Earnings management and ESG performance: Empirical evidence from Italian context

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance, both in its totality and its three pillars (environmental, social and governance), and earnings management. The sample includes companies listed on the Italian Stock Exchange market (FTSE Italia All-Share index) during business years 2014–2019. After excluding those firms belonging to the financial sector, along with those with missing values, the final sample consists of 103 firms for a total of 618 firm-year observations. Data have been collected from two databases, that are Refinitiv Eikon (for ESG and governance variables) and AIDA Bureau van Dijk (for economic and financial variables). Panel data regression analysis has been implemented to analyse the impact of ESG performance on accrual-based (AEM) and real based (REM) earnings management. It is found that ESG performance has a negative effect on AEM but not on REM, and the governance pillar has the strongest impact compared to those of environmental and social ones. In addition, this research suggests a bidirectional link between ESG performance and earnings management. This analysis contributes to prior research since it is the first study that has used accrual and real-based earnings management proxies with this topic in relation with ESG performance and its three components in the Italian traditional corporate governance system. Corporate practice, regulators and researchers should recognize that ESG performance and earnings management should be discussed together.