Bureau Van Dijk Research Articles

Determinants of Capital Structure in the Hospitality Industry: Empirical Evidence

This paper studies the determinants of hotel SMEs' capital structure using the theoretical framework, and the leading indicators suggested by the Trade-off and Peeking Order theories. We collected financial information from the Bureau Van Dijk database, observing a ten-year time horizon (2010 to 2019 included). The companies were selected based on the indication in paragraph 3, and all fell into the category of SMEs according to the European Commission criteria. Based on the accounting information, we calculated the dependent variables (Total Debt, Long-Term Debt, and Short-Term Debt) and the independent variables (Profitability, Tangibility of Assets, Growth, Size, and Age). For our analysis, we first used a panel data methodology, developing the least squares regressions (POLS) and the fixed effects models (FEM) and then, based on the results, we chose the fixed effects model (FEM) as it was more significant. Subsequently, we tested the hypotheses of the two theories (Trade-Off and Pecking Order) with our analysis model. The results highlighted that profitability, asset tangibility and size are the most significant variables in explaining the behaviour of hotel SMEs.

Computing Capital Stocks in the German Social Security Records and Quantifying Their Role for Wage Inequality

Abstract We develop a method to impute capital stocks from investments for a sub-sample of firms in the German social security records and implement a machine-learning algorithm to predict capital stocks for the universe of firms. These capital stocks explain 40% of the variation in capital stocks of the Bureau van Dijk data. We make our data available for other researchers. We find that these capital stocks explain a sizeable fraction of wage inequality by extending the variance decomposition of Card et al. (2013), suggesting that rising firm heterogeneity in capital intensity may further amplify wage inequality. (JEL codes: C81, D24, and J31)

Bankruptcy Prediction and Performance: the Influence of Quality Certification on Portuguese SMEs

Objective: To observe the existence of a relationship between quality certification and performance and bankruptcy prediction for Portuguese SMEs. Theoretical Reference: The search for quality and its certification, via the International Standard Organization (ISO), theoretically, is related to the going concern assumption, making it possible to enhance the company's economic and financial sustainability. Method: Multisectoral Multivariate Discriminant Analysis (ADM) models, considered the most efficient, were selected for application, as well as the commonly used Univariate Analysis indicators. In Bureau Van Dijk's SABI Database, we collected Portuguese SMEs, with financial information from 2014 to 2018, certified in the scope of quality, ISO 9000 or 9001, on 12/31/2018, of these, we focused on those with main activity in NACE D - Electricity, Gas, Steam, Hot and Cold Water and Cold Air or G - Wholesale and Retail Trade, Repair of Motor Vehicles and Motorcycles as they are the most important. The Sector Average Company was also collected for the same NACE via Banco de Portugal Sector Tables. Then, having applied the models and indicators under study, we compared the results obtained between them, in order to observe the possible effect of quality certification on financial performance. Results and Discussion: No implication of quality certification in improving or optimizing the performance or economic-financial position of entities is identified. Implications of the Research: Uncover the influence of quality certification on the economic-financial position of companies, allowing for deeper investigation into bankruptcy, sustainability and value creation. Originality/Value: The specificities of the sectors and business size, crises and increasing closures make it vital to identify what will influence performance and sustainability, as no studies have been identified on this topic, focusing on Portuguese SMEs, certified via ISO 9000 or 9001.

Board gender diversity in innovative SMEs: an investigation across industrial sectors

PurposeInvestigating the drivers that contribute to the success of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is crucial for ensuring the overall growth and sustainability of a country. The purpose of this research is to investigate the role of gender diversity on the Board of Directors of innovative SMEs to understand whether the presence of women on boards can improve the performance of such organizations devoted to introducing technological advancements in the product market.Design/methodology/approachThe study adopts a quantitative approach, using a sample of 2,264 Italian innovative SMEs. These companies were selected from non-financial sectors and collected from Analisi informatizzata delle Aziende Italiane (AIDA), a database provided by Bureau van Dijk. An unbalanced panel data involving a period from 2016 to 2021 was used with a total of 12,173 observations.FindingsOur findings suggest that female representation has a negative effect on a company's financial performance. Moreover, the moderation effect of sector growth opportunities confirms this negative influence since in sectors characterized by high growth opportunities, the presence of women on boards was found to have a negative outcome.Originality/valueThe main contribution of the work lies in offering a comprehensive and thorough examination of the business category of innovative SMEs. Specifically, it extends previous research through a focus on board gender diversity of innovative SMEs by examining the impact of the presence of women in their boardrooms on firm performance outcomes. Furthermore, it provides an analysis of this effect, considering both high-growth and low-growth sectors.

