Download This PaperRenewable Governance: Good for the Environment?
63 Pages Posted: 2 Aug 2018 Last revised: 8 Apr 2021
Date Written: December 21, 2020
Abstract
We use a sample of 3,293 firms from 41 countries to test the conjecture that investors require ‘contemporary’ governance mechanisms—substantive enough to renew the thinking of the board—to correct a mismatch between investors’ desires and firms’ choices regarding environmental performance. Enhanced investor power in director elections and appointments of female directors improve environmental performance by 8% and 14%, respectively. These results generally hold even when a country’s institutions are weak. Quasi-exogenous shocks to these board renewal mechanisms support the interpretation that governance improvements drive environmental performance and suggest that the ability of investors to renew the board and replace directors is a powerful mechanism to influence corporate outcomes around the world.
Keywords: Environmental performance, Ownership structure, Sustainability, Corporate social responsibility, ESG, Corporate governance
JEL Classification: G15, G23, G32
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation
I.J. Alexander Dyck
University of Toronto - Rotman School of Management ( email )
105 St. George Street
Toronto, Ontario M5S 3E6 M5S 3E6
Canada
416-946-0819 (Phone)
Lukas Roth (Contact Author)
University of Alberta - Department of Finance and Statistical Analysis ( email )
2-32E Business Building
Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2R6
Canada
780-492-4431 (Phone)
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