A double-edged sword: materiality classifications of sustainability topics

  • 0Ingolstadt School of Management, Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, Ingolstadt, Germany.
Studies +

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Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Firms improved sustainability performance on topics deemed material by the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB), while worsening on non-material topics. This shift was driven by shareholder pressure and executive compensation linked to sustainability.

Area Of Science

  • Corporate Sustainability
  • Financial Reporting
  • Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Performance

Background

  • The Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) categorizes sustainability issues as material or non-material for investors.
  • Understanding how these classifications influence corporate behavior is crucial for assessing sustainability performance.

Purpose Of The Study

  • To investigate whether and how SASB classifications impact U.S. firms' sustainability performance.
  • To analyze the channels through which these changes occur.

Main Methods

  • Utilized staggered release of SASB classifications (2013-2016) as a natural experiment.
  • Measured corporate sustainability performance using RepRisk scores, reflecting ESG incidents.

Main Results

  • RepRisk scores decreased for material sustainability topics post-SASB classification release.
  • Scores increased for non-material sustainability topics, indicating a shift in focus.
  • Firms adjusted internal policies to align with SASB classifications.

Conclusions

  • Firms prioritize sustainability topics deemed material by SASB, potentially at the expense of non-material issues.
  • Shareholder pressure and executive compensation incentives drive these changes in corporate sustainability focus.

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