Environmental performance and financial performance during COVID-19 outbreak: Insight from Chinese firms

The global pressure to reduce carbon emissions on high-carbon-emitting economies has intensified significantly in recent years. However, these efforts’ effect on the firm’s financial performance (FP) has been a major concern. This research investigates the relationship between environmental performa...

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Main Authors: Mohamad Kaakeh, Korhan K. Gokmenoglu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2022-09-01
Series:Frontiers in Environmental Science
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2022.975924/full
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author Mohamad Kaakeh
Korhan K. Gokmenoglu
author_facet Mohamad Kaakeh
Korhan K. Gokmenoglu
author_sort Mohamad Kaakeh
collection DOAJ
description The global pressure to reduce carbon emissions on high-carbon-emitting economies has intensified significantly in recent years. However, these efforts’ effect on the firm’s financial performance (FP) has been a major concern. This research investigates the relationship between environmental performance (EP) and FP of Chinese firms considering the effect of the COVID-19 outbreak. Data was collected from Refinitiv DataStream and span the period of 2017–2020. In addition to the fixed-effects regression, the novel dynamic panel bootstrap corrected fixed effects and panel corrected standard errors methods were utilized to test the hypotheses. Obtained results revealed two key findings. First, there is weak evidence that higher EP increases firms’ FP. Second, the relationship between EP and FP is positive in times of economic distress, meaning that firms must continue investing in environmentally ethical and sustainable projects during the crisis. Our empirical findings extend the existing literature by showing that even in times of crisis, such as COVID-19, an environmentally friendly business model positively affects the firm’s financial structure. We discuss the policy recommendations implied by our findings for investors, business owners, managers, and officials in the conclusion section.
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spelling doaj.art-ca639bf821ad493dbcc8d54a52a8fa202022-12-22T04:24:53ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Environmental Science2296-665X2022-09-011010.3389/fenvs.2022.975924975924Environmental performance and financial performance during COVID-19 outbreak: Insight from Chinese firmsMohamad Kaakeh0Korhan K. Gokmenoglu1Department of Banking and Finance, Eastern Mediterranean University, Famagusta, TurkeyDepartment of Finance and Banking, HBV University, Ankara, TurkeyThe global pressure to reduce carbon emissions on high-carbon-emitting economies has intensified significantly in recent years. However, these efforts’ effect on the firm’s financial performance (FP) has been a major concern. This research investigates the relationship between environmental performance (EP) and FP of Chinese firms considering the effect of the COVID-19 outbreak. Data was collected from Refinitiv DataStream and span the period of 2017–2020. In addition to the fixed-effects regression, the novel dynamic panel bootstrap corrected fixed effects and panel corrected standard errors methods were utilized to test the hypotheses. Obtained results revealed two key findings. First, there is weak evidence that higher EP increases firms’ FP. Second, the relationship between EP and FP is positive in times of economic distress, meaning that firms must continue investing in environmentally ethical and sustainable projects during the crisis. Our empirical findings extend the existing literature by showing that even in times of crisis, such as COVID-19, an environmentally friendly business model positively affects the firm’s financial structure. We discuss the policy recommendations implied by our findings for investors, business owners, managers, and officials in the conclusion section.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2022.975924/fullclimate changefinancial performanceenvironmental performanceESGCOVID-19
spellingShingle Mohamad Kaakeh
Korhan K. Gokmenoglu
Environmental performance and financial performance during COVID-19 outbreak: Insight from Chinese firms
Frontiers in Environmental Science
climate change
financial performance
environmental performance
ESG
COVID-19
title Environmental performance and financial performance during COVID-19 outbreak: Insight from Chinese firms
title_full Environmental performance and financial performance during COVID-19 outbreak: Insight from Chinese firms
title_fullStr Environmental performance and financial performance during COVID-19 outbreak: Insight from Chinese firms
title_full_unstemmed Environmental performance and financial performance during COVID-19 outbreak: Insight from Chinese firms
title_short Environmental performance and financial performance during COVID-19 outbreak: Insight from Chinese firms
title_sort environmental performance and financial performance during covid 19 outbreak insight from chinese firms
topic climate change
financial performance
environmental performance
ESG
COVID-19
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2022.975924/full
work_keys_str_mv AT mohamadkaakeh environmentalperformanceandfinancialperformanceduringcovid19outbreakinsightfromchinesefirms
AT korhankgokmenoglu environmentalperformanceandfinancialperformanceduringcovid19outbreakinsightfromchinesefirms