[Research Contribution] ESG Reputational Risk and Corporate Dividend Policy: International Evidence

In a context where ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) factors are increasingly shaping how the market evaluates corporations, negative information spread through media channels can amplify reputational risk and directly impact financial policies. In response to this reality, a research team from the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) analyzed data from 11,535 firms across 69 countries from 2007 to 2019, revealing that when ESG reputational risk increases, firms tend to raise dividend payouts as a tool to stabilize market confidence. Specifically, a one-standard-deviation increase in ESG reputational risk corresponds to a 2.5% increase in the payout ratio.