Are gender‐diverse boards eco‐innovative? The mediating role of corporate social responsibility strategy

Abstract

Abstract Despite the recognized importance of board gender diversity and eco‐innovation, it is far from clear how board gender diversity can improve eco‐innovation. Grounded in upper echelon theory and the gender socialization theory, we suggest that this relationship operates through corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy. In a sample of FTSE 350 firms, we find that CSR strategy mediates the influence of the board's gender diversity on eco‐innovation. These findings are robust to several regression specifications and alternative samples. This work offers empirical evidence that gender diversity on boards can play a significant role in promoting firm's CSR strategy, which in turn improves eco‐innovation. Our findings could provide useful insights for regulators and stakeholders concerned with enhancing corporate governance structure and promoting eco‐innovation.

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