Scholarlink

<p>This study examines whether corporate social responsibility (CSR) committees mediate the relationship between audit committee (AC) characteristics, namely presence, independence, and financial expertise, and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance in MENA firms. Using a panel dataset of 178 financial and non-financial firms across nine MENA countries from 2015 to 2022, the study combines two-stage least squares (2SLS), IV-probit, and structural equation modeling (SEM) within a mediation framework. The results show that AC presence and financial expertise are positively associated with ESG performance and that CSR committee presence partially mediates these relationships. By contrast, AC independence is directly and positively associated with ESG performance, but its relationship is not significantly mediated by CSR committee presence. These findings remain robust across sectoral subsamples and individual ESG dimensions. The study contributes to the corporate governance and sustainability literature by showing how audit and CSR committees jointly shape ESG outcomes in an underexplored institutional context. It also highlights the importance of strengthening AC expertise and institutionalizing CSR committees to support ESG integration in the MENA region.</p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

Governing sustainability through committees: do CSR structures mediate audit committee effects on ESG performance in MENA firms?

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年7月23日

查看全文
  • Ines Kateb,
  • Mouna Youssef,
  • Waleed M Alahdal

摘要

This study examines whether corporate social responsibility (CSR) committees mediate the relationship between audit committee (AC) characteristics, namely presence, independence, and financial expertise, and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance in MENA firms. Using a panel dataset of 178 financial and non-financial firms across nine MENA countries from 2015 to 2022, the study combines two-stage least squares (2SLS), IV-probit, and structural equation modeling (SEM) within a mediation framework. The results show that AC presence and financial expertise are positively associated with ESG performance and that CSR committee presence partially mediates these relationships. By contrast, AC independence is directly and positively associated with ESG performance, but its relationship is not significantly mediated by CSR committee presence. These findings remain robust across sectoral subsamples and individual ESG dimensions. The study contributes to the corporate governance and sustainability literature by showing how audit and CSR committees jointly shape ESG outcomes in an underexplored institutional context. It also highlights the importance of strengthening AC expertise and institutionalizing CSR committees to support ESG integration in the MENA region.