ESG Performance of Chinese Manufacturing Firms: Does State Ownership Matter?

Purpose – This research aimed to delve into the intricate relationship between government ownership and the corporate sustainability of firms operating within emerging economies, with a particular focus on several key firm-level characteristics such as international experience, the foreign backgrounds of top management teams, and capacity in research and development (R&D). By examining these attributes, the research sought to provide insights into the pivotal role that ownership type plays in shaping the sustainable performance of firms in emerging markets. Design/Methodology/Approach – This study empirically investigated Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) performance and firm-level characteristics of Chinese listed manufacturing firms from 2010 to 2018. Findings – The empirical results showed that government ownership had a significant positive impact on the ESG performance of emerging-market firms, and that the international experience of the firms as well as top manager overseas experience further strengthened this relationship, whereas their inputs in R&D showed no significant influence. Research Implications – This paper examined the impact of government ownership identity on firm sustainability outcomes. Our findings reveal significant distinctions in ESG performance between state-owned and privately-owned firms. This study contributes to corporate sustainability literature by investigating the influence of organizational ownership identity and firm-specific heterogeneity on ESG outcome within the emerging economy context.