Anti-corruption campaign and ESG reporting

Evidence from local corruption

Bibliographic Data

ID22110331
AuthorsNguyễn Thị Hoa Hồng (0000-0003-0648-0028, Foreign Trade University), Tran Quoc Anh Quan (Ernst & Young (United Kingdom)), Nguyen Tien Dat (0009-0007-3576-8828, The State Bank of Vietnam, corresponding author)
Year2025
Volume11
Issue1
Publication date2025-12-31
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueCogent Social Sciences (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2331-1886 • E-ISSN: 2331-1886
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/23311886.2025.2558081
OpenAlexW4414126147
LanguageEN
References cited44

This article investigates the influence of Vietnam’s anti-corruption “blazing furnace” policy, implemented in 2016, as an exogenous shock on the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) reporting of 449 listed companies headquartered in provinces with varying levels of local corruption from 2012 to 2022. ESG reporting is assessed using the content analysis method, which evaluates 28 comprehensive indicators in firms’ annual and sustainability reports. By employing a Difference-in-Differences (DiD) model, the empirical results reveal a significant positive correlation between the anti-corruption campaign and ESG reporting, particularly impactful in the social dimension. Moreover, companies with political affiliations demonstrate heightened responsiveness to anti-corruption measures, highlighting a distinct effect based on corporate connections. These findings imply that Vietnamese firms in provinces with high local corruption may benefit from promoting sustainable practices to foster long-term commitment with stakeholders and society, especially following anti-corruption campaigns

Corporate governance · Corporate social responsibility · Empirical evidence · Language change · Sustainability · Vietnamese · Corporate Social Responsibility Reporting · Economic Growth and Development · Political Influence and Corporate Strategies

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