The impact of corporate governance on the pillars of corporate social performance and reporting: A review of archival research and implications for future research

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to review 85 archival studies on the impact of corporate governance on the subpillars of corporate social performance and reporting. Relying on a stakeholder-agency theoretical framework, this structured literature review includes board characteristics, chief executive officer (CEO) attributes, and ownership structure as corporate governance. In addition, the focus was on the main pillars of social accountability and performance (employees, customers and suppliers, human rights and resources, products and services, and communities). Board (gender) diversity and (long-term) institutional ownership were dominant in this literature review. Although many studies of related corporate governance factors found inconclusive results, there were indications that board gender diversity, board experience and expertise, and long-term institutional ownership are positively related to social performance. Since prior research is mainly limited to overall corporate social responsibility (CSR) dimensions or environmental issues, this study represents the first literature review on the impact of corporate governance on social performance and reporting. Given the increasing pressure from stakeholders and regulators on social outcomes and the challenges of quantification, we emphasize the need to focus on the social pillar of CSR in this literature review. It highlights key research gaps and recommendations for future research. Since corporate governance and corporate social efforts have many interrelationships, researchers should conduct empirical quantitative studies on social pillars, such as employee satisfaction. Effective corporate governance can positively impact corporate social transformation in line with stakeholder preferences.

Keywords: Corporate Governance, Board Composition, CEO, Ownership Structure, Corporate Social Performance, Corporate Social Reporting, Stakeholder Agency Theory

Authors’ individual contribution: The Author is responsible for all the contributions to the paper according to CRediT (Contributor Roles Taxonomy) standards.

Declaration of conflicting interests: The Author declares that there is no conflict of interest.

JEL Classification: G30, M14, M41

Received: 01.04.2025
Revised: 14.05.2025; 09.07.2025
Accepted: 05.08.2025
Published online: 08.08.2025

How to cite this paper: Velte, P. (2025). The impact of corporate governance on the pillars of corporate social performance and reporting: A review of archival research and implications for future research. Corporate Ownership & Control, 22(3), 21–34. https://doi.org/10.22495/cocv22i3art2