DELINEATING THE INFLUENCE OF BOARDROOM GENDER DIVERSITY ON CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE, AND REPUTATION

Background: The current study reveals the effectiveness of gender diversity in the boardroom and considers its impact on a firm’s corporate social responsibility, financial performance and reputation, which leads towards business sustainability. The study is based on stakeholder theory assumptions which state that female directors play a vital role in board diversification.

Methodology: 100 index firms listed on the Pakistan Stock Exchange were chosen as a sample size. The firm’s financial performance was measured by using three proxies in order to get robust results. Panel data of 6 years from 2010 to 2015 was applied for data analysis. The data was analyzed by applying the Fixed-Random OLS regression, which revealed that gender diversity in the boardroom has no significant relationship with corporate social responsibility (CSR), financial performance, and the reputation of a firm.

Results: Study results revealed that HODI mitigates corporate social responsibility activity. According to the Fixed-Random Regression results, PW has no significant impact on shareholder return. Sales and ROA have a significant positive relationship with SHR.

Conclusions: There is a negative relationship between boardroom gender diversity and a firm’s financial performance. Females in boardrooms either cause negative effects or have no impact on the firm’s financial performance. Similarly, there is no significant relationship between the presence of women in boardrooms and a firm’s reputation.