Independent directors' background and CSR disclosure

This paper extends research on how the background of independent directors may affect the way in which their companies disclose information about corporate social responsibility (CSR). Using a sample of 83 Spanish-listed firms over the period 2009-2014, the findings of a random effects probit model suggest that, in addition to board independence, having independent directors with political backgrounds and diverse education has a positive impact on their firm's probability of issuing a CSR report following the standards of the Global Reporting Initiative.