Well-Governed Sustainability and Financial Performance: A New Integrative Approach

Abstract

This study investigates the interlinkages between the dimensions of corporate social responsibility (CSR-economic, environmental, social), financial performance (ROA, ROE), and corporate governance (CG), by applying the structural equation modeling technique (SEM). It is based on a sample of 614 large companies from the European Economic Area, covering specific indicators published by the Thomson Reuters database, for the years 2013–2017. The equation models are structured starting from isolated dependencies between variables, up to the global ones (direct, indirect, and total dependencies). The mixed results obtained imply that the nature and heterogenous content of CSR lead to different statistical dependencies for each of the two financial performance indicators. ROA is positively influenced by the economic dimension of CSR, but, the level of this rate does not necessarily contribute to an increase in the involvement of the company in this type of CSR actions. At the same time, ROA is influenced and affects in a negative way the environmental and social dimensions of CSR. In the case of ROE, it is influenced and impacts the economic and social dimensions in a positive way. The environmental dimension of CSR influences ROE positively, but it is negatively affected by this profitability rate. Corporate governance exerts a positive impact on all of the model’s variables, both as a direct and indirect factor of influence.