The effect of economic, environmental and social sustainability performance on accounting conservatism: the moderating role of good corporate governance

Abstract

Purpose This study aims to examine the impact of economic, environmental and social (EES) indicators of sustainability performance on accounting conservatism and the moderating effect of good corporate governance (GCG) on this relationship in European environmental, social and governance (ESG) firms. Design/methodology/approach To test the study’s hypotheses, this paper applied linear regressions with panel data from 136 European companies selected from the ESG index between 2015 and 2022. Findings The results show a positive effect of economic and environmental sustainability scores on the accounting conservatism level. However, social score has a negative and significant effect on the level of accounting conservatism. The findings also show that GCG accentuates these effects. Research limitations/implications The findings have several implications for companies, investors and academic researchers. For companies, EES reporting should be enhanced. For investors, sustainability performance is crucial in decision-making. The results show that exploring the interaction between sustainability performance scores and accounting conservatism is essential for academic researchers. Originality/value This paper is motivated by the limited research on EES sustainability scores and accounting conservatism around GCG, hence its pertinence for companies seeking to improve information quality.