Corporate anti-corruption disclosure and corporate sustainability performance in the United Kingdom: does sustainability governance matter?

This research investigates the potential effects of companies' commitments to disclose their anti-corruption efforts on their sustainability performance. Additionally, we aim to analyze whether the existence of a sustainability committee influences this relationship. To achieve these objectives, we gathered data from 5344 firm-year observations of companies listed on the FTSE 350 index from 2008 to 2023. Our findings provide strong empirical support for a positive relationship between companies' anti-corruption disclosures and their sustainability performance. Furthermore, our evidence suggests that the presence of a sustainability committee acts as a viable complement to anti-corruption disclosures, driving improved sustainability performance. Our study highlights practical implications for organizations, regulators, and policymakers, and it opens avenues for future research.