Influence Mechanism between Corporate Social Responsibility and Financial Sustainability: Empirical Evidence from China

Abstract

With the increasing public attention being paid to corporate social responsibility and global advocacy of sustainable development, corporate governance issues centered on corporate social responsibility, especially the relationship between corporate social responsibility and financial sustainability, are important topics of concern for managers. By taking companies listed in Shanghai and Shenzhen A-share indices between 2010 and 2020 in China as samples, this study investigated the effect and mechanism of corporate social responsibility implementation on financial sustainability, examined the intermediate roles of agency cost and green innovation on this effect, and explored the heterogeneity in different contexts. The results indicated that: (1) implementing corporate social responsibility has significantly promoted financial sustainability, and fulfilling responsibilities to shareholders showed the most significant effect; (2) active pursuit of corporate social responsibility objectives can alleviate corporate agency conflicts, increase green innovation, and thus promote corporate financial sustainability; and (3) the positive impact of implementing corporate social responsibility on financial sustainability is more significant in non-state-owned enterprises and non-heavily polluting enterprises. This study revealed the specific effect of fulfilling corporate responsibility objectives for different stakeholders on financial sustainability, confirmed the mediating role of agency cost and green innovation on this effect, and discussed the intensity of the impact of fulfilling corporate social responsibility objectives on financial sustainability in different contexts. This study enhances the understanding of the effect and mechanism of fulfilling corporate social responsibility obligations on financial sustainability, which can guide the advancement of future theory-building in corporate governance.