Environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations rank high on the EU agenda. These considerations concern broad matters pointing to the sustainable and responsible long-term relationship of companies with stakeholders, society and nature. The EU has developed the European Green Deal,...

We study how firms use environmental and social (ES) disclosures in proxy statements to persuade shareholders to vote in their favor on ES proposals. These proposals are gaining public attention and support from shareholders as activists push firms to improve their ES performance. However,...

This study collates potential economic effects of mandated disclosure and reporting standards for corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability topics. We first outline key features of CSR reporting. Next, we draw on relevant academic literatures in accounting, finance, economics, and...

We investigate real effects of a widespread corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting mandate. In 2014, the European Union (EU) passed Directive 2014/95 (hereafter, “CSR Directive”), mandating large listed EU firms to prepare annual nonfinancial reports beginning from fiscal year 2017...

We examine the effects of mandatory ESG reporting on firms’ corporate performance. Using variation from Sweden’s size-based ESG reporting regulation, which requires medium private firms to start reporting ESG information from 2017 onward, we document that mandatory ESG reporting improves...

We study the potential negative externalities of mandatory environmental, social, and governance (ESG) disclosure. Our analysis exploits a unique regulatory change in China that requires a subset of firms to report their contributions to poverty alleviation—on top of reporting general ESG...

We investigate real effects of a widespread corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting mandate. In 2014, the European Union (EU) passed Directive 2014/95 (hereafter, “CSR Directive”), mandating large listed EU firms to prepare annual nonfinancial reports beginning from fiscal year 2017...

Audit committee (AC) disclosures are important for stakeholders seeking to evaluate and hold ACs accountable. Despite a wave of heightened attention in the past decade, disclosure changes have tapered off in recent years and are slow to incorporate the AC’s expanding set of oversight...

In this study, I summarize the current state of executive compensation, discuss measurement and incentive issues, document recent trends in executive pay in both U.S. and international firms, and analyze the evolution of executive pay over the past century. Most recent analyses of executive...

The Shenzhen Stock Exchange (SZSE) in China is unique worldwide in requiring disclosure of the timing, participants and selected content of private in-house meetings between firm managers and outside investors. We investigate whether these private meetings benefit hosting-firms and their major...