CEOs on LinkedIn, ESG Communication and Listed SMEs Stock Performance During COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

This study explores the relationship between LinkedIn ESG-related activities of CEOs and the stock market performance of their respective companies. The study analyses data of CEOs of listed SMEs on Euronext Growth Milan and their LinkedIn activity, along with their company’s performance. In particular, this study focuses on the diffusion of ESG topic-related contents during the COVID-19 pandemic on LinkedIn using a sample of approximately 37 thousand activities and more than 2 million words examined. Clustering the sample of SMEs in n.2 groups by stock performance with k-means method, we applied textual analysis to identify LinkedIn contents containing ESG topic-related contents. The study found a significant and positive correlation between CEOs’ ESG-related LinkedIn and their company’s stock market performance. Results show that CEOs of best performing SMEs share a higher volume of ESG contents and they suggest a role of LinkedIn in ESG information dissemination on financial markets.