Transforming Governance Into Social Value: The Critical Role of Board Culture Diversity and Anti‐Corruption Policies in Affecting Corporate Social Performance in G20 Countries

ABSTRACT This paper tends to examine the role of board cultural diversity (BCD) in affecting corporate social performance within G20 countries, centralizing on the interaction of BCD with global initiatives to curb corruption such as OECD convention, Global Compact and Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards. Using data extracted from Eikon for the period 2005–2022, this study focuses on different governance systems in both developed and non‐developed G20 countries. Employing ordinary least squares (OLS), fixed‐effects, and random‐effects models, along with bootstrap standard errors and generalized method of moments, we analyze a comprehensive dataset to assess the impact of governance factors on social performance. The results reveal that BCD, OECD, the presence of anti‐bribery and corruption policies, and United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) are significantly positively related to corporate social performance in OLS 1 and OLS2 models, with significantly different fixed‐effects specifications. The outcomes assert that where BCD is related to corporate social performance, it is significantly context‐dependent and influenced by the presence of effective anti‐corruption strategies and commitment to international initiatives. The study highlights the complexity of governance influences on corporate social responsibility, emphasizing that diverse boards are most effective when embedded within effective governance framework that includes anti‐corruption and sustainability commitments.