The scarcity of female directors on Saudi boards is linked to cultural and social barriers deeply rooted in traditional masculine norms. Our study investigates the mediating role of ESG scores in the relationship between board gender diversity and firm value within the Saudi context. The Structural Equation Model (SEM) was utilized based on a sample of 54 Saudi-listed financial companies on (Tadawul) during 2021–2022. The study unveiled a negative correlation between female director presence and Saudi firm value. This association is attributed to the prevailing male-dominated Saudi societal norms, where boards with more female members may hesitate to prioritize performance-driven actions due to concerns about their perceived legitimacy within traditional gender roles. Conversely, a positive correlation was observed between female director presence and ESG scores, aligning with existing research highlighting the role of board gender diversity in improving sustainability performance. The sustainability framework prevails over the influence of gender diversity, fully integrating it within the broader context of sustainability to enhance the value of Saudi companies. Our results are consistent when considering alternative measures of firm value. Our findings offer valuable insights for investors assessing board gender diversity’s impact on company value and emphasize the role of gender diversity in enhancing sustainability. They suggest that greater female representation on boards is vital for ESG score improvement, promoting sustainable initiatives and overall firm value. This calls for policymakers to promote sustainability disclosures and establish guidelines for increased female board participation, considering the absence of mandatory quotas.

Our study investigates sustainability and environmental disclosure in Saudi Arabian accounting, focusing on stakeholder accountability. Employing content analysis and close reading, we examine disclosures in the annual reports of 18 companies from 2008 to 2018. Findings reveal limited disclosures, influenced by interpretations of Islam and government emphasis. Despite sector-specific attention to environmental issues, disclosures lack depth. The study offers insights into managerial motivations, highlighting divergent stakeholder priorities and moral obligations. Policy implications suggest mandatory regulations could enhance accountability and encourage comprehensive disclosures. The research underscores the significance of contextual understanding in shaping accounting practices, particularly in regions like Saudi Arabia. Regulatory changes could improve corporate reporting on environmental and sustainability matters, addressing societal needs more effectively.

Our study explores how ESG performance affects corporate misconduct (CM) in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) firms and whether having more women on corporate boards influences this relationship. Using logistic regression and using data collected from GCC firms, we analyse the moderating effect of board gender diversity (BGD) on the relationship between ESG and CM. Our findings show that strong ESG performance reduces CM, and greater BGD further decreases misconduct. Moreover, gender-diverse boards strengthen the link between ESG and lower CM rates. This study contributes to the literature by examining how BGD influences the ESG-CM relationship in the GCC region. The current findings are valuable for investors, businesses, and policymakers. Investors should prioritize companies with strong ESG practices and diverse boards to minimize the risks they might face. Businesses should integrate female directors on boards to enhance ethical practices. Policymakers can promote corporate responsibility by incentivizing gender diversity and ESG adoption, which is crucial for a more transparent and accountable business environment.

Our study explores auditors’ perceptions of the triggers and hurdles of implementing continuous auditing (CA) in Egypt. It also explores auditors’ perceptions of the impact of CA on their independence. A survey of ninety-five auditors working in Big Four and non-Big Four firms was conducted to gather data. Descriptive statistics and the Friedman test were used to test our hypotheses. In addition, using the Mann–Whitney U test, we delve deeper into auditors’ perceptions to examine differences across audit firm types. The results reveal that addressing the increasing demand of stakeholders for real-time reporting and enhancing the quality of financial reporting significantly affect auditors’ perceptions of the triggers for adopting CA. In addition, the lack of standards related to CA and the high cost of implementation significantly affect auditors’ perceptions of the obstacles to implementing CA. The lack of clear guidelines regarding the work required in CA and auditing data that the auditors have previously corrected during the CA process is perceived by auditors as among the most significant factors that can impair their independence. The significance of this study stems from the fact that it is one of the few studies to explore continuous auditing practices in developing countries. To the best of our knowledge, this study is one of the first to investigate how CA affects auditor independence in developing countries.

This study investigates the effect of board diversity on green revenue among Saudi-listed firms. It places particular emphasis on the moderating role of shareholder value. To achieve this objective, the study constructs a composite board diversity index using principal component analysis (PCA). It employs random-effects panel regression models on firm-level data covering the period 2020–2024. Robustness is ensured through alternative model specifications and Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) estimations. The findings reveal that board diversity is positively associated with green revenue. In contrast, higher shareholder value, as measured by market valuation, is negatively associated with green revenue. Importantly, board diversity significantly mitigates this negative relationship. This indicates that diverse boards encourage stronger engagement in sustainable activities, even in highly valued firms. The study contributes to the literature by integrating board diversity, green revenue, and shareholder value within a single empirical framework in an emerging market context. The results offer novel evidence that board diversity serves as an effective governance mechanism for aligning sustainability objectives with value-driven corporate strategies. From both theoretical and policy perspectives, the findings support agency and resource-dependence theories. They highlight the importance of inclusive board structures in embedding sustainability into corporate decision-making.

This study investigates the moderating role of board gender diversity in the relationship between tax avoidance and corporate cash holdings in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), an emerging market in the Gulf Cooperation Council region. The analysis is based on a panel dataset of nonfinancial firms listed in KSA over the period 2020–2023. Fixed-effects regression models are employed to examine the proposed relationships, and robustness checks are conducted using alternative measures of cash holdings and lagged independent variables to mitigate endogeneity concerns. The results reveal a significant positive association between tax avoidance and corporate cash holdings, indicating that firms engaging in greater tax avoidance strategies tend to accumulate higher cash balances. Furthermore, board gender diversity is found to strengthen this relationship, suggesting that gender-diverse boards play an active role in influencing financial decision-making related to tax-driven cash retention.