Halal certification impact on firms' corporate social responsibility disclosure: Evidence from the food & beverage sector in Italy

This paper aims to investigate the relationship between Halal certification and corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosures in Italian food and beverage companies. We employ an explorative method using content analysis, followed by chi-square test, correlation analysis, and a multivariate regression to address the research objectives. We find a relationship between being a Halal or non-Halal company and CSR disclosures. Additionally, there is a significant and positive relationship between Halal certified CSR firms' disclosure index and return on investment. The paper reveals that companies with Halal certificates have a greater tendency towards CSR. The results are relevant for academics and practitioners. To the best of our knowledge, our paper strengthens the discussion on halal certification and CSR scientifically. Additionally, our results are useful for practitioners as managers and entrepreneurs, to understand halal certification's value and its link with the environmental, economic and social space.