董事会非正式层级、数字化转型与企业ESG表现——环境不确定性的调节效应

Informal Board Hierarchy,Digital Transformation and Corporate ESG Performance:Moderating Effects of Environmental Uncertainty

企业ESG表现是我国积极实现“双碳”目标的重要抓手,也是推动我国企业可持续发展的关键要素。本文以2012—2022年A股上市公司作为研究样本,实证检验了董事会非正式层级与企业ESG表现之间的作用关系。结果表明,董事会非正式层级清晰度越高,企业ESG表现就越好,数字化转型在其中发挥部分中介效应,环境不确定性负向调节二者之间的关系。异质性分析发现,相比董事会规模小、独董比例低、非国有企业和中小型企业,在董事会规模大、独董比例高、国有企业和大型企业中董事会非正式层级清晰度的增加更能够提高企业ESG表现。研究结论不仅丰富和拓展了董事会非正式层级相关研究,而且为企业提升治理水平、加强数字化转型,助力不同类型企业实现可持续发展目标提供实践启示。

Corporate ESG performance is an important tool for China to actively achieve the goal of“dualcarbon”,and is also a key element to promote the sustainable development of Chinese enterprises.Using A-share listed companies from 2012 to 2022 as research sample,this paper empirically examines the role of the relationship between the informal tier of the board of directors and corporate ESG performance.The results show that the informal level of the board of directors has a significant contribution to corporate ESG performance,with digital transformation playing a partial mediating effect and environmental uncertainty negatively moderating the relationship between the two.Heterogeneity analysis reveals that the increase in the clarity of the informal tier of the board is more likely to improve corporate ESG performance in large-sized boards with a high proportion of sole directors,state-owned enterprises and large firms than in small-sized boards with a low proportion of sole directors,non-state-owned enterprises and small and medium-sized enterprises.The study not only enriches and expands the research related to the informal hierarchy of the board,but also provides practical insights for enterprises to improve their governance level,enhance digital transformation,and help different types of enterprises to achieve their sustainable development goals.