Does Corporate Governance Really Curb Greenwashing? The Moderating Role of ESG Report Assurance in Indonesia

Lidia Ning Cintiyas, Ardhana Reswari Hasna Pratista

Abstract


This study examines the effects of the Audit Committee, CEO equity compensation, and board gender diversity on greenwashing, while investigating the moderating role of ESG report assurance. Using purposive sampling, a balanced panel dataset of 26 manufacturing firms (130 observations) listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange from 2020 to 2024 was analyzed using panel data regression. The results show that the Audit Committee has a significant positive effect on greenwashing, whereas CEO equity compensation and board gender diversity have no significant effects. Furthermore, ESG report assurance does not moderate the effects of the Audit Committee or CEO equity compensation, but it significantly strengthens the negative relationship between board gender diversity and greenwashing. This research contributes to the greenwashing literature by providing empirical evidence on the role of corporate governance and assurance mechanisms within the Indonesian manufacturing sector.


Keywords


Audit Committee; Board Gender Diversity; CEO Equity Compensation; ESG Report Assurance; Greenwashing

Full Text:

PDF

References


Abdullah, M., Wali Ullah, G. M., & Turner, J. (2025). 50 shades of dark green: The nexus of narcissistic leadership and corporate greenwashing. International Review of Financial Analysis, 104. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.irfa.2025.104220

Arif, M., Sajjad, A., Farooq, S., Abrar, M., & Joyo, A. S. (2021). The impact of Audit Committee attributes on the quality and quantity of environmental, social and governance (ESG) disclosures. Corporate Governance, 21(3), 497–514. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1108/CG-06-2020-0243

Atif, M., Hossain, M., Alam, M. S., & Goergen, M. (2021). Does board gender diversity affect renewable energy consumption? Journal of Corporate Finance, 66, 101665. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2020.101665

Ayoko, O. B. (2020). Teamwork, Leadership and Gender in Organizations. Journal of Management & Organization, 26(5), 653–656. https://doi.org/DOI: 10.1017/jmo.2020.25

Bacha, S., Ajina, A., & Ben Saad, S. (2020). CSR performance and the cost of debt: does audit quality matter? Corporate Governance, 21(1), 137–158. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1108/CG-11-2019-0335

Ballou, B., Chen, P.-C., Grenier, J. H., & Heitger, D. L. (2018). Corporate social responsibility assurance and reporting quality: Evidence from restatements. Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, 37(2), 167–188. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaccpubpol.2018.02.001

Battisti, E., Bo, S., & Giakoumelou, A. (2025). Climate risk disclosure and greenwashing: Evidence from Chinese A-share listed companies. International Review of Economics and Finance, 103. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iref.2025.104568

Bu, M., Liu, X., Zhang, B., Hazaea, S. A., Fan, R., & Wang, Z. (2024). Governance of Corporate Greenwashing through ESG Assurance. Systems, 12(9). https://doi.org/10.3390/systems12090365

Buallay, A., & Al-Ajmi, J. (2019). The role of Audit Committee attributes in corporate sustainability reporting. Journal of Applied Accounting Research, 21(2), 249–264. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1108/JAAR-06-2018-0085

Cao, J., Huang, Z., & Shahid, A. U. (2025). Fostering environmental integrity via investor-focused communications: Private in-house meeting disclosures and greenwashing behaviors. Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, 232. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jebo.2025.106946

Dănescu, T., & Popa, M.-A. (2022). The Role of Female Executives on Corporate Governance Conformity: A Cross-Sectional Analysis in an Emergent Market. Journal of Business Economics and Management, 23(5), 1084–1105. https://doi.org/10.3846/jbem.2022.17164

Del Gesso, C., & Lodhi, R. N. (2024). Theories underlying environmental, social and governance (ESG) disclosure: a systematic review of accounting studies. Journal of Accounting Literature, 47(2), 433–461. https://doi.org/10.1108/JAL-08-2023-0143

Eisenhardt, K. M. (1989). Agency Theory: An Assessment and Review. The Academy of Management Review, 14(1), 57–74. https://doi.org/10.2307/258191

Enache, C., Boţoc, C., & Anton, S. G. (2025). CEO Characteristics and Compensation: A Channel analysis of U.S. Listed Firms. Studies in Business and Economics, 20(2), 98–112. https://doi.org/10.2478/sbe-2025-0026

