Description
Corporate decarbonization has become a critical priority as listed firms face increasing pressure from investors, regulators and society to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve environmental responsibility and integrate sustainability into corporate strategies. However, despite the growing adoption of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) reporting frameworks, uncertainty remains regarding whether specific ESG dimensions effectively contribute to measurable corporate decarbonization outcomes. Furthermore, board sustainability expertise may determine whether firms effectively translate ESG commitments into substantive decarbonization strategies through enhanced oversight, strategic guidance and accountability. This study will examine the effect of ESG reporting components on corporate decarbonization among listed firms in East African Community (EAC) Partner States and determine the moderating effect of board sustainability expertise on these relationships. Specifically, the study will assess the effects of environmental disclosure, social sustainability disclosure and governance disclosure on corporate decarbonization and establish whether board sustainability expertise strengthens the relationship between each ESG component and corporate decarbonization. The study will be guided by the Triple Bottom Line Theory, Agency Theory and Stakeholder Theory. It will adopt an explanatory and longitudinal research design using panel data from listed firms across EAC securities exchanges, including the Nairobi Securities Exchange, Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange, Uganda Securities Exchange and Rwanda Stock Exchange. Secondary data will be obtained from annual reports, integrated reports, sustainability reports and corporate governance disclosures of listed firms over the study period. Data will be analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, fixed effects and random effects regression models, with the Hausman specification test applied to determine the appropriate panel estimation approach. Dynamic generalized method of moments (GMM) estimation will be conducted to address potential endogeneity concerns and enhance the robustness of findings. The findings are expected to contribute to sustainability, corporate governance and environmental management literature by demonstrating how specific ESG dimensions and board sustainability expertise influence corporate decarbonization
| Title | ESG Reporting and Corporate Decarbonization among Listed Firms in EAC: Does Board Sustainability Expertise Matter? |
|---|