article · Business Strategy & Development
Investigating 81 non-financial companies listed on the Amman Stock Exchange between 2012 and 2021, this research evaluates how the marital status of board members affects environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reporting. Grounded in agency, stewardship, and social identity theories, the analysis reveals a distinct positive link between married directors and higher levels of ESG disclosure, both collectively and across individual components. This relationship suggests that personal commitments developed outside the workplace can carry over into boardroom roles, enhancing corporate stewardship and ethical governance. In contrast, the presence of single board members shows no significant relationship with ESG reporting levels. The findings demonstrate that directors' personal characteristics can meaningfully shape sustainability outcomes, highlighting the potential value of board diversity that encompasses varied personal backgrounds and family commitments alongside conventional governance metrics.
Understanding what drives corporate transparency is essential as investors and regulators demand stronger accountability on sustainability. Demonstrating that directors' personal backgrounds influence ESG reporting reveals that effective board composition extends beyond professional experience. These insights can help organisations, shareholders, and policy bodies understand how diverse personal values within boardrooms support ethical governance and broader societal interests.
The abstract does not indicate a commercial application pathway. The findings primarily offer applied empirical evidence that corporate governance consultancies, executive recruitment firms, and policy makers could consult when evaluating board diversity criteria and ESG performance strategies. As observational research on publicly listed companies, the work remains at an analytical stage rather than a product-ready or tool-based intervention.
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Abstract This research article investigates the relationship between the marital status of board members and organizations' environmental, social, and governance (ESG) disclosure, with Jordan as the study context. The investigation, grounded in established governance theories, primarily agency theory, stewardship theory, and social identity theory, adds a novel dimension to the discourse on corporate governance perspective. The study sample included 81 nonfinancial companies listed on the Amman stoke exchange from 2012 to 2021. The findings disclose a pronounced positive relationship between married board members and ESG disclosure separately and collectively, pointing to a normative commitment emanating from their personal lives that extends into their roles as corporate stewards, influencing corporate sustainability, and ethical governance. Conversely, the results did not indicate a relationship between single board members and ESG disclosure. The study underscores the importance of considering the personal attributes of board members in shaping corporate governance and ESG practices. Also, it encourages a broader perspective on how diverse personal backgrounds can enhance sustainability and ethical values within organizations by advocating for boards that reflect diverse marital statuses and a commitment to family values, benefitting not only shareholders but also society at large.
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DOI: 10.1002/bsd2.402
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