ESG Disagreement and Stock Price Crash Risk: Evidence from China

The ESG ratings have been focused in response to the requirements for green development. However, the uncertainty created by ESG disagreements has caused market participants to question their reliability. This study empirically examines how ESG disagreements affect stock price crash risk based on data from Shanghai and Shenzhen A-share listed companies. We find that ESG disagreement significantly reduces stock price crash risk and that this relationship is largely driven by environmental disagreement. The mechanism analysis suggests that ESG disagreement increases media attention, subsequently leading to a reduction in stock price crash risk. Additional analysis shows that the driving effect of environmental disagreement is more significant in non-heavy-polluting industries. Positive environmental protection policies help reduce stock price crash risk.