Do women on boards strengthen internal control to drive firm sustainability in emerging markets? Evidence from Fiji

Purpose This study aims to explore whether women on boards strengthen internal control to enhance Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)-based sustainable disclosure performance (GRISP) in emerging markets. Women on boards refer to board gender diversity (BGD) or female directors Design/methodology/approach Multiple regression, instrumental variable and system Generalized Method of Moments methods, along with bootstrapping and Propensity Score Matching, were used to analyze a sample of Fijian listed entities. Findings Female board representation is positively associated with internal control and GRISP, as it strengthens governance mechanisms that translate inclusive leadership into improved outcomes. Originality/value This study examines the role of internal control in linking female board representation to GRISP within a New Institutional Economics (NIE) framework.