THE IMPACT OF ESG DISCLOSURE AND LEVERAGE ON COST OF DEBT WITH AUDIT QUALITY AS A MODERATING VARIABLE IN ENERGY SECTOR COMPANIES IN THE 2022-2025 PERIOD

DOI: https://doi.org/10.33650/profit.v10i1.15721
Authors

(1) * Anugrah Rizky Putra   (Universitas Islam Negeri Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang)  
        Indonesia
(2)  Yuliati Yuliati   (Universitas Islam Negeri Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang)  
        Indonesia
(*) Corresponding Author

Abstract


The energy sector plays a strategic role in driving the national economy, but faces significant pressure to transition to clean energy, which requires significant funding from creditors. This study aims to examine the relationship between ESG disclosure and leverage on the cost of debt and to determine audit quality as a moderating factor by selecting energy companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) for the 2022–2025 period. The research approach is quantitative and uses data panel, obtaining data from sustainability reports and annual reports from a total of 25 companies. The analysis tool used is EViews13. The research findings indicate that ESG has a significant negative effect on the cost of debt, with a coefficient of -0.2485 (p=0.0206). Meanwhile, leverage has an insignificant positive effect with a coefficient of 0.2369 (p=0.2444). Audit quality moderates the relationship between ESG and the cost of debt, weakening the negative effect of ESG (interaction coefficient 0.2605; p=0.0115). Meanwhile, audit quality was not shown to moderate the relationship between leverage and cost of debt (coefficient -0.2214; p=0.2840). This study concludes that increased ESG transparency and high audit quality can help energy sector companies achieve more efficient financing costs. However, high audit quality tends to reduce the influence of ESG on lowering the cost of debt.

Keywords

ESG, leverage, cost of debt, audit quality



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Profit : Jurnal Kajian Ekonomi dan Perbankan Syariah
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