Why CEO gender affects firms’ CSR behavior: The role of different types of imprint

Why Leaders’ Early Lives Matter

When we think about corporate responsibility—how companies treat workers, communities, and the environment—we often look at policies and profits. This study asks a more personal question: how much does it matter who sits in the corner office, and what they lived through growing up? Focusing on Chinese companies, the authors explore why firms led by women tend to act more responsibly than those led by men, and how formative life experiences leave lasting marks on leaders’ values.

Women at the Helm and Social Responsibility

Across the world, businesses are increasingly judged not just on financial success but also on their contributions to society. This is especially true in fast‑growing economies like China, where firms are under pressure to balance profit with public expectations. Using data from 711 Chinese listed companies between 2008 and 2017, the authors compared firms with female chief executives to similar firms led by men. They relied on an independent rating agency’s detailed scores of each company’s social and environmental actions, from pollution control to community support.

What the Numbers Reveal

The analysis shows a clear pattern: firms with female CEOs score substantially higher on social responsibility than comparable firms with male CEOs. On average, and holding other factors constant, companies led by women have CSR scores almost one standard‑deviation point higher—about a 9–10 percent improvement relative to the typical variation in the sample. This result holds even after accounting for firm size, profitability, ownership type, political ties, export exposure, and stock‑market listing location. It also survives rigorous checks that correct for selection bias and test alternative data sources and statistical models.

Lasting Marks from Early Experiences

To explain why the gender gap appears, the authors turn to the idea of “imprints”: enduring marks left by powerful experiences during sensitive periods of life, such as childhood and early adulthood. They examine three kinds of imprints particularly salient in China. First is exposure to the catastrophic nationwide famine of 1959–1961 during childhood, a traumatic event that could foster empathy and a sense of shared vulnerability. Second is growing up in regions steeped in Confucian and Buddhist traditions, which emphasize benevolence, restraint, and care for others. Third is political imprinting through membership in the Communist Party, with its long‑standing stress on selflessness, discipline, and serving the people.

How Imprints Amplify Gender Differences

The study finds that these imprints do not affect all leaders in the same way. For women who experienced the famine as children, the gap in social responsibility between female‑led and male‑led firms becomes much larger than among those without such experience. A similar pattern appears for CEOs from provinces with strong Confucian or Buddhist heritage, and for those who are Communist Party members. In these settings, firms run by women invest noticeably more in social and environmental initiatives than firms run by men. Strikingly, when Buddhist or communist imprints are very weak or absent, the usual female advantage can shrink or even vanish, suggesting that gender alone does not guarantee more ethical behavior; it interacts with deep‑seated values shaped by context.

Why This Matters for Business and Society

Taken together, the findings suggest that women often bring a stronger “moral voice” to corporate leadership, but that this voice is nurtured by the environments in which they grow up and build their careers. Early exposure to hardship, moral traditions, and public‑minded ideals appears to strengthen women leaders’ concern for a broad set of stakeholders, from local communities to future generations. For boards and policymakers, the message is twofold: increasing the number of women at the top can boost companies’ social responsibility, and paying attention to leaders’ formative experiences can help identify those most likely to prioritize ethical, socially minded strategies.

Citation: Wang, Y., Hu, J. Why CEO gender affects firms’ CSR behavior: The role of different types of imprint. Humanit Soc Sci Commun 13, 227 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-026-06575-8

Keywords: female CEOs, corporate social responsibility, China, imprinting and leadership, business ethics