ESG Uncertainty and Corporate Waste Management: Global Evidence

ABSTRACT Motivated by the growing concerns over environmental sustainability and the increasing relevance of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) metrics in corporate decision‐making, this study examines the impact of ESG‐related uncertainty on corporate waste management. Using comprehensive data from 21 countries across the globe, we find that ESG uncertainty significantly shapes corporate waste management practices, leading firms to reduce waste generation. The additional analyses show that the relationship is concentrated among firms with stronger sustainability governance structures, namely, higher board gender diversity, the presence of a sustainability committee, and sustainability‐linked executive compensation, suggesting that these mechanisms condition firms' waste management responses to ESG uncertainty. Further results indicate that the relationship is particularly pronounced in countries with high institutional quality, as reflected by strong government effectiveness and robust regulatory frameworks. The findings remain robust across a comprehensive set of sensitivity analyses, including (i) the use of alternative waste measures, (ii) alternative perspectives on waste management, (iii) a 5‐year lag specification to capture long‐term effects, (iv) the inclusion of additional control variables, (v) the exclusion of dominant countries, and (vi) additional tests addressing potential endogeneity concerns. The findings broaden the theoretical understanding of how policy uncertainty influences corporate behavior and offer practical insights for both firms and policymakers aiming to strengthen waste management practices in unpredictable environments.