ESG Through the Lens of Finance

Are you intrigued by the role finance plays in shaping our society for the better? If so, we have an interesting project for you.

Dive into the intersection of ESG practices and financial performance with our research project. Join us in unraveling the complexities of sustainable finance. 

Project description

Selected students will work closely with the project mentor on a research project examining the relationship between ESG practices and financial performance. Does an increase in ESG activities lead to improvements in financial performance, or does it come at the expense of shareholders’ interests? Current proponents of ESG, based on stakeholder theory, challenge the traditional shareholder theory in corporate finance. This research project seeks to address questions related to ESG practices and their impact on financial performance.

Ideal Student Profile:

Students with background knowledge in MGF405 Advanced Corporate Finance or MGF402 Investment Management.
Students considering graduate school or research-oriented profession.

Project outcome

This project aims to provide students with an opportunity to learn how to utilize the Bloomberg database, examine real-world data, and generate empirically driven knowledge through case studies and regression analysis. Over the course of this project, students will conduct a literature review, obtain Bloomberg Market Concepts certificates, analyze data, and interpret results. The objective is to create a poster showcase or summary of findings that students can present to their future supervisors or employers. 

Project details

Timing, eligibility and other details
Length of commitment Short (less than a semester; 0-2 months) 
Start time

Fall (August/September

Spring (Janurary/February)

Summer (May/June)
In-person, remote, or hybrid? Hybrid Project (can be remote and/or in-person; to be determined by mentor and student) 
Level of collaboration Individual student project 
Benefits Research Experience 
Who is eligible Juniors & Seniors with Background knowledge in MGF405 Advanced Corporate Finance or MGF402 Investment Management 

Project mentor

Yi-Da Tsai

Doctoral Candidate, Instructor

Finance

Phone: (716) 427-4004

Email: yidatsai@buffalo.edu

Start the project

  1. Email the project mentor using the contact information above to express your interest and get approval to work on the project. (Here are helpful tips on how to contact a project mentor.)
  2. After you receive approval from the mentor to start this project, click the button to start the digital badge. (Learn more about ELN's digital badge options.) 
Start the Digital Badge

Preparation activities

Once you begin the digital badge series, you will have access to all the necessary activities and instructions. Your mentor has indicated they would like you to also complete the specific preparation activities below. Please reference this when you get to Step 2 of the Preparation Phase. 

  1. Students are required to register their Bloomberg accounts through SOM and become familiar with the Bloomberg database.
  2.  Students are expected to watch relevant videos on ESG issues.
  3.  Additionally, students are tasked with reading seminal articles on ESG topics from leading finance journals. 

Register for Bloomberg accounts

Sustainable Finance and E, S, & G Issues: Values versus Value - 2023

Firms and social responsibility: A review of ESG and CSR research in corporate finance

ESG and Financial Performance 

Keywords

Finance UB-SOM, Undergraduates, ESG, CSR, Shareholder Theory, Stakeholder Theory.