Relationship Between Top Executives’ Characteristics and Corporate Environmental Responsibility: Evidence from China

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis article examines the relationship between biographical characteristics of top executives and the level of corporate environmental information disclosure (EID) for Chinese-listed companies based on the upper echelons theory. Some interesting findings appear. Using a sample of 871 manufacturing companies having data of EID, we find that under the current situations such as the lack of external pressures on environmental protection, especially from the government, top executives may have the same attitude toward EID, focusing companies on economic goals rather than taking environmental responsibility seriously. This suggests that strengthening environmental supervision and stricter and more specific environmental controls for disclosure are in urgent need in China.