This article investigates the impact of the foreign background of women directors on a firm’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosure and performance. Using a dataset on listed firms on Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchange from 2010 to 2019, we find that corporate boards with a higher proportion of women directors with foreign education experience tend to disclose more CSR information. CSR performance is also improved when there is a greater proportion of women directors with foreign education and work experience on a board. This study provides new insights into integrating stakeholder, social role, and neo-institutional theories to advance the understanding of CSR engagement in emerging economies.

In the context of economic advancement, developing economy firms are witnessing a growing influx of directors with foreign backgrounds who are joining their corporate boards. Giving the significance of this emerging labor market trend for board members and the particular value of women directors in corporate governance, this study delves into the impact of women directors’ foreign backgrounds on a firm’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosure and performance. Using a dataset of listed firms on Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges from 2010 to 2019, we find that the foreign education and the work experience of women directors improve firm CSR disclosure and performance. Corporate boards with a higher proportion of women directors with foreign education experience tend to disclose more CSR information. And women directors with foreign work experience have a more pronounced impact on enhanced CSR performance. This study provides new insights into integrating stakeholder, social role, and neo-institutional theories to advance the understanding of CSR engagement in emerging economies.