The influence of public environmental concern on corporate greenwashing: an examination of companies listed in China
This study investigates the impact of public environmental concern on corporate greenwashing behavior, emphasizing the underlying mechanisms. Analysis of panel data from China’s A-share listed companies (2012–2022) indicates that public scrutiny substantially curtails greenwashing. Two primary media...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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IOP Publishing
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Environmental Research Communications |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1088/2515-7620/adca97 |
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| author | Hongbo Fu Rajah Rasiah Guangji Wang Yi Zhang |
| author_facet | Hongbo Fu Rajah Rasiah Guangji Wang Yi Zhang |
| author_sort | Hongbo Fu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study investigates the impact of public environmental concern on corporate greenwashing behavior, emphasizing the underlying mechanisms. Analysis of panel data from China’s A-share listed companies (2012–2022) indicates that public scrutiny substantially curtails greenwashing. Two primary mediating mechanisms are identified: environmental penalties and green development. The environmental penalties mechanism suggests that both the strengthening of environmental penalties in the region and environmental compliance by corporate are pathways through which public environmental concern can effectively mitigate corporate greenwashing; while the green development mechanism suggests that the improvement of the level of green innovation by corporate or the greening of their investment strategies are mechanisms through which public environmental concerns can reduce corporate greenwashing. Heterogeneity analysis indicates more pronounced effects in industries with significant pollution and in environments characterized by considerable uncertainty. Non-state-owned firms exhibit heightened responsiveness to public concern compared to state-owned enterprises. This study enhances comprehension of corporate greenwashing and offers evidence for formulating distinct environmental strategies. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-3e46127fe36748e68d9747d22c32d2a6 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2515-7620 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environmental Research Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-3e46127fe36748e68d9747d22c32d2a62025-08-20T03:18:05ZengIOP PublishingEnvironmental Research Communications2515-76202025-01-017404502310.1088/2515-7620/adca97The influence of public environmental concern on corporate greenwashing: an examination of companies listed in ChinaHongbo Fu0https://orcid.org/0009-0006-0649-017XRajah Rasiah1Guangji Wang2Yi Zhang3Asia Europe Institute, University of Malaya , Kuala Lumpur, 50603, MalaysiaAsia Europe Institute, University of Malaya , Kuala Lumpur, 50603, MalaysiaZhengzhou University of Light Industry , No. 136 Ke Xue Avenue, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450000, People’s Republic of ChinaFaculty of Business and Economics, University of Malaya , Kuala Lumpur, 50603, MalaysiaThis study investigates the impact of public environmental concern on corporate greenwashing behavior, emphasizing the underlying mechanisms. Analysis of panel data from China’s A-share listed companies (2012–2022) indicates that public scrutiny substantially curtails greenwashing. Two primary mediating mechanisms are identified: environmental penalties and green development. The environmental penalties mechanism suggests that both the strengthening of environmental penalties in the region and environmental compliance by corporate are pathways through which public environmental concern can effectively mitigate corporate greenwashing; while the green development mechanism suggests that the improvement of the level of green innovation by corporate or the greening of their investment strategies are mechanisms through which public environmental concerns can reduce corporate greenwashing. Heterogeneity analysis indicates more pronounced effects in industries with significant pollution and in environments characterized by considerable uncertainty. Non-state-owned firms exhibit heightened responsiveness to public concern compared to state-owned enterprises. This study enhances comprehension of corporate greenwashing and offers evidence for formulating distinct environmental strategies.https://doi.org/10.1088/2515-7620/adca97corporate greenwashingheterogeneity analysisenvironmental penaltiesgreen developmentpublic environmental concern |
| spellingShingle | Hongbo Fu Rajah Rasiah Guangji Wang Yi Zhang The influence of public environmental concern on corporate greenwashing: an examination of companies listed in China Environmental Research Communications corporate greenwashing heterogeneity analysis environmental penalties green development public environmental concern |
| title | The influence of public environmental concern on corporate greenwashing: an examination of companies listed in China |
| title_full | The influence of public environmental concern on corporate greenwashing: an examination of companies listed in China |
| title_fullStr | The influence of public environmental concern on corporate greenwashing: an examination of companies listed in China |
| title_full_unstemmed | The influence of public environmental concern on corporate greenwashing: an examination of companies listed in China |
| title_short | The influence of public environmental concern on corporate greenwashing: an examination of companies listed in China |
| title_sort | influence of public environmental concern on corporate greenwashing an examination of companies listed in china |
| topic | corporate greenwashing heterogeneity analysis environmental penalties green development public environmental concern |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1088/2515-7620/adca97 |
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