Fabrizi, M., Mallin, C., & Michelon, G. (2014). The Role of CEO’s Personal Incentives in Driving Corporate Social Responsibility. Journal of Business Ethics, 124(2), 311–326. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-013-1864-2

Fang, C., Wang, Z., & Zhao, L. (2025). Environmental regulations and the greenwashing of corporate ESG reports. Economic Analysis and Policy, 87, 1469–1481. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eap.2025.07.030

Feng, C., Wang, Y., & Cheng, X. (2025). Local governmental environmental responsibility and corporate greenwashing: Quasi-experimental evidence from China. Journal of Asian Economics, 100. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asieco.2025.101990

Hidayah, R., & Ratmono, D. (2025). The Impact of Audit Committee on Greenwashing: Forensic Science in Managerial Sustainability Governance. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 1499(1). https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/1499/1/012034

Huang, R., Xie, X., & Zhou, H. (2022). ‘Isomorphic’ behavior of corporate greenwashing. Chinese Journal of Population Resources and Environment, 20(1), 29–39. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cjpre.2022.03.004

Jensen, M. C., & Meckling, W. H. (1976). THEORY OF THE FIRM: MANAGERIAL BEHAVIOR, AGENCY COSTS AND OWNERSHIP STRUCTURE. In Journal of Financial Economics (Vol. 3). Q North-Holland Publishing Company.

Jin, R., Jiang, X., & Hu, H. W. (2023). Internal and external CSR in China: How do women independent director matter? Asia Pacific Journal of Management, 40(1), 169–204. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10490-021-09783-9

Kong, G., Huang, J., Kong, D., & Zhu, L. (2023). Female executives, industrial robots, and stock price crash risk. Finance Research Letters, 57, 104253. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.frl.2023.104253

Li, K., Lin, T. Y., & Zhu, G. (2024). The effect of CEO’s compensation in driving corporate ESG greenwashing: Evidence from China. PLoS ONE, 19(10 October). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0312247

Li, S., & Liu, C. (2025). Corporate strategic greenwashing under ESG disclosure uncertainty: Financing incentives and nonlinear effects. Journal of Environmental Management, 394. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.127473

Li, W., Li, T., & Zhu, H. (2025). Annual report audit, ESG report assurance and audit quality: Evidence from the same accounting firm. China Journal of Accounting Research, 18(3). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cjar.2025.100434

Ling, M., Wang, X., & Abdykadyrov, K. Z. (2025). Green promises or greenwashing? Unveiling the impact of China’s low-carbon city pilot policy. Sustainable Futures, 9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sftr.2025.100495

Liu, Y. (2024). Climate risk perception, female directors and greenwashing. Finance Research Letters, 70. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.frl.2024.106291

Ma, Y., & Ahmad, M. I. (2024). Do board characteristics impact greenwashing? Moderating role of CSR committee. Heliyon, 10(20). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e38743

Macuda, M., & Zieniuk, P. (2024). Voluntary assurance on sustainability reporting in European companies prior to CSRD implementation. Zeszyty Teoretyczne Rachunkowosci, 48(4), 53–73. https://doi.org/10.5604/01.3001.0054.8689

Mao, J., Xu, D., & Yang, S. (2023). Female executives and corporate R&D manipulation behavior: Evidence from China. Finance Research Letters, 57, 104240. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.frl.2023.104240

Meutia, I., Kartasari, S. F., & Daud, R. (2022). View of Voluntary Assurance of Sustainability Reports: Evidence from Indonesia. Accounting Analysis Journal, 11(1), 44–53. https://doi.org/10.15294/aaj.v11i1.58810

Nepal, R., Deng, Y., Dong, K., & Goutte, S. (2025). Does executive gender diversity culture inhibit corporate greenwashing behavior? The effect of informal institutions. International Review of Financial Analysis, 97. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.irfa.2024.103888

Nurhandika, A., Manalu, V. G., & Rahimi, F. (2025). The Influence of Audit Committee Characteristics on Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) Performance: Evidence from ASEAN. Financial and Credit Activity Problems of Theory and Practice, 5(64), 165–175. https://doi.org/10.55643/fcaptp.5.64.2025.4829

OJK. (2017). POJK No. 51/POJK.03/2017.

