OTAKE Toshitsugu
   Department   Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University  College of International Management
   Position   Professor
Language English
Publication Date 2024/07
Type Research paper
Peer Review Peer reviewed
Title How Firm Size Shapes the ESG and Financial Performance Nexus: Insights from The MENA Region
Contribution Type Joint Work
Journal Journal of Accounting and Auditing: Research & Practice
Journal TypeAnother Country
Details In an era of increasing environmental and social awareness, sustainability reporting is becoming a
global trend that is regarded as an essential tool for organizations to demonstrate their commitment to
sustainability, manage risks, and respond to stakeholder expectations. This study aims to examine the
relationship between a firm’s environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance, and its
financial performance in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region. In addition, the study
investigates the moderating role of firm size in the ESG performance - firm performance relationship.
The paper relied on data panel drawn from Thomson Reuters Eikon database to analyze the
abovementioned relationships on the countries in the MENA region during the period from 2013 to
2022. Based on a sample of 522 firm-year observations of non-financial firms in the MENA Region, the
regression results showed that ESG performance contributes significantly towards better financial
performance supporting the stakeholder’s theory. Additionally, firm size is a relevant moderator for
the association between sustainability performance and financial performance nexus. Overall, the
research results are of great interest as understanding how ESG practices affect financial performance
could provide valuable insights for firms, investors, and policymakers seeking to optimize both
sustainability efforts and financial outcomes.