How does mandatory CSR disclosure affect labor investment decisions?
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Date
2026
Authors
Bai, M.
Sun, M.
Yawson, A.
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Journal of Banking & Finance, 2026; 187:107674-1-107674-18
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Min Bai, Mingwei Sun, Alfred Yawson
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Abstract
This paper investigates the impact of the 2008 mandatory CSR disclosure in China on the labor investment efficiency of the disclosing firms. Using a difference-in-difference approach, we find that the disclosing firms improved labor investment efficiency compared with non-disclosing firms, particularly in the overinvested group. The efficiency gain is more prominent in companies facing greater employee retention challenges and higher labor adjustment costs. The overinvested firms face higher spending on staff protection and public relations, reflecting greater societal and political pressure to “do good” and compelling them to curb overinvestment. Our results suggest that the improved labor efficiency is a considered response by the overinvested firms to alleviate the financial burden imposed by the mandate.
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© 2026 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).