Can ESG ratings promote green total factor productivity? Empirical evidence from Chinese listed companies

Against the backdrop of frequent extreme climates and international consensus on green and low-carbon development, Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) has progressively drawn increasing attention. Integrating the perspectives of stakeholder theory and signaling theory, this study employed the Malmquist-Luenberger productivity index, fixed-effects regression model, mediating effect model, propensity matching score difference-in-differences model, and a two-stage least squares method. Using the research sample of Chinese A-share listed companies between 2011 and 2021, the mechanisms linking ESG ratings and each component (the individual scores of E, S, and G) with the green innovation and green total factor productivity (GTFP) of enterprises were investigated. This study conducted heterogeneity analysis integrating regional, industry, and enterprise dimensions, fully considered the potential endogeneity issues, and conducted multiple robustness tests by exploring alternative approaches, replacing the measures of indicators, and reducing the research sample. The results demonstrated that higher ESG ratings significantly improved the green innovation and GTFP of enterprises. This improvement was achieved through the stakeholders and signaling mechanisms, and was more prominent in economically underdeveloped regions, patent-intensive industries, and industries with lower environmental risk. In addition, the impact varied among enterprises with different property rights. The findings elucidate the pathways through which soft regulation influences micro-level corporate decision-making, making significant contributions to the literature. Furthermore, this study provides a theoretical foundation and policy reference for constructing a positive feedback loop mechanism for ESG ratings and promoting the green transformation and upgrading of enterprises.