Tokenism or Catalytic? Exploring Board Gender Diversity Through the Lens of SDG 9 Outcomes in the EU Context

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Hauptverfasser: Suzan Dsouza, Radhika Lakshminarayanan, Suzana Košir
Format: Artículo Open Access
Veröffentlicht: Wiley 2026
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author Suzan Dsouza
Radhika Lakshminarayanan
Suzana Košir
author_facet Suzan Dsouza
Radhika Lakshminarayanan
Suzana Košir
Suzan Dsouza
Radhika Lakshminarayanan
Suzana Košir
collection Wiley Open Access
contents Tokenism or Catalytic? Exploring Board Gender Diversity Through the Lens of SDG 9 Outcomes in the EU Context Suzan Dsouza Radhika Lakshminarayanan Suzana Košir Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management ABSTRACT This study explores the relationship between Executive gender diversity (EGD) and the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 9 (SDG 9—Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) in the European Union. It investigates whether female representation in corporate governance contributes to innovation‐driven sustainability. Using firm‐level data from LSEG DataStream and applying regression and dynamic Probit models, the study finds that female board representation remains limited, but variation in Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) and management scores suggests a positive association between EGD and SDG 9 performance. Importantly, the findings indicate that tokenistic representation does not significantly influence innovation; rather, gender diversity must be embedded in supportive organisational cultures and governance structures to impact sustainable industrial development. Drawing on Stakeholder Theory and the Resource‐Based Theory, the study contributes to corporate governance literature by linking gender diversity to innovation and sustainability. It demonstrates that gender representation is most effective when aligned with broader cultural and structural enablers. For firms, the study highlights the need for governance frameworks that empower female leadership in innovation strategies. For policymakers, it suggests that quotas alone are insufficient and should be complemented with institutional mechanisms that strengthen the role of women in advancing SDG 9. 10.1002/csr.70421 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
doi_str_mv 10.1002/csr.70421
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license_str_mv http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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spellingShingle Tokenism or Catalytic? Exploring Board Gender Diversity Through the Lens of SDG 9 Outcomes in the EU Context
Suzan Dsouza
Radhika Lakshminarayanan
Suzana Košir
Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management
Tokenism or Catalytic? Exploring Board Gender Diversity Through the Lens of SDG 9 Outcomes in the EU Context Suzan Dsouza Radhika Lakshminarayanan Suzana Košir Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management ABSTRACT This study explores the relationship between Executive gender diversity (EGD) and the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 9 (SDG 9—Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) in the European Union. It investigates whether female representation in corporate governance contributes to innovation‐driven sustainability. Using firm‐level data from LSEG DataStream and applying regression and dynamic Probit models, the study finds that female board representation remains limited, but variation in Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) and management scores suggests a positive association between EGD and SDG 9 performance. Importantly, the findings indicate that tokenistic representation does not significantly influence innovation; rather, gender diversity must be embedded in supportive organisational cultures and governance structures to impact sustainable industrial development. Drawing on Stakeholder Theory and the Resource‐Based Theory, the study contributes to corporate governance literature by linking gender diversity to innovation and sustainability. It demonstrates that gender representation is most effective when aligned with broader cultural and structural enablers. For firms, the study highlights the need for governance frameworks that empower female leadership in innovation strategies. For policymakers, it suggests that quotas alone are insufficient and should be complemented with institutional mechanisms that strengthen the role of women in advancing SDG 9. 10.1002/csr.70421 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
title Tokenism or Catalytic? Exploring Board Gender Diversity Through the Lens of SDG 9 Outcomes in the EU Context
topic Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management
url https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/csr.70421