Corporate Social Responsibility, Carbon Information Disclosure, and Enterprise Value: A Study of Listed Companies in China’s Highly Polluting Industries

Abstract

In 2022, China actively carried out economic transformation and sought high-quality development. To date, enhancing enterprise value is still one of the top priorities for enterprises. Enterprises should take various measures to continuously enhance their value in order to strive for their survival and development. The fulfillment of social responsibilities not only brings benefits to all stakeholders, but also establishes a good corporate image in front of the public and can increase enterprise value. At the same time, in the context of “carbon peaking and carbon neutrality”, carbon information disclosure has an important impact on enterprises and their stakeholders. Taking the data of listed companies within China’s Shanghai and Shenzhen A-share highly polluting industries from 2018 to 2022 as samples, this paper studies the relationship between the level of social responsibility fulfillment, carbon information disclosure, and enterprise value, and makes an empirical analysis. This research finds that social responsibility has a significant positive impact on enterprise value; carbon information disclosure has a significant positive impact on enterprise value; and carbon information disclosure plays a significant positive regulating role in the relationship between social responsibility and enterprise value. Finally, according to the research results, this paper puts forward relevant suggestions from two perspectives: enterprise and government.