Green credit policy and corporate green innovation: do banker directors matter?

Based on the green credit policy (GCP) of 2012 in China, we examine how banker directors affect GCP’s motivating effect on corporate green innovation. We find that banker directors facilitate the motivating impact of GCP on corporate green innovation. The prompting effect of banker directors is mainly through improving the information asymmetry related to corporate green innovation and monitoring the green credit usage. Banker directors’ positive impact is primarily found in non-state-owned enterprises and firms located in regions with low guanxi culture, strong environmental regulation, and high intellectual property protection. Our research helps to identify the critical role of banker directors. The findings provide some insights for improving the GCP's positive effect on corporate green innovation by stimulating banker directors’ monitoring roles.