The Triple Interaction: Environmental Corporate Social Responsibility, Environmental Regulation, and Environmental Commitment in Shaping Environmental Performance in China

Abstract

Growing demands for environmental corporate social responsibility (ECSR) from firms have been brought about by the rise of environmental sustainability and green business management. An increasing number of academics have focused on the impact of ECSR on firm environmental performance (FEP). However, scant attention has been given to environmental commitment (EC) as a mediator and environmental regulation (ER) as a moderator. To bridge this gap, this study checks the impact of ECSR on FEP through EC. Moreover, the relationship between ECSR and FEP was investigated in the presence of ER. The data has been collected from manufacturing companies that operate in China using convenience sampling to disburse questionnaires among respondents. We received 354 valid responses to 560 questionnaires, and 106 responses were incomplete, making an impressive response rate of 76.95 %. The findings of this study reveal that ECSR significantly enhances FEP, indicating that companies engaging in responsible environmental practices can improve their environmental outcomes. It also confirms that EC serves as a mediator in the relationship between ECSR and FEP, suggesting that a firm's dedication to environmental sustainability strengthens the positive impact of ECSR on FEP. Additionally, the study finds that ER negatively moderates the link between ECSR and FEP. This means that stricter environmental regulations might dampen the positive effects of ECSR on a FEP. This study also has limitations and future directions, persuading the researcher to develop new avenues.