Journals / Ekoist: Journal of Econometrics and Statistics / 2026 / Sayı: 44

The Effect of Sustainability on the Profitability of Companies Operating in Borsa Istanbul: A Panel Data Analysis

Sürdürülebilirliğin Borsa İstanbul’da Faaliyet GösterenŞirketlerin Karlılığına Etkisi: Panel Veri Analizi

İdris Adıgüzel(NİŞANTAŞI ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0000-0002-6737-4387
Mehmet Güler(İSTANBUL ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0000-0002-2956-7604
Pages
258–274
Publication Date
2026-07-03
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

This finding that companies’ expenditures on social responsibility activities and improving corporate governance standards increase costs and reduce profitability in the short term.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:In recent years, issues such as global environmental crises, climate change, natural resource depletion, and rising carbon emissions have led companies to shift towards sustainability-focused business models.
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Key Findings & Data:These factors help analyse how companies manage their environmental impacts, the extent to which they fulfil their social responsibilities, and the transparency and ethical nature of their corporate governance processes.
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Conclusion & Impact:This finding that companies’ expenditures on social responsibility activities and improving corporate governance standards increase costs and reduce profitability in the short term.
🔬Design:Lab & Field Experiment
📍Scope:2009 Verileri
⚙️Variables:Sürdürülebilirlik · Şirket Karlılık Oranları · Panel Veri Analizi

Abstract

In recent years, issues such as global environmental crises, climate change, natural resource depletion, and rising carbon emissions have led companies to shift towards sustainability-focused business models. Furthermore, issues such as social justice, labour rights, diversity, and inclusion have become increasingly prominent, requiring companies to strengthen their ESG policies. ESG criteria are increasingly being considered by investors, regulatory bodies, and stakeholders to understand companies’ long-term success and ethical responsibilities. These factors help analyse how companies manage their environmental impacts, the extent to which they fulfil their social responsibilities, and the transparency and ethical nature of their corporate governance processes. This study used panel data analysis to examine the impact of sustainability scores on the profitability of 16 companies operating on Borsa Istanbul between 2009 and 2023. Two different models were constructed in the study, with ROA (return on assets) and ROE (return on equity) as dependent variables, indicating the companies’ profitability. Es (Environmental score), Ss (Social score), and Gs (Corporate governance score) were selected as independent variables. Models were estimated using the Pooled Least Squares (Pooled OLS) method with Driscoll–Kraay standard errors, which simultaneously considers cross-sectional dependence, heteroskedasticity, and autocorrelation. The results of the research analysis show that the Ss (Social score) and Gs (Corporate governance score) variables have a significant and negative effect on ROA and ROE. This finding that companies’ expenditures on social responsibility activities and improving corporate governance standards increase costs and reduce profitability in the short term.

Özet

Son yıllarda, küresel çevre krizleri, iklim değişikliği, doğal kaynakların tükenmesi ve karbon emisyonlarının artması gibi sorunlar, şirketlerin sürdürülebilirlik odaklı iş modellerine yönelmesine neden olmuştur. Ayrıca, sosyal adalet, işçi hakları, çeşitlilik ve kapsayıcılık gibi konular daha fazla ön plana çıkmış ve şirketlerin ESG politikalarını güçlendirmeleri gerektirmiştir. ESG kriterleri, yatırımcılar, düzenleyici kurumlar ve paydaşlar tarafından şirketlerin uzun vadeli başarılarını ve etik sorumluluklarını anlamak amacıyla giderek daha fazla dikkate alınmaktadır. Bu faktörler, şirketlerin çevresel etkilerini nasıl yönettiklerini, sosyal sorumluluklarını ne ölçüde yerine getirdiklerini ve kurumsal yönetim süreçlerini ne kadar şeffaf ve etik bir şekilde yürüttüklerini analiz etmeye yardımcı olur. Yapılan çalışmada 2009-2023 yılları arasında Borsa İstanbul’da faaliyet gösteren 16 işletmenin sürdürebilirlik skorlarının işletmenin karlılığı üzerinde etkisini panel veri analiz yöntemiyle incelenmiştir. Araştırmada şirketlerin karlılığı gösteren ROA (Aktif karlılık oranı) ve ROE (Öz sermaye karlılık oranı) bağımlı değişkenler olarak iki farklı model kurulmuştur. Bağımsız değişkenler olarak Es (Çevre skoru), Ss (Sosyal skor) ve Gs (Kurumsal yönetişim skoru) seçilmiştir. Yatay kesit bağımlılığı, heteroskedastisite ve otokorelasyonu aynı anda dikkate alan Driscoll–Kraay Standart Hataları ile Havuzlanmış En Küçük Kareler (Pooled OLS) yöntemiyle modeller tahmin edilmiştir. Araştırmanın analizinin sonuçları, Ss (Sosyal skor) ve Gs (Kurumsal yönetişim skoru) değişkenlerini ROA ve ROE değişkenleri üzerinde anlamlı ve negatif bir etkiye sahip olduğunu göstermektedir. Bu bulgu, şirketlerin sosyal sorumluluk faaliyetleri ve kurumsal yönetişim standartlarını geliştirmeye yönelik yaptıkları harcamaların kısa vadede maliyetleri artırarak kârlılığı azalttığını ortaya koymaktadır.

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Cite This Article

Adıgüzel, İ., Güler, M. (2026). The Effect of Sustainability on the Profitability of Companies Operating in Borsa Istanbul: A Panel Data Analysis. Ekoist: Journal of Econometrics and Statistics, Sayı: 44, 258–274. https://doi.org/10.26650/ekoist.2026.44.1842737

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