The impact of institutions, industry, and scale of operations on foreign subsidiaries’ political connections: evidence from Saudi Arabia and Egypt

PurposeResearch on the political connections of multinational enterprises’ (MNEs’) subsidiaries in emerging host countries has been growing. The purpose of this paper is to integrate institutional and resource dependence theories to argue that MNEs-subsidiaries are likely to develop fewer formal (i.e. board-level) political connections when operating in welfare-state monarchies as compared to in host countries with developmental-state democratic systems. Furthermore, this paper argues that MNE-subsidiaries develop formal political connections to a greater extent in industries where religion influences the development of products and services considerably. Finally, the extent of developing formal political connections varies by the scale of the MNEs’ investment (or subsidiary density) in the host market.Design/methodology/approachThe paper tests its hypotheses on a sample of foreign-owned subsidiaries operating in Saudi Arabia and Egypt. The data was collected by combining information from Bureau Van Dijk’s Orbis database with company websites and other secondary sources. The final sample consisted of 156 observations – 70 MNEs-subsidiaries operating in Saudi Arabia, and 86 in Egypt.FindingsThe findings confirm that foreign subsidiaries are likely to develop fewer formal political connections in a welfare-state monarchy as compared to in a developmental-state democratic system. Furthermore, formal political connections are more significant in industries that are impacted by the influence of religion – such as the financial industry in Arab countries. Finally, the extent of using political connections varies by the scale of the MNEs’ investment in the host market – that is, with a greater scale of investment (or higher subsidiary density), formal political connections are greater.Originality/valueThe paper contributes theoretically by explaining that a combination of institutional heterogeneity and its associated resource dependence conditions between MNEs and host governments influence MNE-subsidiaries' political connections. The paper tests its hypotheses in an emerging Arab context, which is characterized by both autocratic and semi-democratic political settings, and which makes the integration of institutional and resource dependence theories useful in explaining how MNE-subsidiaries navigate local complexities in this region.

Board gender diversity and corporate social irresponsibility in a dominant owner context

AbstractThe growing prominence of women directors has increased interest in their role in firms' social performance. However, knowledge of what impact female directors might have on corporate social irresponsibility (CSI) remains virtually non‐existent. This study aims to fill this gap. Using a sample of 107 Spanish listed non‐financial companies from the OSIRIS database (Bureau Van Dijk) for the period 2014–2022, together with alternative regression methods to account for endogeneity (2SLS, propensity scoring matching and generalised method of moments), our results show an inverted U‐shaped relationship between female directors and CSI. This supports arguments that dominant owners might appoint a small number of female directors symbolically to create a ‘halo effect’ or to enhance their public image and thus reinforce their entrenchment and divert attention away from CSI episodes. However, the appointment of a critical mass of female directors does evidence dominant owner commitment to move away from irresponsible corporate practices, since the presence of a larger number of female directors encourages the firm's ethical behaviour and increases the costs of penalising CSI episodes in the face of the firm's hypocritical behaviour. This study contributes to the emerging literature on CSI by complementing the knowledge gained from studies on ethical behaviour in a concentrated ownership setting. However, the study is not without limitations, especially in terms of the difficulty of measuring CSI episodes since, despite the work of the media, some socially irresponsible practices may remain hidden.

It's a match! Linking foreign counterparts in Italian customs data to their balance sheets

This paper describes the methodology underlying the matching between extra-EU counterparts in the Italian Customs and Monopolies Agency data with firms in the Bureau van Dijk Orbis database. Through different validation exercises, we show that the matches stemming from our proposed procedure are largely correct regarding both records and transaction values. The resulting corresponding tables can serve as a useful tool to shed light on the features of the counterparts of Italian firms active in international trade.

