Recognition for Sustained Corporate Social Responsibility: Female Directors Make a Difference

This study examines a sample of 341 corporations that were ranked in the Fortune 500 in all seven years from 2006 through 2012. We compiled data from multiple corporate recognition lists including the following: the Most Admired Companies, the Most Ethical Companies, the Best Companies to Work for, and the Best Corporate Citizens. Our findings indicate that the higher the percentage of women on a company's board of directors, the more likely the company is to appear on these lists. We also found that the average percentage of women directors for the listed companies was significantly higher than the average percentage of women directors for the companies that did not appear on any of these lists over the period from 2006 through 2012.