Adaptive Tax Planning and Corporate Sustainability: Evidence from Indonesia

Authors

  • Heriantonius Silalahi Telkom University
  • Steven Han Airlangga University
  • Maulana Afif Ihsan Binus University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.61194/ijat.v3i4.859

Keywords:

Corporate Strategy, ESG, Financial Performance, Sustainable Governance, Tax Planning

Abstract

This study investigates the influence of financial performance indicators and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) scores on tax planning practices among listed companies on the LQ45 index in Indonesia from 2018 to 2023. Tax planning, once focused solely on minimizing tax expenses, has evolved into a mechanism that supports corporate sustainability by promoting transparency, ethical governance, and long-term value creation in line with emerging regulatory frameworks. This study employs a quantitative panel data regression approach to examine how financial performance and ESG engagement influence corporate tax planning among Indonesia’s LQ45 firms. The results show that ETR, ROA, TI, and FPI significantly shape tax planning intensity, while higher ESG scores correspond to less aggressive fiscal behavior. These findings highlight a strategic shift in tax planning—from short-term cost minimization to a governance-driven approach integrating financial efficiency with ethical and sustainable corporate practices. From a policy standpoint, the findings suggest that fiscal regulations should reward firms integrating ESG principles into transparent and responsible tax behavior. For corporate managers, aligning tax planning with ESG principles can enhance long-term competitiveness and mitigate reputational risks. This research contributes to the discourse on responsible taxation and offers strategic insights for both regulators and business leaders.

References

Ali, S., Badshah, I., Demirer, R., Hegde, P., & Rognone, L. (2024). Climate risk, ESG ratings, and the flow-performance relationship in mutual funds. Global Finance Journal, 63, 101041. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gfj.2024.101041 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gfj.2024.101041

Allam, A., Abou-El-Sood, H., Elmarzouky, M., & Yamen, A. (2024). Financial development and tax evasion: International evidence from OECD and non-OECD countries. Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, 57. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intaccaudtax.2024.100653 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intaccaudtax.2024.100653

Alstadsæter, A., Johannesen, N., Le Guern Herry, S., & Zucman, G. (2022). Tax evasion and tax avoidance. Journal of Public Economics, 206, 104587. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpubeco.2021.104587 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpubeco.2021.104587

Armstrong, C. S., Glaeser, S., & Kepler, J. D. (2019). Strategic reactions in corporate tax planning. Journal of Accounting and Economics, 68(1), 101232. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacceco.2019.03.003 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacceco.2019.03.003

Arogundade, S., & Hassan, A. S. (2024). The path to green economy: Do environmental taxes and renewable energy transition matter in OECD countries? World Development Sustainability, 5, 100189. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wds.2024.100189 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wds.2024.100189

Astuti, T., Rahmawati, R., Bandi, B., & Widagdo, A. (2020). Tax planning trends on Indonesia stock exchange listed firms. Journal of Southwest Jiaotong University, 55(4). https://doi.org/10.35741/issn.0258-2724.55.4.9 DOI: https://doi.org/10.35741/issn.0258-2724.55.4.9

Bagur‐Femenías, L., Perramon, J., Alonso‐Almeida, M. del M., & Llach, J. (2024). Empirical evidence of organizational transformation: The subsequent consequence of the causal relationship between the adoption of circular economy strategies and their performance. Heliyon, 10(12), e32987. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e32987 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e32987

Bashir, M. F., MA, B., Shahbaz, M., Shahzad, U., & Vo, X. V. (2021). Unveiling the heterogeneous impacts of environmental taxes on energy consumption and energy intensity: Empirical evidence from OECD countries. Energy, 226, 120366. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2021.120366 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2021.120366

Bilicka, K., Casi-Eberhard, E., Seregni, C., & Stage, B. (2021). Tax strategy disclosure: a greenwashing mandate? SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3832485 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3832485

BO, L. E., & LI, J. I. A. (2025). The Impact of ESG and Corporate Digital Transformation on Corporate Performance in Chinese firms. Sustainable Futures, 100774. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sftr.2025.100774 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sftr.2025.100774

Cao, G., She, J., Cao, C., & Cao, Q. (2024). Environmental protection tax and green innovation: The mediating role of digitalization and ESG. Sustainability, 16(2), 577. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16020577 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su16020577

Cao, M., Duan, K., & Ibrahim, H. (2023). Local Government Debt and Its Impact on Corporate Underinvestment and ESG Performance: Empirical Evidence from China. Sustainability, 15(14), 11116. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151411116 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su151411116