Pflugrath, G., Roebuck, P., & Simnett, R. (2011). Impact of Assurance and Assurer’s Professional Affiliation on Financial Analysts’ Assessment of Credibility of Corporate Social Responsibility Information. AUDITING: A Journal of Practice & Theory, 30, 239–254. https://doi.org/10.2308/ajpt-10047

Pinheiro, A. B., do Prado, N. B., & Leite, P. F. D. (2025). Do as I say, not as I do: Effects of national institutions on corporate greenwashing. Sustainable Futures, 9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sftr.2025.100624

Pozzoli, M., Pagani, A., & Paolone, F. (2022). The impact of Audit Committee characteristics on ESG performance in the European Union member states: Empirical evidence before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Cleaner Production, 371. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.133411

Prihandono, I., & S. Yuniarti, D. (2023). Indonesia Sustainability Reporting Standard: What Needs to be Improved? Padjadjaran Journal of International Law, 7(1), 1–23. https://doi.org/10.23920/pjil.v7i1.1159

Rahmatullah, G. P., & Wahyuningrum, I. F. S. (2025). Environmental disclosure practices in manufacturing sector in developing countries: Evidence from Indonesia. E3S Web of Conferences, 650, 02049. https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202565002049

Solikhah, B. (2026). Does Sustainability Report Assurance Matter? Symbolic Versus Substantive ESG Greenwashing. Jurnal Akuntansi Dan Keuangan Indonesia, 23(1), 62–81. https://doi.org/10.7454/jaki.v23i1.2206

Suchman, M. C. (1995). Managing Legitimacy: Strategic and Institutional Approaches. The Academy of Management Review, 20(3), 571–610. https://doi.org/10.2307/258788

Wahyuningrum, I. F. S., Djajadikerta, H. G., Trireksani, T., Budihardjo, M. A., & Sriningsih, S. (2026). Environmental disclosure in Indonesia: a study of manufacturing and mining companies. Asian Journal of Accounting Research, 11(2), 218–232. https://doi.org/10.1108/AJAR-11-2023-0367

Walsh, D., & Murphy, E. (2025). Gender quota adoption for commissions in post-conflict societies. International Political Science Review, 46(5), 720–735. https://doi.org/10.1177/01925121241304749

Wang, M., Zhang, Y., & Gong, X. (2025). The impacts of social credit environment improvement on corporate ESG greenwashing: Evidence from China. International Review of Economics and Finance, 102. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iref.2025.104409

Wu, J., Liu, B., Zeng, Y., & Luo, H. (2022). Good for the firm, good for the society? Causal evidence of the impact of equity incentives on a firm’s green investment. International Review of Economics & Finance, 77, 435–449. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iref.2021.10.013

Xing, C., Shan, Y. G., Yang, F., & Zhang, Y. (2025). The effect of CSR assurance on subsequent corporate greenwashing: Suggestion acquisition or opinion shopping? British Accounting Review. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bar.2025.101744

Xiong, J., Yang, Z., & Wang, Q. S. (2025). Can non-punitive regulation curb corporate greenwashing? Evidence from a word embedding model. Research in International Business and Finance, 76. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ribaf.2025.102861

Zaman, R., Farooq, M. B., Khalid, F., & Mahmood, Z. (2021). Examining the extent of and determinants for sustainability assurance quality: The role of Audit Committees. Business Strategy and the Environment, 30(7), 2887–2906. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.2777

Zeng, Y., Zhao, X., & Zhu, Y. (2023). Equity incentives and ESG performance: Evidence from China. Finance Research Letters, 58, 104592. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.frl.2023.104592

Zhang, D. (2022). Green financial system regulation shock and greenwashing behaviors: Evidence from Chinese firms. Energy Economics, 111. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eneco.2022.106064

Zhang, K., Ahmed, B., Wang, R., & Gu, B. (2025). The Influence of Internal Governance and External Legitimacy on Greenwashing: A Digitalization Perspective. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 27(2), 4881–4909. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-023-04105-z




DOI: https://doi.org/10.24167/jab.v24i2.16007



Print ISSN : 1412-775X | online ISSN : 2541-5204 JAB Stats