This study attempts to explore the effect of corporate governance parameters like board size and independent directors along with firm-specific characteristics such as age, size and profitability on the environmental performance disclosure of 38 National Stock Exchange (NSE) listed Indian non-financial companies for the period of 2013–2017. This study uses panel data analysis and finally documents a positive impact of board size and age of firm on the environmental performance disclosures of Indian companies. The study also finds a significant and negative effect of board independence on the environmental performance disclosure of such companies. The study based on its findings questions the role of independent directors as an internal regulatory body and suggests external regulatory specifications for better environmental performance and its disclosure to the public.

Purpose This study aims to attempt to evaluate and establish the relationship between gender diversity (GD) on the board and corporate sustainability performance. Design/methodology/approach A sample of 212 non-financial companies listed on the National Stock Exchange has been considered for a period of 2013–2014 to 2018–2019. For the purpose of the analysis, this study has conducted the static panel data model analysis and also some diagnostics tests to arrive at robust results. Findings This study, from its analysis, interprets that GD or the proportion of women directors in the company plays a significant role in the decisions related to the sustainability performance of the company. Alongside GD, the profitability of the company, measured in terms of Tobin’s Q, and firm size are also seen to have a positive impact on the sustainability performance of the company. Practical implications This study from its findings contributes to the existing works of literature by highlighting the impact of GD on the sustainability performance of the firm. This study thus recommends the recruitment of an ample number of females in the top-notch positions of the board to create a gender-diverse management team to reap the benefits of leadership styles of both genders. Originality/value Very few studies have been conducted on the dynamics of women’s directorship, especially in an emerging economy like India. This study thus tries to fill this important gap in the literature by examining the relationship between board GD and sustainability performance of Indian firms.

Purpose Taking hints from the lacunas in the field of ownership structure and corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance of the firms in India, especially when the moderating effect of certain corporate governance mechanism comes into play, this study aims to attempt to fulfill the gap by exploring the ownership structure of the firm (i.e. foreign ownership, institutional ownership and government ownership) and the CSR performance of the firm, when moderated by board independence of the firm. In an additional analysis, the study explores the non-linear effect of foreign ownership structure on the CSR performance in the Indian context. Design/methodology/approach The study incorporates a strongly balanced panel data set of 280 non-financial National Stock Exchange 500 listed firms for the study period of 2013–2019. The study uses both static and Arellano–Bond dynamic panel model under generalized method of moments (GMMs) framework to establish the relationship between the studied variables. Findings The study acknowledges a positive impact of the foreign investors in the CSR performance of Indian firms with a higher proportion of independent directors on the board. The study further finds a contrarian role of government ownership in Indian context among the sampled firms. The study also in its extended analysis finds a non-linear inverted U-shaped relationship between foreign ownership (FO) and the CSR performance, which shows that FO positively impacts the CSR performance until a threshold level of 34% after which the curve starts declining. Practical implications One of the major implications this study provides for the corporate policymakers is that the firms with a string penchant for philanthropic activities such as CSR should be concerned with attracting more foreign investors in their shareholding. Also, a higher proportion of independent directors on the board boost the engagement of the firm in CSR works. Originality/value The moderating effect of board independence in the ownership structure–CSR relationship attempted by this study is a rare attempt in a developing economy, such as India, and offers a fresh dimension to the study. Also, the non-linearity relationship between FO and the CSR performance and the threshold level providing the twofold effect of the variables is an innovative research attempt, especially in regard to a developing country like India.

Purpose The study aims to explore and establish the relationship that exists between board independence and corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices of Indian firms. Design/methodology/approach A sample of 76 non-financial companies listed on the National Stock Exchange has been considered for a period of seven years (from 2013 to 2019). The study has used several statistical tools such as the static panel data model and the Arellano–Bond dynamic panel data model based on generalized method of moments approach. Findings The results of the analysis have indicated board independence to have a significant positive relationship with the firms’ CSR performance. However, board size and number of board meetings have been found to have a negative relationship with CSR. Further, outcomes have also revealed that variables such as companies’ size and liquidity have a positive effect on the extent of CSR activities performed. Practical implications The firms which have the intention to engage in impactful CSR activities should support the independent directors’ participation in companies’ boards. The study’s findings suggest the companies to appoint independent directors strategically, keeping in mind the requirements of their board. Also, the independent directors selected should be independent in true sense, i.e. they should not be acquaintances of the company’s chief executive officer. This would ensure unbiased decision-making and would enhance the company’s CSR performance. Originality/value In India, CSR has gained great importance. So much so that it was made mandatory by the Companies Act, 2013. However, research studies that may assist in understanding the influence of board independence on Indian firms’ CSR performance are still scarce. The present study would foster value to the existing set of limited literature. Besides, the study has considered the dynamic nature of the relationship and has also controlled the endogeneity bias which has been examined by few studies in the past.

The agency theory propagates the use of compensation as a motivational measure to get the interest of the firm’s owners and the managers aligned. However, after a series of scandals, there has been a widespread focus on the payments made to the executives and their relationship with the organization’s financial performance. Although the relationship between compensation and performance has been observed extensively, the change in the relationship at various levels of compensation and the nonlinear aspect in the relationship still remain unanswered. Under this backdrop, the study makes an in-depth analysis of the relationship between executive compensation and firm performance in the context of 182 nonfinancial NSE-listed companies of India for the period 2014–2020. The study besides applying the static panel data analysis also advances to generalized method of moments based dynamic panel model to overcome the issues of endogeneity and declares that the relationship existing between executive compensation and firm’s Tobin’s Q is seen to be an inverted U-shaped curve. As per the robust estimator, an increase in the level of executive compensation is found to affect financial performance positively until it transcends a threshold level of 2.6% of the firm’s net profit.