New data and descriptor for crowdfunding and renewable energy

This work exhibits an extensive panel dataset and data descriptor on the crowdfunding-renewable energy nexus. This new source of data may find large use in energy economics, econometrics and policy, as well as financial and microfinance analysis. The referred dataset is made of 4704 observations to related to crowdfunding campaigns from 2009 to 2021. Data can be used for diverse energy econometrics studies and data analysis, especially for socioeconomic and environmental aspects of energy innovation and efficiency investigations. The contribution offered by this paper is the correlation between two salient aspects for the first time. We have cross-referenced the data related to crowdfunding campaigns with the sustainable orientation of the countries. The extrapolated data from two datasets—i.e., Zephyr Bureau Van Dijk and the World Bank’s World Development Indicators—form a new dataset that serves as a tool, as well as a guide, for future studies related to renewable energy, fintech, economic, innovation and entrepreneurship issues. Moreover, this contribution may stimulate the development of new policies and strategies aimed at supporting the transition towards the circular economy and sustainable development by creating positive externalities on a large scale by increasing social welfare and resilience applications.

Bank performance and financial stability during the COVID-19 pandemic: lessons from the MENA region

PurposeThis study investigates the role of market concentration and efficiency in banking system stability during the COVID-19 pandemic. We empirically test the hypothesis that market concentration and efficiency are significant determinants of bank performance and stability during the time of crises, using a sample of 575 banks in 20 countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).Design/methodology/approachThe main sources of bank data are the BankScope and BankFocus (Bureau van Dijk) databases, World Bank development indicators, and official websites of banks in MENA countries. This study combined descriptive and analytical approaches. We utilize a panel dataset and adopt panel data econometric techniques such as fixed/random effects and the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) estimator.FindingsThe results reveal that market concentration negatively affects bank profitability, whereas improved efficiency further enhances bank performance and contributes to the banking sector’s overall stability. Furthermore, our analysis indicates that during the COVID-19 pandemic, bank stability strongly depended on the level of market concentration, but not on bank efficiency. However, more efficient banks are more profitable and stable if the banking institutions are Islamic. Similarly, Islamic banks with the same level of efficiency demonstrated better overall financial performance during the pandemic than their conventional peers did.Research limitations/implicationsThe main limitation is related to the period of COVID-19 pandemic that was covered in this paper (2020–2021). Therefore, further investigation of the COVID-19 effects on bank profitability and risk will require an extended period of the pandemic crisis, including 2022.Practical implicationsThis study provides information that will enable bank managers and policymakers in MENA countries to assess the growing impact of market concentration and efficiency on the banking sector stability. It also helps them in formulating suitable strategies to mitigate the adverse consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our recommendations are useful guides for policymakers and regulators in countries where Islamic and conventional banking systems co-exist and compete, based on different business models and risk management practices.Originality/valueThe authors contribute to the banking stability literature by investigating the role of market concentration and efficiency as the main determinants of bank performance and stability during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study is the first to analyze banking sector stability in the MENA region, using both individual and risk-adjusted aggregated performance measures.

DuPont analysis among European dentistry companies to measure the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic

Although health economics belongs to the highly respected economic disciplines within the research literature, there is a considerable gap related to the investigation of dentistry in particular, even after the global pandemic of COVID-19 disease. Fundamentally, the DuPont framework is a well-known complex analysis to evaluate companies from the point of view of financial performance. The investigation of the return on equity as a relation between the return on assets and the equity multiplier, simply called the leverage effect, is presented in this paper. Therefore, this study aims to estimate the effect of leverage and its changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic among dentistry companies in selected European countries with different healthcare insurance systems. This comparative investigation focused on the generalised method of moments with dynamic panel data from Orbis, the Bureau van Dijk financial database for 1,128 dentistry companies in nine European countries. Methodologically, concerning those post-estimation techniques to evaluate over- and underestimation of the models. It has been differentiating between companies with a high or low ownership concentration structure. The results have shown differences in the leverage effect during the pandemic, assuming that companies with a major owner increased their equity, while the debt leverage increased among those companies with dispersed ownership and vice versa. If economic theory states that debt financing is more effective for a company than using internal sources, it is apparently different in the case of dentistry during the pandemic. However, dispersed ownership is more often related to dentistry, according to mergers in this particular business industry.

