Board Effectiveness and Corporate Social Responsibility Disclosures in light of Cultural Dimensions: What changed during the COVID-19 Pandemic?

• In Event: ACCOUNTING: Financial Statements Disclosure

Abstract

We examine whether board effectiveness influences CSR disclosures during the COVID-19 period in light of cultural dimensions. Using a sample consisting of 3,261 unique firms from 49 countries, we show that an effective board increases environmental and social disclosures before and during the COVID-19. However, board effectiveness has a weaker positive impact on environmental and social disclosures during the COVID-19 period relative the period before the crisis. The findings show that CSR disclosure is higher in collective and feminine countries and those with low power distribution and high uncertainty avoidance. However, cultural dimensions-CSR relationship is not impacted by the pandemic

Authors

• Asma Yousuf, The University of Western Australia

• Husam Aldamen, Qatar University

• Ghassan H. Mardini, College of Business and Economics, Qatar University, Qatar