Female Presence at the Corporate Apex and Likelihood to Establish a CSR Committee within the Board

Relying on the upper echelon and critical mass theories, as well as on the assumption that being at the corporate apex provides structural power, this study explores the relationship between female presence at the corporate apex and the likelihood to establish a CSR committee. Based on a cross-country and cross-industry dataset of publicly traded companies, I validate that the higher the presence of females within the board of directors the higher the likelihood to establish a CSR committee within the board. Similarly, I provide evidence that the higher the presence of females within the group of the executives the higher the likelihood to establish a CSR committee within the board. Also, I show that the presence of a female CEO positively influences the likelihood to establish a CSR committee within the board. Overall, I extend previous literature on CSR governance and female representation in the upper echelons by providing empirical evidence that female presence at the corporate apex is a strong antecedent of the likelihood to establish a CSR committee within the board.