Rasmi Meqbel, Aladdin Dwekat, Mohammad A.A. Zaid, Mohammad Alta’any and Asia Mohammad Abukhaled
This study aims to examine the impact of Audit Committee (AC) characteristics on carbon disclosures and performance among companies listed in the STOXX Europe 600 index.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the impact of Audit Committee (AC) characteristics on carbon disclosures and performance among companies listed in the STOXX Europe 600 index.
Design/methodology/approach
The sample consists of companies listed in the STOXX Europe 600 index over a 11-year period (2012–2022). The study uses panel data regression methods and uses the two-step system generalized method of moments to control for endogeneity.
Findings
The results indicate that AC size, independence and financial expertise positively influence carbon disclosure, highlighting the significance of these characteristics in promoting transparency and accountability in reporting carbon emissions. Additionally, these attributes are significantly associated with improved carbon performance, suggesting their potential role in advancing environmental sustainability.
Practical implications
The study provides practical insights for policymakers and regulatory bodies aiming to enhance carbon-related practices through improved corporate governance (CG) structures. By emphasizing the importance of specific AC characteristics, the findings suggest pathways for enhancing the quality of carbon disclosures and performance.
Originality/value
Despite extensive attention on CG in promoting sustainability, the specific influence of AC characteristics on carbon disclosures and performance remains underexplored. This study addresses this significant literature gap and, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, is the first to link AC characteristics with both carbon disclosure and performance. It enriches the current body of knowledge in agency theory and provides critical insights for developing CG and regulatory policies that enhance the quality of carbon disclosures.
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Mohammad Alta’any, Venancio Tauringana and Laura Obwona Achiro
This paper aims to examine the impact of a board-level governance bundle (i.e. size, independence, expertise, meetings, gender diversity and multiple directorships) on the…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine the impact of a board-level governance bundle (i.e. size, independence, expertise, meetings, gender diversity and multiple directorships) on the non-financial performance of National Health Service (NHS) hospitals – and, separately, by hospital type (i.e. trusts hospitals and foundation trusts hospitals).
Design/methodology/approach
A logit regression for panel data is used for a sample of 128 NHS trusts and foundation trusts across England from 2014 to 2018. The data was hand-collected from NHS hospitals’ annual reports and Care Quality Commission reports. The cancer waiting time target (i.e. 62-day cancer referral and treatment target) is used to measure non-financial performance.
Findings
The main findings for NHS hospitals indicate that multiple directorships positively and significantly affect non-financial performance. However, board expertise and gender diversity have a negative and significant influence. When the sample is partitioned, the results remain the same for the NHS foundation trusts hospitals. For NHS trust hospitals, except for multiple directorships having a positive and significant effect, all remaining governance attributes have an insignificant impact.
Practical implications
The findings have implications for policymakers and practitioners as they move to implement measures to improve hospital performance against the cancer waiting time targets in the English NHS.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to examine the impact of corporate governance on cancer waiting time targets in public hospitals. Overall, this paper contributes to the corporate governance literature, especially in the context of public hospitals, and has significant practical and theoretical implications.
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Salah Kayed, Mohammad Alta’any, Rasmi Meqbel, Ibrahim N. Khatatbeh and Abdalkareem Mahafzah
This study aims to explore the effects of internal financial technology (FinTech) integration within Jordanian banks on their performance metrics, specifically focusing on…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explore the effects of internal financial technology (FinTech) integration within Jordanian banks on their performance metrics, specifically focusing on profitability, risk-taking and stock returns.
Design/methodology/approach
Using panel data analysis, this study investigates the financial performance of 13 listed commercial banks in Jordan over a decade, from 2010 to 2019, to examine the hypothesized impacts of bank FinTech developments. In addition, several robustness tests addressing potential issues of endogeneity and autocorrelation are conducted to enhance the reliability of the results.
Findings
The results reveal that the bank FinTech development significantly enhances bank profitability and inversely affects risk-taking levels, indicating a substantial and positive impact on financial performance and stability. However, the results suggest no significant evidence of the effect of bank FinTech development on stock return.
Practical implications
The findings advocate for Jordanian commercial banks to continue and expand their investment in FinTech innovations, highlighting the crucial role these technologies play in enhancing financial performance and reducing bank risks. Additionally, these findings suggest that regulatory bodies and policymakers should develop and enhance institutional and regulatory environments to support and guide the FinTech evolution within the banking sector.
Originality/value
This study sheds light on the relatively under-researched area of internal bank FinTech. It provides critical insights into how FinTech integration within banks contributes to their profitability and stability, offering another perspective that enriches the FinTech literature. This contribution is essential for devising future strategies, developing theoretical frameworks and informing policy decisions in the FinTech domain.
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Mohammad Alta’any, Ven Tauringana, Alaa Zalata and Laura Obwona Achiro
This paper aims to document international evidence of the impact of a board-level governance bundle [size, independence, CEO duality, gender diversity and sustainability committee…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to document international evidence of the impact of a board-level governance bundle [size, independence, CEO duality, gender diversity and sustainability committee (SC)] on sustainability reporting (SR) and, separately, on its three dimensions (economic, environmental and social).
Design/methodology/approach
The sample includes 370 listed firms from 50 countries. A GRI standards-based disclosure index was constructed to quantify SR across various reporting media.
Findings
The baseline findings show that SC positively affects SR and its three dimensions. Board size also has a significant and positive impact on SR and two of its dimensions (economic and social). Similarly, board independence and CEO duality have a significant but negative association with SR and the same two dimensions. Finally, board gender diversity has no significant impact on SR and all its three dimensions.
Practical implications
The findings that only SC significantly influences SR, and its three dimensions, have important implications for corporate governance reforms internationally to improve SR in countries where such committees are not yet part of the board of directors’ sub-committees.
Originality/value
Overall, this study contributes to board characteristics–SR literature and holds significant theoretical and practical implications.
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Sustainable development goals (SDGs) have been attracting ever considerable attention from practice and academia, but the relationship between board characteristics and SDGs…
Abstract
Purpose
Sustainable development goals (SDGs) have been attracting ever considerable attention from practice and academia, but the relationship between board characteristics and SDGs reporting remains unclear, especially in emerging countries. This paper empirically aims to the impact of board characteristics on SDGs reporting.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on stakeholder-agency theory, this study used data from 572 firm-year observations between 2017 and 2023 from top Malaysian-listed companies.
Findings
The result of feasible generalized least squares regression indicates that larger, more independent boards are associated with increased SDG disclosure. This suggests that well-structured boards can positively influence decision-making by reducing information asymmetries and agency conflicts. On the other hand, the results reveal that board activity insignificantly impacts the disclosure of SDGs. The findings are robust to robustness analyses and endogeneity checks.
Practical implications
This research offers significant implications for companies, practitioners and stakeholders, seeking to enhance their commitment to SDG implementation. In addition, the findings provide valuable insights for policymakers to encourage companies to diversify their composition boards and to promote strong, complementary governance mechanisms that align management behavior with sustainable business objectives.
Social implications
The findings can enhance SDG reporting quality by improving materiality assessment disclosures. This increased transparency and accountability will empower corporate stakeholders to better evaluate the reporting entity’s underlying processes. Enhanced corporate SDG reporting aligns with Malaysia’s commitment to implementing the UN SDGs and transitioning to a sustainable future.
Originality/value
The findings offer fresh insights into a previously unexplored topic and highlight the important role of the corporate board in addressing and improving the corporate SDGs reporting of listed firms in Malaysia.