CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY DISCLOSURES AND PROFITABILITY OF NON-FINANCIAL FIRMS IN NIGERIA: MODERATING ROLE OF FEMALE BOARD MEMBERSHIP

Abstract

This study examined the moderating role of female board members (FBM)
on the relationship between corporate social responsibility disclosure and
profitability of non-financial firms in Nigeria. An ex-post facto research
design was employed for the purpose of this study. The data was obtained
from secondary sources through the published annual financial statements
of the non-financial firms listed in the Nigeria Exchange Group. The study
was conducted for a period of eleven (11) years spanning from 2011 to 2021
and analyzed using STATA version 13.0 as the tool of data analysis.
Descriptive and inferential statistics (Multiple regression model) was
employed as the techniques for data analysis in the study. The results from
the direct relationship showed that local community disclosure had a
negative and insignificant effect on return on assets (ROA), while quality
assurance disclosure and environmental disclosure had positive and
significant effects on ROA. From the perspective of interaction with FBM,
the result showed that only quality assurance disclosure had a negative and
significant effect on ROA. This finding concludes that FBM can moderate
the relationship between quality assurance disclosure and profitability, but
not between local community disclosure, environmental disclosure, and
profitability. Therefore, what left to be done is that FBM should closely
monitor the production process to improve efficiency and control production
costs.