Exploring the determinants of corporate social performance: does firm size matter?

Purpose – This paper aims to investigate the relationship between relevant company determinants and corporate social performance as measured by the social pillar of the environmental, social and governance (ESG) score, exploring whether firm size matters. Design/methodology/approach – The authors use the system generalized method of moment estimator for dynamic panel data to analyze an unbalanced panel of firms listed in the STOXX Europe 600 index from 2015 to 2021. Findings – The results indicate that several board characteristics (size, independence, percentage of nonexecutive members, gender diversity and the presence of a corporate social responsibility sustainability committee) and fewer ESG controversies are associated with higher corporate social performance. However, the results show no relationship between corporate financial performance and the social pillar. Furthermore, the authors demonstrate that large companies and those external to the financial industry show higher social performance. Practical implications – The findings provide important implications for several stakeholders, including regulators and policymakers. Increasing attention should be directed toward specific firm determinants to enhance corporate social performance. Originality/value – The authors advance understanding of the existing literature by examining how corporate social performance is influenced by its main corporate determinants.