Innovation and financial performance: an European evidence

Purpose- The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between innovation and financial performance in the context of European listed companies. Starting from the initial thesis of Schumpeter, this topic attracts the interest of academics and managers because innovation is included among the factors capable of influencing the value, profitability and competitive advantage of companies. The empirical evidence in this regard appears divergent: the existing literature shows positive or negative impacts or indicates the absence of a relationship between innovation (summarised in research and development expenditure) and financial performance. Methodology- The study employs correlation analysis in order to figure out the existence of a link between innovation and financial performance. In accordance with the literature review, we use R&D expenses divided by sales as proxy of innovation and return on equity (ROE), return on capital employed (ROCE), EBITDA margin and profit margin as measures of financial performance. Data are obtained form the Amadeus Bureau van Dijk database and refers to the year 2020. Given the need to consider companies for which all the quantities mentioned are available for 2020, the final sample is made up of n. 224 European listed companies. Findings- Pearson's correlation coefficient with EBITDA margin is 0.027, with ROA is 0.016, with Net profit margin is 0.034 and with ROE is 0.025, highlighting a weak positive relationship between the independent variable and each dependent variables (that means the R&D activities will increase the profitability of firms on the same financial year). However the p-value, higher than the α=0.05 threshold, makes the correlation coefficient not statistically significant. The analysis reveals that innovation, measured by the ratio R&D espenses to sales, does not show any correlation with financial performance instantly, that is on the same financial year. Our results are consistent with the branch of studies according to which R&D activity has no effects on company performance. Conclusion- The analysis conducted does not prove the existence of a significant relationship between innovation and financial performance. A possible explanation can be found in the circumstance whereby the effect of research and development activities, as well as for all intangible assets, on the performance of companies is mainly observable in the medium-long term (what is known in the literature as the “lagged effect” of intangible assets on performance); therefore limiting the analysis to just one year does not allow us to fully grasp the impact itself. The conclusion reached is not to be understood in an absolute sense since innovation can also be measured by other indicators other than research and development expenses, such as the use of ICT, graduate employees, etc. Hence the possibility of further research developments and points of reflection considering the impact of R&D on the firm’s long-run performance and including other factors in the analysis. Keywords: Innovation, firm performance, financial performance, listed companies JEL Codes: G30, L29, O30,

Servitization and firm productivity premium across the product value chain: evidence from Russian manufacturing firms

PurposeThis paper aims to discuss the firm productivity premium for servitized firms. It discusses servitization across the product value chain and estimates the effects of the range and extent of servitization on productivity premium in manufacturing firms.Design/methodology/approachThis paper develops a conceptual framework and tests the hypotheses on the effects of servitization on productivity premium using linear regression models with a sample of 20,837 Russian manufacturing firms gathered from the Ruslana Bureau van Dijk database and the Russian customs service.FindingsServitized firms exhibit higher total factor productivity and labor productivity. The labor productivity premium increases with the number of services offered. However, the impact of services on productivity varies along the product value chain: postmanufacturing and postsales services enhance productivity premium, while manufacturing and back-office services diminish them. The effect of establishment services remains ambiguous.Practical implicationsThis paper offers an analytical framework for firms to assess their servitization strategies. These strategies should be gradual, focused on enhancing firm efficiency rather than being an end goal. Firms should initiate the process by introducing services at the postproduction and postsales stages of the product creation chain to achieve productivity premium.Originality/valueThe paper extends the evidence on firm-level productivity drivers and contributes to the servitization theory. A servitization strategy should be portfolio-based, considering both the potential gains and losses in productivity resulting from the implementation of specific services.

Earnings management and ESG performance: Empirical evidence from Italian context

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance, both in its totality and its three pillars (environmental, social and governance), and earnings management. The sample includes companies listed on the Italian Stock Exchange market (FTSE Italia All-Share index) during business years 2014–2019. After excluding those firms belonging to the financial sector, along with those with missing values, the final sample consists of 103 firms for a total of 618 firm-year observations. Data have been collected from two databases, that are Refinitiv Eikon (for ESG and governance variables) and AIDA Bureau van Dijk (for economic and financial variables). Panel data regression analysis has been implemented to analyse the impact of ESG performance on accrual-based (AEM) and real based (REM) earnings management. It is found that ESG performance has a negative effect on AEM but not on REM, and the governance pillar has the strongest impact compared to those of environmental and social ones. In addition, this research suggests a bidirectional link between ESG performance and earnings management. This analysis contributes to prior research since it is the first study that has used accrual and real-based earnings management proxies with this topic in relation with ESG performance and its three components in the Italian traditional corporate governance system. Corporate practice, regulators and researchers should recognize that ESG performance and earnings management should be discussed together.

