Environmental uncertainty and enterprise ESG performance
Understanding the relationship between environmental uncertainty and enterprise ESG performance is crucial for optimizing corporate green investment and promoting high-quality economic growth.Empirical findings reveal that increased environmental uncertainty leads to a decline in the ESG performance of enterprises.Stricter financial constraints,sufficient cash reserves,intense industry competition,or lower market position exacerbate the reduction in ESG scores when faced with heightened environmental uncertainty.These results suggest that environmental uncertainty enhances the real option value of delayed sustainable investments,prompting enterprises to reduce ESG investment after considering long-term returns discounted by high risk premiums and short-term input costs.The larger the investment opportunity set of the enterprise,the greater the value of real options,and higher survival pressures faced by enter-prises result in the management's higher risk aversion,both contributing to a greater reduction in ESG investment.