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Journal of Financial Stability Vol. 57 2021

Affiliated bankers on board and firm environmental management: U.S. evidence

Hong Zhao; Dawei Jin1; Hui Li2; Haizhi Wang2

1 Zhongnan University of Economics and Law · 2 Illinois Institute of Technology

Abstract

This study investigates whether and to what extent bank control over firms by their representation on boards of directors and by equity holdings through trust business may affect corporate environmental responsibility. Using a large sample of listed firms in the United States from 2004 to 2016, we find that banker directors with equity affiliation improve firms’ environmental performance scores and such impact is associated with affiliated bank’s shareholdings, investment horizon, and environmental orientation. Additionally, we document that the effects of bank control on firm’s environmental investments is stronger for firms with more short-term institutional investors but weaker for firms with more analyst coverage. Moreover, we find that when firms are financially constrained, banker directors reduce environmental investments. Finally, product-market competition matters for a firm’s environmental strategies as the relation of bank control and environmental investments is more profound under conditions of greater industry competition.

DOI
10.1016/j.jfs.2021.100951
Volume
57
Pages
100951
Language
en
Sources
bibtex:phds-export.bib openalex crossref

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