Foreign M&A and inventory adjustment: Evidence from Chinese manufacturers

With China’s deepening opening-up to the world, its favorable business environment and investment attraction policies appeal to a growing number of multinational enterprises to enter the Chinese market. As a major form of FDI, foreign M&A has raised scholars' attention to explore its role in China's economic development. As one of these academic explorations, this study makes a pioneering effort to identify the inventory adjustment effect of Foreign M&A by adopting a large-scale, firm-level dataset from the Annual Survey of Industrial Firms (ASIF) database and the Bureau Van Dijk (BVD) database. The conclusions are presented as follows: (1) Foreign M&A has a significantly positive impact on non-finished products inventory through the effect of market scale. The result remains robust when we controlled a series of control variables, using PSM+DID method and carrying out heterogeneity test. (2) Foreign M&A has a significantly negative impact on the overall inventory. In addition, foreign M&A also shows a preference for top performers, a tendency that enterprises with higher total assets and capital, higher output value, higher added value, export trade competitiveness and high sales income are prone to be targets hunted by multinational enterprises.

Does tax enforcement disparately affect domestic versus multinational corporations around the world?

AbstractGlobal tax enforcement policies have received increased attention since the financial crisis, with much stated focus on curbing perceived harmful tax practices of multinational corporations. Yet there is a dearth of evidence on possible differential effects of home‐country tax enforcement on multinationals. We take a step toward filling this void in the tax policy discussion by examining whether there is a differential relation between changes in home‐country enforcement and the tax avoidance of domestic versus multinational corporations. Using OECD data on 50 countries from 2005 to 2019, we find increases in home‐country enforcement are associated with lower levels of tax avoidance for domestic firms than for multinational corporations. Using a subset of firms from the Bureau van Dijk database, we find that multinationals avoid more tax in foreign countries when home‐country enforcement increases. Results are stronger for multinationals with a higher proportion of subsidiaries in low‐tax countries and when enforcement spending is low. These findings have implications for policy‐makers and highlight the importance of coordinated enforcement efforts across jurisdictions—such as the recently proposed global minimum tax—to successfully curb multinationals' worldwide tax avoidance.

The role of foreign-owned entities in building economic resili-ence in times of crisis: The case of European digital and technologically-intensive firms during the Covid-19 pandemic

Research background: Over the decades, foreign-owned entities (FOEs) have become an important part of the economic landscape considered as behemoths of globalisation, but also transmitters of positive effects such as technology or know-how spillovers. In times of volatility and uncertainty, firms’ contribution to building a resilient economy is at the top of the public agenda. Purpose of the article: The purpose of the article is two-fold. Firstly, we test, how FOEs perform in this stressful time of volatility and uncertainty. Secondly, we examine the contribution to resilience by digital and technologically intensive sectors. Methods: The study utilises the Bureau van Dijk (BvD) Orbis firm-level database as a primary data source. The results are derived with the use of two econometric approaches. Firstly, we estimate a static model utilising the ordinary squares estimator. Secondly, we re-estimate the equations using a two-step System GMM estimator. It introduces a lagged dependent variable into the model and implements a correction for endogeneity among covariates by including instruments (in levels and differences). Findings & value added: We use size, age, ownership, gearing, and intangibility as firms’ financial performance determinants, together with the sector-, country- and time-fixed effects. FOEs compared to domestic ones generated a higher revenue growth rate. In times of crisis high-tech and digital firms are more resilient. However, ownership does not matter in this respect. We contribute to the discussion about functions performed by FOEs in crisis and turbulent times, in which resilience issues are on top of the agenda. Our research intends to bridge the gap between the performance of FOEs, micro-level analysis, and resilience.

Can a firm's hierarchical complexity affect its stock price behavior? Evidence from stock price crash risk

PurposeThis paper examines how a firm's hierarchical complexity, which is determined by the way it organizes its subsidiaries across the hierarchical levels, can impact its stock price crash risk.Design/methodology/approachThe authors employ a measure of hierarchical complexity that captures the depth and breadth of how subsidiaries are organized within a firm. This measure is calculated using information about firms' subsidiaries extracted from the Bureau van Dijk (BvD) database that allows the authors to construct each firm's hierarchical structure. The data sample includes 2,461 USA firms for the period from 2012 to 2017 (11,006 firm-year observations). Univariate tests and panel regression are used for the main analysis. Two-stage-least-squares (2SLS) instrumental variable regression and various other tests are employed for robustness check.FindingsThe results show a positive relationship between hierarchical complexity and stock price crash risk. This relationship is amplified in firms with a greater number of subsidiaries that are hierarchically distanced from the parent company as well as in firms with a greater number of foreign subsidiaries in countries with weaker rule of law.Originality/valueThis paper is the first to investigate the impact hierarchical complexity has on crash risk. The results highlight the role that a firm's organizational structure can have on asset pricing behavior.

