Does corporate social responsibility of pharmaceutical manufacturing enterprises decrease debt financing costs? Economic implications through a moderated mediation model

Abstract

In today’s complex economy, debt financing costs play a crucial role in shaping corporate competitiveness and are significantly shaped by stakeholder interests. This study focuses on the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry, exploring how Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) affects the debt financing costs, with CSR further divided into strategic CSR and altruistic CSR. Drawing on the data of 286 pharmaceutical enterprises publicly traded on China’s A-share market during the 2010–2021 period, we construct a moderated-mediation framework to examine the complex mechanisms by which CSR affects debt financing costs. The findings show that stronger CSR efforts are linked to decreased debt financing costs. Financial performance acts as a mediator in this relationship, while media attention serves as a moderator. Specifically, strategic CSR initiatives, enterprises that are privately-owned, companies positioned in the eastern areas of China, and strong medical regulation witness a more significant reduction in financing costs. Furthermore, we find that compared to other industries, the fulfilment of social responsibility by pharmaceutical manufacturing enterprises plays a more crucial role in the sustainable development of the enterprise. This study examines the mechanisms through which pharmaceutical manufacturing firms reduce debt financing costs by fulfilling Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), contributing to understanding of CSR’s economic value creation China’s emerging economy context. By incorporating firm-level and regional economic variations, the research addresses a gap in the existing literature and provides insights for pharmaceutical companies to optimize their financing strategies and attain sustainable economic development in emerging economies. First published online 16 March 202