Environmental Regulation and Financial Performance in China: An Integrated View of the Porter Hypothesis and Institutional Theory

The link between environmental regulations and financial performance has long been studied, but whether command and control environmental regulation or voluntary instruments induce better results is an unsettled question. By drawing on the Porter Hypothesis, this paper examines whether both approaches to environmental protection boost forms of environmental protection regulations that have positive impacts on financial performance. By integrating institutional theory, this study also examines whether ownership structures moderate the relationship between environmental regulation and financial performance. The results from data on 183 firms listed on the Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges confirmed that both command and control environmental regulation and voluntary instruments positively affect financial performance. This paper also found that ownership structure strengthens the relationship between command and control environmental regulation and financial performance. The findings enrich the Porter Hypothesis and contribute to environmental research by revealing that properly designed environmental regulations have positive impacts on financial performance. By drawing on institutional theory, this study further contributes to business and management studies by confirming that the specific moderator, China’s state-owned enterprises, is a crucial contributor in achieving robust financial results.