Top management gender diversity and environmental performance: Evidence from hospitality and tourism industry

Drawing on gender socialization theory, this study examines the impact of gender diversity in top management on environmental performance in the global hospitality and tourism industry. Utilizing panel data from 283 firms across 40 countries (2013–2022), sourced from the Refinitiv Eikon database, the study employs OLS, two-step system GMM, and logistic regression analyses. The findings reveal a significant positive association between female representation on boards and executive teams and key environmental performance metrics. Notably, a critical mass of 33 % female leadership is significantly associated with improvements across all environmental performance indicators examined. Logistic regression results further show that gender diversity at both board and executive levels significantly increases the likelihood of firms adopting environmentally friendly policies and targets, with distinct areas of emphasis. This study offers valuable theoretical insights and practical implications for promoting gender diversity as a pathway to enhancing environmental performance in the global hospitality and tourism sectors.