THE INFLUENCE OF THE BOARD CHARACTERISTICS ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL, AND GOVERNANCE PERFORMANCE OF THE NSE-LISTED COMPANIES

Abstract

This article examines how the size of the board, the presence of women on the board, and the critical mass of women on the board affect the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance of companies listed on the NSE. This study is a cross-sectional analysis that relies on secondary data from the CRISIL database and examines a sample of 973 companies listed on the NSE. The Credit Rating Information Services of India Limited (CRISIL) assigns an ESG score to assess Indian firms' ESG performance. We collected data on female representation and board size from the yearly reports of the firms and their respective websites. Our investigation findings indicate that Indian corporations prioritize social and governance issues more significantly than environmental concerns. The results indicate that the board characteristics have a varied impact on the ESG performance of the companies listed on the NSE.