Making sense of conflicting empirical findings: A meta-analytic review of the relationship between corporate environmental and financial performance

•We meta-analytically examine the relationship between corporate environmental performance (CEP) and corporate financial performance (CFP).•We explore reasons for the apparent inconsistency of prior empirical results.•We account for the issue of causality.•We account for the multidimensional nature of both CEP and CFP.

Despite the tremendous number of publications concerned with the relationship between corporate environmental performance (CEP) and corporate financial performance (CFP), inconsistent empirical findings persist and the overall picture remains vague. Drawing on a hybrid theoretical framework (combining the theoretical reasoning of the natural-resource-based view (NRBV) with instrumental stakeholder and slack resources arguments), we address the apparent lack of consensus by meta-analytically integrating the findings of 149 studies. We pay particular attention to two highly material issues: the direction of causality and the multidimensionality of the focal constructs. Meta-analytic results indicate that there is a positive and partially bidirectional relationship between CEP and CFP. In addition, our findings suggest that the relationship is stronger when the strategic approach underlying CEP is proactive rather than reactive. Furthermore, we reveal moderation effects of methodological artifacts, which may provide explanations for the inconsistency of the results of previous studies. Based on our findings, we discuss the implications and outline avenues for further research.