Does managerial climate attention matter? Evidence on corporate default risk from China
As global attention to sustainability intensifies, businesses are increasingly integrating climate considerations into their strategic decision-making processes. This study examines the relationship between managerial attention to climate issues and corporate default risk in Chinese firms. Utilizing...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025-12-01
|
| Series: | Sustainable Futures |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666188825005295 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849702734727479296 |
|---|---|
| author | Xudong Yang Yuan Zheng |
| author_facet | Xudong Yang Yuan Zheng |
| author_sort | Xudong Yang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | As global attention to sustainability intensifies, businesses are increasingly integrating climate considerations into their strategic decision-making processes. This study examines the relationship between managerial attention to climate issues and corporate default risk in Chinese firms. Utilizing textual analysis of Management Discussion and Analysis (MD&A) sections in financial reports, we construct managerial climate attention measures and investigate their impact on expected default frequency. Our findings reveal a significant negative relationship between managerial climate attention and default risk, with higher managerial climate attention correlating with lower default probability. Further analysis identifies two primary mechanisms mediating this relationship: improved operational stability and enhanced internal control quality. Cross-sectional analysis demonstrates heterogeneous effects, with the risk-mitigating impact of managerial climate attention being more pronounced in firms with lower financial constraints and larger size, as well as in regions facing higher pollution levels or greater exposure to extreme climate risks. Beyond risk reduction, our results show that managerial climate attention is associated with tangible outcomes including lower carbon emissions, better Environmental, Social, and Governance performance, and improved firm value. These findings provide important implications for managers and policymakers, highlighting the financial benefits of climate attention and supporting policies that encourage corporate climate engagement. Our study contributes to the growing literature on the financial implications of climate initiatives and offers valuable insights for promoting corporate sustainability in emerging markets. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-6e049fda8d7245f6ab00d20969b97236 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2666-1888 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sustainable Futures |
| spelling | doaj-art-6e049fda8d7245f6ab00d20969b972362025-08-20T03:17:32ZengElsevierSustainable Futures2666-18882025-12-011010096510.1016/j.sftr.2025.100965Does managerial climate attention matter? Evidence on corporate default risk from ChinaXudong Yang0Yuan Zheng1School of Accounting, Guizhou University of Commerce, Guiyang, 550014, ChinaSchool of Accounting, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Wuhan, 430073, China; Corresponding author at: School of Accounting, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, 182# Nanhu Avenue, East Lake High-tech Development Zone, Wuhan 430073, China.As global attention to sustainability intensifies, businesses are increasingly integrating climate considerations into their strategic decision-making processes. This study examines the relationship between managerial attention to climate issues and corporate default risk in Chinese firms. Utilizing textual analysis of Management Discussion and Analysis (MD&A) sections in financial reports, we construct managerial climate attention measures and investigate their impact on expected default frequency. Our findings reveal a significant negative relationship between managerial climate attention and default risk, with higher managerial climate attention correlating with lower default probability. Further analysis identifies two primary mechanisms mediating this relationship: improved operational stability and enhanced internal control quality. Cross-sectional analysis demonstrates heterogeneous effects, with the risk-mitigating impact of managerial climate attention being more pronounced in firms with lower financial constraints and larger size, as well as in regions facing higher pollution levels or greater exposure to extreme climate risks. Beyond risk reduction, our results show that managerial climate attention is associated with tangible outcomes including lower carbon emissions, better Environmental, Social, and Governance performance, and improved firm value. These findings provide important implications for managers and policymakers, highlighting the financial benefits of climate attention and supporting policies that encourage corporate climate engagement. Our study contributes to the growing literature on the financial implications of climate initiatives and offers valuable insights for promoting corporate sustainability in emerging markets.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666188825005295G30M12 |
| spellingShingle | Xudong Yang Yuan Zheng Does managerial climate attention matter? Evidence on corporate default risk from China Sustainable Futures G30 M12 |
| title | Does managerial climate attention matter? Evidence on corporate default risk from China |
| title_full | Does managerial climate attention matter? Evidence on corporate default risk from China |
| title_fullStr | Does managerial climate attention matter? Evidence on corporate default risk from China |
| title_full_unstemmed | Does managerial climate attention matter? Evidence on corporate default risk from China |
| title_short | Does managerial climate attention matter? Evidence on corporate default risk from China |
| title_sort | does managerial climate attention matter evidence on corporate default risk from china |
| topic | G30 M12 |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666188825005295 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT xudongyang doesmanagerialclimateattentionmatterevidenceoncorporatedefaultriskfromchina AT yuanzheng doesmanagerialclimateattentionmatterevidenceoncorporatedefaultriskfromchina |