DOES IT PAY TO BE SUSTAINABLE? CORPORATE SUSTAINABILITY AND CORPORATE FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE: A STUDY BASED ON THE DOW JONES SUSTAINABILITY INDEX (DJSI)

Abstract

Several attempts have been made to analyze the financial performance benefits of creating long-term value for business firms through adopting sustainable practices, however empirical evidence has been inconsistent. This study examined corporate financial performance data for a sample of 493 firms in the USA during the period 2000-2014, a much longer time frame than in previous studies (average of 4 years), which allowed examination of continuously versus occasionally participating firms. Quantile Difference-in-Differences model was applied to account for the recessionary economic conditions during 2008-09. A Propensity Score Matching method was used to select comparable firms listed in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI). It was shown that Corporate Sustainability (CS) does provide significant financial losses within eight years. Moreover, Information, Services and Retail Trade industries are seemed to ideally managing their investment in CS. Also, the study showed that certain industries that were more efficient and faster in absorbing the benefits of CS. It was found that a period of eight years was insufficient to reap the benefits of CS.