia, R. (2021). Corporate controversies and company's financial performance: Exploring the moderating role of ESG practices. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 162, 120341.
  • O’brien, R. M. (2007). A caution regarding rules of thumb for variance inflation factors. Quality & Quantity, 41(5), 673-690.
  • Park, J., Lee, H. & Kim, C. (2014). Corporate social responsibilities, consumer trust and corporate reputation: South Korean consumers' perspectives. Journal of Business Research, 67(3), 295-302.
  • Pierce, J. R. (2018). Reexamining the cost of corporate criminal prosecutions. Journal of management, 44(3), 892-918.
  • Ramchander, S., Schwebach, R. G. & Staking, K. (2012). The informational relevance of corporate social responsibility: Evidence from DS400 index reconstitutions. Strategic Management Journal, 33(3), 303-314.
  • Servaes, H. & Tamayo, A. (2013). The impact of corporate social responsibility on firm value: The role of customer awareness. Management science, 59(5), 1045-1061.
  • Shaukat, A., Qiu, Y. & Trojanowski, G. (2016). Board attributes, corporate social responsibility strategy, and corporate environmental and social performance. Journal of business ethics, 135(3), 569-585.
  • Spence, M. (1974). Market signaling: Informational transfer in hiring and related screening processes. cambridge: harvard university press.
  • Wong, J. B. & Zhang, Q. (2022). Stock market reactions to adverse ESG disclosure via media channels. The British Accounting Review, 54(1), 101045.
There are 47 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects Accounting, Auditing and Accountability (Other)
Journal Section Articles
Authors

Kemal Çek 0000-0001-5380-4860

Publication Date May 25, 2025
Submission Date September 26, 2024
Acceptance Date March 4, 2025
Published in Issue Year 2025 Volume: 9 Issue: 2

Cite

APA Çek, K. (2025). Effect of Accounting and ESG Controversies on Financial Performance: Moderating Effect of ESG. Fiscaoeconomia, 9(2), 1213-1224. https://doi.org/10.25295/fsecon.1556525

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