From boardroom to CSR excellence: The role of leadership and governance in corporate sustainability of European firms

This study investigates how board-level corporate governance affects corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance in European firms. A panel dataset of 5,760 firm-year observations from the STOXX Europe 600 index, covering 21 countries between 2010 and 2022, was analyzed using multivariate regression models. The data, sourced from Refinitiv Eikon, include firms across 22 industries, with capital goods and materials among the largest sectors, and represent major economies such as the United Kingdom, Germany, and France.The analysis focused on board composition, CEO characteristics, and the presence of governance, audit, and CSR committees. It was found that independent and diverse boards with high attendance are associated with stronger CSR performance. Companies with active CSR committees demonstrate particularly enhanced ESG outcomes. Interestingly, CEO duality is linked to weaker CSR performance, while the presence of a former CEO as chairman improves sustainability efforts.The study provides quantitative evidence on how governance structures shape corporate sustainability and offers practical insights for corporate leaders, policymakers, and investors seeking to improve CSR strategies across diverse European contexts. AcknowledgmentThis paper is co-funded by the European Union through the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) within the project “Embracing EU corporate social responsibility: challenges and opportunities of business-society bonds transformation in Ukraine” – 101094100 – EECORE – ERASMUS-JMO-2022-HEI-TCH-RSCH-UA-IBA / ERASMUS-JMO-2022-HEI-TCHRSCH https://eecore.snau.edu.ua/Oleh PASKO expresses sincere gratitude for the support from the Kirkland Research Program, generously provided by the Leaders of Change Foundation established by the Polish-American Freedom Foundation.