The Effect of Intellectual Property Boxes on Innovative Activity and Tax Benefits

ABSTRACT We exploit a quasi-experimental setting with high internal validity to measure the effect of adopting an intellectual property (IP) box on innovative activity and tax benefits. We document innovative activity increases, including patent applications, grants, and highly skilled employment, at the expense of patent quality. Domestic firms drive this effect. We also provide evidence that firms with patents, on average, enjoy up to 7.0 percent lower effective tax rates, with the most significant tax benefits accruing to multinational firms compared to domestic firms. We use the Belgium IP box that limits tax benefits to patent income. Prior IP box literature analyzes heterogeneous IP boxes and provides evidence of substantial increases in patent applications in response to IP box adoption. Our results suggest the patent-income only IP box leads to a modest increase in innovative activity by a maximum of 5.1 percent, with multinationals benefitting relatively more from a financial perspective. Data Availability: The data supporting this study’s findings are publicly available from Bureau van Dijk Orbis, EPO PATSTAT, and the Belgian National Bank. JEL Classifications: H21; H25.

The effect of bilateral currency swap agreements on foreign capital inflows: Evidence from China

AbstractThis study empirically explores the effect of bilateral currency swap agreements (BCSAs) on foreign capital inflows. Using data on foreign enterprises' cross‐border investments in China over 2005–2020 released by Bureau van Dijk (BvD) Zephyr database, a multiperiod difference‐in‐differences (DID) estimation is used based on the signing of China's BCSAs over the period of 2009–2020. We find that the signing of BCSAs increases the total amount of foreign capital inflows by 9.97% and the number of foreign capital projects by 8.68% on average. Moreover, foreign capital inflows that come from economies with higher bilateral exchange fluctuations, fewer foreign exchange reserves, higher interest rates, higher tax rates, and lower institutional qualities are more responsive to the signing of BCSAs, especially for those horizontal capital inflows.

Firms’ characteristics, corporate governance, and the adoption of sustainability reporting: evidence from Gulf Cooperation Council countries

PurposeThe purpose of the study is to investigate the factors that influence the adoption of new sustainability reporting (SDG) and external assurance (EXTA) practices. This study also examines the relationship between sustainability reporting activity and corporate economic performance for a sample of 99 companies in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries that addressed SDGs in their sustainability reports published in 2019.Design/methodology/approachUsing a two-stage analysis, this study examines how firms’ characteristics and corporate governance variables affect SDG and economic performance, as well as the firm’s decision to adopt EXTA statements for a sample of companies in that addressed SDGs in their sustainability reports published in 2019. The authors collected data from the Global Reporting Initiative’s (GRI) Sustainability Disclosure database and the Bureau van Dijk for Orbis database.FindingsThe results show that the variables firm size, profitability, big 4 auditors and government ownership significantly affect SDG and economic performance. The results also reveal that firms operating in the manufacturing sector are positively correlated with SDG and the firm’s decision to adopt EXTA statements. Furthermore, the results indicate that board independence positively affects SDGs and EXTA.Research limitations/implicationsThe results can be particularly relevant and timely in helping large GCC companies promote their engagement to sustainable development practices by adopting more sustainable long-term strategies and policies. The findings could also guide managers in the strategic direction to identify firms’ characteristics and corporate governance features essential to promote sustainability reporting, an increasingly important performance indicator for investors and to enhance their confidence in the capital market. The results may also have practical implications to policymakers and other regulators in GCC countries to define effective frameworks that promote sustainable development reports and the use of EXTA.Originality/valueThe results make significant contributions by providing new insights to the existing literature on sustainability reporting in emerging markets by examining a unique perspective on the influence of firms’ characteristics and corporate governance features on the adoption of new sustainability reporting practices. The authors further add to the previous literature on the relationship between a firm’s economic performance and sustainable reporting by providing evidence from large companies in GCC countries, which might benefit from the adoption of multiple conceptual lenses, in this case, legitimacy and stakeholder theories. Lastly, through the empirical findings, this study provides economic validity to the 2018 joint initiative of the GRI and the United Nations Global Compact to strengthen corporate actions to achieve the United Nations SDGs.