We examine the impact of firm-investor communication on ESG issues through investor interactive platforms in Chinese stock exchanges from 2010 to 2022. Our regression analysis finds that increased ESG-based questions from investors and firms’ responses lead to increased stock liquidity, suggesting that investor-firm dialogues beyond financial aspects to include ESG-related themes contribute to greater information transparency. We posit that investors use such communication as a “voice” strategy, advocating firms for enhanced ESG disclosures and performance. This strategy yields a two-fold benefit: it aligns with investors’ ESG objectives and, alternatively, facilitates their exit through improved stock liquidity. Our robustness tests suggest a probable causal relationship between investor engagement on ESG issues and stock liquidity. Moreover, we find that a positive tone in ESG-based communications strengthens this relationship, prompting managers to enhance ESG disclosure transparency in response to investor pressure.
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