Does CSR committee moderate the relation between audit committee and carbon emission practices? Empirical evidence from OECD countries

Purpose This research seeks to examine the direct impact of audit committee characteristics on carbon emission practices. Furthermore, it attempts to find how corporate social responsibility committee (CSRC) moderates the association between audit committee characteristics on carbon emission practices. Design/methodology/approach The data for 5,480 firms were retrieved from the Refinitiv Eikon Database for the period from 2017 to 2022. For analyzing the data, the study utilized fixed-effect (FE) and random-effect (RE) estimation methods. Moreover, the study used two-stage least squares (2SLS) estimation and generalized method of moments (GMM) as robust tests to confirm the findings. Findings Results revealed that the audit committee positively and significantly affects carbon emission practices. Regarding the moderation effect, it is revealed that CSRC positively and significantly moderates the association between audit committee and carbon emission practices. Originality/value This research offers a novel contribution to the existing literature by focusing on emerging economies, and it offers a distinct perspective by examining how the presence of a CSRC influences the relationship between audit committee and carbon emissions practices. Further, it provides significant recommendations for policymakers, regulators, board members, auditors, analysts and academics regarding carbon emissions issues. This emphasizes the need to strengthen stakeholder engagement mechanisms involving regulatory bodies, external and internal auditors, shareholders and board oversight to promote ethical and responsible practices.