How Board Gender Diversity Affects Corporate Reputation: A Study on Italian Most Reputable Companies

The purpose of this study is to analyze if female presence in boards of directors affects firms’ corporate reputation, as a form of CSR. The under-representation of women on boardrooms is a heavy discussed topic, not only in Italy. Based on a critical mass theory and with 149 observations taken from a sample of Italian most reputable companies, from 2012 to 2014, we find that a higher percentage of female members in boardrooms tends to positively affect the level of corporate reputation (considered as a form of corporate social responsibility).