The Politicization of Social Responsibility

Abstract

Institutional investors are less likely to support shareholder proposals on environmental and social issues for firms headquartered in Republican‐led states. The decline in support has become more pronounced in recent years, aligning with politicians emphasizing companies’ social responsibility efforts, and among firms receiving state‐level subsidies and tax breaks. Investor support also varies with shifts in state leadership, dropping by 12 percentage points in the same state when Republicans are in control instead of Democrats. The findings indicate that institutional investors prioritize maximizing shareholder value and that politicians can influence investor votes by altering the value implications of shareholder proposals.