Public environmental concern, CEO turnover, and green investment: Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment in China

We investigate the impact of public environmental concern (PEC) on corporate green investments from the perspective of CEO turnover using the extreme event of PM 2.5 surge at the end of 2011 in China as a quasinatural experiment. Compared with non-heavily polluting companies, the probability of CEO turnover in heavily polluting ones has significantly increased amid the surge of PEC. Heavily polluting companies ease the pressure by increasing green investment. In addition to the hard regulative measures such as environmental regulations, the PEC as a form of soft regulation also makes corporate management more focused on environmental responsibility.

Automated summary

The study shows that public environmental concern has a significant impact on corporate green investments, especially during CEO turnover. Heavily polluting companies are more likely to experience CEO turnover when public environmental concern increases, and they alleviate the pressure by increasing green investments.