Document Type
Thesis
Date of Degree Completion
Winter 2025
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Cultural and Environmental Resource Management
Committee Chair
Toni Sipic
Second Committee Member
Kevin Archer
Third Committee Member
Han Donker
Abstract
This thesis examines how state-level environmental, social, and governance (ESG) regulations influence corporate ESG performance in the United States. Using a panel dataset that combines state ESG legislation, firm-level ESG scores from S&P Global, and financial data from Compustat (2019–2024), I employ fixed-effects regression models to analyze the relationship between state ESG regulations and corporate ESG performance. The analysis incorporates firm and year fixed effects to account for unobservable heterogeneity across companies and time, while controlling for firm-specific characteristics. Additionally, the study investigates whether board gender diversity moderates this relationship. The findings contribute to the understanding of ESG policy effectiveness and whether such regulations serve as substantive mechanisms for impacting corporate sustainability.
Recommended Citation
Eck, Kameron, "ESG Federalism: How State Regulations Shape ESG Performance" (2025). All Master's Theses. 2017.
https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/etd/2017
Included in
Economics Commons, Finance and Financial Management Commons, Political Science Commons, Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration Commons