Do the firm characteristics moderate the nexus between the firm's sustainable practices and financial performance?

Abstract

The paper explores the partial and integrated influence of corporate sustainability practices on the financial execution of Indian-listed firms. The study considered a sample of 569 listed firms, and the study period spans from 2010 to 2022. Using estimates of feasible generalized least square and quintile regression, the study finds a positive association between the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) score and the financial performance of firms. All the individual dimensions of the ESG score positively affect the firm's internal and external values. Environmental practices have the highest impact on improving balance sheet values through return on asset (ROA). In contrast, social practices have the highest impact on creating market value through Tobin's Q (TQ) compared with other dimensions. However, for large firms, excess investment in ESG may not support their balance sheet through ROA but generates market value through TQ. ESG disclosers negatively impact the internal earnings of firms that are financially inflexible but, in the aggregate, support the firm's market value. In addition, the study finds a significant moderating effect of size, earnings, value, and financial flexibility on the association between ESG scores and the financial performance of the firms.