Chen, M., Jiandong, W., & Saleem, H. (2022a). The role of environmental taxes and stringent environmental policies in attaining the environmental quality: Evidence from OECD and non-OECD countries. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2022.972354

Chen, M., Jiandong, W., & Saleem, H. (2022b). The role of environmental taxes and stringent environmental policies in attaining the environmental quality: Evidence from OECD and non-OECD countries. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2022.972354 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2022.972354

Chen, Y., & Li, Q. (2024). The impact of e-government on the new generation productive capacities: Evidence from cross-country data. Sustainability, 16(8), 3233. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16083233 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su16083233

Chughtai, S., Rasool, T., Awan, T., Rashid, A., & Wong, W. (2021). Birds of a feather flocking together: Sustainability of tax aggressiveness of shared directors from coercive isomorphism. Sustainability, 13(24), 14052. https://doi.org/10.3390/su132414052 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su132414052

Das, P., Hijazi, A., Maxwell, D., & Moehler, R. (2023). Can business models facilitate strategic transformation in construction firms? A systematic review and research agenda. Sustainability, 15(17), 13022. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151713022 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su151713022

De Robertis, G., & Kondi, D. (2022). How to improve the estimation of intra-firm prices for financial and tax reporting during economic downturns. Transnational Corporations Review, 14(3), 227–243. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/19186444.2022.2099216 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/19186444.2022.2099216

DeFond, M., Qi, B., Si, Y., & Zhang, J. (2025). Do signatory auditors with tax expertise facilitate or curb tax aggressiveness? Journal of Accounting and Economics, 79(1), 101715. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacceco.2024.101715 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacceco.2024.101715

Donohoe, M. P. (2015). The economic effects of financial derivatives on corporate tax avoidance. Journal of Accounting and Economics, 59(1), 1–24. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacceco.2014.11.001 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacceco.2014.11.001

Dyreng, S. D., Hanlon, M., Maydew, E. L., & Thornock, J. R. (2017). Changes in corporate effective tax rates over the past 25 years. Journal of Financial Economics, 124(3), 441–463. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfineco.2017.04.001 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfineco.2017.04.001

Edwards, A., Marin, M., & Wu, Y. (2021). Negative interest rates and corporate tax behavior in banks. SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3921343 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3921343

Erasashanti, A., Nurani, N., & A.R., H. (2023a). Understanding of tax regulations, tax administration and taxpayer morale towards tax planning. International Journal of Current Science Research and Review, 6(2). https://doi.org/10.47191/ijcsrr/v6-i2-21

Erasashanti, A., Nurani, N., & A.R., H. (2023b). Understanding of tax regulations, tax administration and taxpayer morale towards tax planning. International Journal of Current Science Research and Review, 6(2). https://doi.org/10.47191/ijcsrr/v6-i2-21 DOI: https://doi.org/10.47191/ijcsrr/V6-i2-21

Eulaiwi, B., Al-Hadi, A., Taylor, G., Dutta, S., Duong, L., & Richardson, G. (2021). Tax haven Use, the pricing of audit and Non-audit Services, suspicious matters reporting obligations and whistle blower hotline Facilities: Evidence from Australian financial corporations. Journal of Contemporary Accounting & Economics, 17(2), 100262. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcae.2021.100262 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcae.2021.100262

Handoyo, S., Suharman, H., Ghani, E. K., & Soedarsono, S. (2023). A business strategy, operational efficiency, ownership structure, and manufacturing performance: The moderating role of market uncertainty and competition intensity and its implication on open innovation. Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity, 9(2), 100039. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joitmc.2023.100039 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joitmc.2023.100039

Jensen, M. C., & Meckling, W. H. (1976). Theory of the firm: Managerial behavior, agency costs and ownership structure. Journal of Financial Economics, 3(4), 305–360. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-405X(76)90026-X DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-405X(76)90026-X

Kwilinski, A., Lyulyov, O., & Pimonenko, T. (2025). The role of green finance in attaining environmental sustainability within a country’s ESG performance. Journal of Innovation & Knowledge, 10(2). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jik.2025.100674 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jik.2025.100674

Lehmann, R., & Wikman, I. (2023). Quarterly GDP Estimates for the German States: New Data for Business Cycle Analyses and Long-Run Dynamics. SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4368209 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4368209

Li, M. (2024). Tax Structure, Government Debt, and the Relative Power of Local Education Supply. PLOS ONE, 19(6), e0301985. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0301985 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0301985

