Diversity of Board of Directors and Environmental Social Governance: Evidence from Italian Listed Companies

Abstract This study investigates the association between environmental, social, and governance (ESG) disclosure and diversity of the board of directors (BoD) in Italian listed companies. Diversity of BoD in terms of gender diversity, CSR committees, board average, and independent directors are examined as to their influence on voluntary ESG disclosure. This rating is highly relevant to managers and investors considering ESG issues in their decision‐making process. The factors that drive or hinder ESG disclosure are gaining importance. Despite the relevance of the topic, in Italy there is a scarce amount of literature regarding diversity in the BoD. The data set includes ESG data for more than 54 Italian…