Sustainable corporate governance and non-financial disclosure in Europe: does the gender diversity matter?

Purpose: Recent regulatory changes in Europe have promoted non-financial reporting practices (e.g., Directive, 2014/95/EU) and gender diversity in decision-making positions. Special attention is devoted to promoting the gender balance on corporate boards as a key mechanism to enhance corporate governance effectiveness and better address multiple stakeholders' needs. With this in mind, this study intends to examine the impact of boardroom gender diversity on Environmental Social Governance (ESG) disclosure practices in the European listed firms' context. Design/methodology/approach: The study applies different panel data models on an extended sample of 1,392 firms from 21 European Union (EU) countries for six years (2014–2019). Findings: Findings allow to spotlight the positive role exerted by the presence of women directors on the boards in enhancing ESG disclosure, both at the overall and specific (individual ESG scores) level. Research limitations/implications: Policymakers and regulators might consider the study's evidence as a stimulus to continue in promoting strategic actions and reforms that foster gender equality and balance in corporate decision-making positions. Practical implications: Creating a heterogeneous and diversified board of directors may support implementing a “sustainable corporate governance” recently claimed by the EC. Originality/value: The study contributes to the literature by disentangling the links between gender diversity and ESG disclosure over a period that covers a long season of European regulations and measures that affected both non-financial reporting practices and the board of directors' composition. Accordingly, it can contribute to enhancing the practical and theoretical understanding of the pivotal role that gender diversity may exert in strengthening corporate governance and, in turn, corporate transparency and accountability behaviours about non-financial issues

Qualitative/Quantitative Analysis of Alcohol and Licit/Illicit Drugs on Post-Mortem Biological Samples from Road Traffic Deaths

Alcohol and drug abuse is a major contributory factor of all road deaths in Europe. The aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence of alcohol and licit/illicit drug intake among victims of road accidents in Campania region (Italy). A retrospective analysis of road traffic deaths from 2013 to 2022 in Campania was performed. The toxicological results from fluid samples collected at autopsy were reviewed. In total, 228 road deaths occurred, mostly during nights and weekends. A total of 106 victims tested positive for alcohol and/or drugs, among which 39 (36.8%) tested positive for alcohol only, 27 (25.5%) for alcohol and drugs in association; and 40 (37.7%) for licit/illicit drugs only, either individually or in combination. Polydrug intake has been found in 21 victims, and nine in combination with alcohol. The most detected drugs were cocaine and D9THC, followed by benzodiazepines. Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) > 1.5 g/L was found in most alcohol positives, both alone and in association with drugs. Despite the penalties for driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI) and drugs (DUID), no decrease in the number of alcohol and/or drugs related fatal road accidents has been observed. DUI and/or DUID cases were approximately one third of the entire sample study

Post-anaesthesia pulmonary complications after use of muscle relaxants (POPULAR): a multicentre, prospective observational study

Background: Results from retrospective studies suggest that use of neuromuscular blocking agents during general anaesthesia might be linked to postoperative pulmonary complications. We therefore aimed to assess whether the use of neuromuscular blocking agents is associated with postoperative pulmonary complications. Methods: We did a multicentre, prospective observational cohort study. Patients were recruited from 211 hospitals in 28 European countries. We included patients (aged ≥18 years) who received general anaesthesia for any in-hospital procedure except cardiac surgery. Patient characteristics, surgical and anaesthetic details, and chart review at discharge were prospectively collected over 2 weeks. Additionally, each patient underwent postoperative physical examination within 3 days of surgery to check for adverse pulmonary events. The study outcome was the incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications from the end of surgery up to postoperative day 28. Logistic regression analyses were adjusted for surgical factors and patients' preoperative physical status, providing adjusted odds ratios (ORadj) and adjusted absolute risk reduction (ARRadj). This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01865513. Findings: Between June 16, 2014, and April 29, 2015, data from 22 803 patients were collected. The use of neuromuscular blocking agents was associated with an increased incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications in patients who had undergone general anaesthesia (1658 [7·6%] of 21 694); ORadj 1·86, 95% CI 1·53–2·26; ARRadj −4·4%, 95% CI −5·5 to −3·2). Only 2·3% of high-risk surgical patients and those with adverse respiratory profiles were anaesthetised without neuromuscular blocking agents. The use of neuromuscular monitoring (ORadj 1·31, 95% CI 1·15–1·49; ARRadj −2·6%, 95% CI −3·9 to −1·4) and the administration of reversal agents (1·23, 1·07–1·41; −1·9%, −3·2 to −0·7) were not associated with a decreased risk of postoperative pulmonary complications. Neither the choice of sugammadex instead of neostigmine for reversal (ORadj 1·03, 95% CI 0·85–1·25; ARRadj −0·3%, 95% CI −2·4 to 1·5) nor extubation at a train-of-four ratio of 0·9 or more (1·03, 0·82–1·31; −0·4%, −3·5 to 2·2) was associated with better pulmonary outcomes. Interpretation: We showed that the use of neuromuscular blocking drugs in general anaesthesia is associated with an increased risk of postoperative pulmonary complications. Anaesthetists must balance the potential benefits of neuromuscular blockade against the increased risk of postoperative pulmonary complications. Funding: European Society of Anaesthesiology