Liu, Q., & Xia, Y. (2023). The Energy-Saving Effect of Tax Rebates: The Impact of Tax Refunds on Corporate Total Factor Energy Productivity. Energies, 16(23), 7795. https://doi.org/10.3390/en16237795 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/en16237795

Luo, J., & Xu, J. (2024). The impact of big data tax administration on corporate ESG—A quasi-natural experiment based on Golden Tax Project III. China Journal of Accounting Research, 17(3), 100378. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cjar.2024.100378 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cjar.2024.100378

Martineau, C., & Mondria, J. (2022a). News Selection and Asset Pricing Implications. SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4194851

Martineau, C., & Mondria, J. (2022b). News Selection and Asset Pricing Implications. SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4194851 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4194851

Martini, J. T., Niemann, R., Simons, D., & Voeller, D. (2025). Incentive effects of tax transparency: Does country-by-country reporting call for arbitration? Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, 49, 107278. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaccpubpol.2024.107278 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaccpubpol.2024.107278

Martins, O., & A.S., O. (2024). Board characteristics and tax planning of quoted companies in Nigeria. International Journal of Applied Economics Finance and Accounting, 19(1), 186–195. https://doi.org/10.33094/ijaefa.v19i1.1581 DOI: https://doi.org/10.33094/ijaefa.v19i1.1581

Mkadmi, J. E., & Ben Ali, W. (2024). How does tax avoidance affect corporate social responsibility and financial ratio in emerging economies? Journal of Economic Criminology, 5, 100070. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeconc.2024.100070 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeconc.2024.100070

Naef, A. (2022). The impossible love of fossil fuel companies for carbon taxes. SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4179069 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4179069

Novita, W., & Fahmy, R. (2022a). Tax planning on the multinational companies in Indonesia. ASEAN International Journal of Business, 1(1), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.54099/aijb.v1i1.65

Novita, W., & Fahmy, R. (2022b). Tax planning on the multinational companies in Indonesia. ASEAN International Journal of Business, 1(1), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.54099/aijb.v1i1.65 DOI: https://doi.org/10.54099/aijb.v1i1.65

Nuhoff-Isakhanyan, G., Galgo, C., Gemtou, M., & Pedersen, S. (2024). Business strategies towards climate‐smart agriculture in Europe: A literature review. Business Strategy and the Environment, 33(6), 5073–5085. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.3741 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.3741

OECD Regulatory Policy Outlook 2025. (2025). OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/56b60e39-en DOI: https://doi.org/10.1787/56b60e39-en

Ordower, H. (2023). Is aggressive tax planning a failure of tax adviser integrity? Journal of Financial Crime, 31(4), 837–848. https://doi.org/10.1108/jfc-08-2023-0207 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/JFC-08-2023-0207

Pazienza, M., Jong, M., & Schoenmaker, D. (2022). Clarifying the Concept of Corporate Sustainability and Providing Convergence for Its Definition. Sustainability, 14(13), 7838. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14137838 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su14137838

Perramon, J., Bagur-Femenías, L., Alonso-Almeida, M. del M., & Llach, J. (2024). Does the transition to a circular economy contribute to business resilience and transformation? Evidence from SMEs. Journal of Cleaner Production, 453, 142279. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.JCLEPRO.2024.142279 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2024.142279

Ponce, H. (2024). Determinants of Corporate Leverage and Sustainability of Small and Medium‐Sized Enterprises: The Case of Commercial Companies in Ecuador. Business Strategy and the Environment, 33(8), 8319–8331. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.3924 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.3924

Razali, M., Sandimalai, S., Lee, D., & Lunyai, J. (2022). Corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosure and tax planning: A study on Malaysian listed companies. International Business Research, 15(10), 30. https://doi.org/10.5539/ibr.v15n10p30 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5539/ibr.v15n10p30

Richter, W. (2022). Taxing multinational enterprises: A theory-based approach to reform. SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4293310 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4293310

Schjelderup, G., & Stähler, F. (2023). The Economics of the Global Minimum Tax. SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4388175 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4394844

Schnetzer, M., & Hens, T. (2022a). Evolutionary Finance for Multi-Asset Investors. SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4003066

Schnetzer, M., & Hens, T. (2022b). Evolutionary Finance for Multi-Asset Investors. SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4003066 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4003066

Submitter, P., Blanchard, O., Gollier, C., & Tirole, J. (2022). The portfolio of economic policies needed to fight climate change. SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4276886 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4276886

Syafii, M., Chandrarin, G., & Zuhroh, D. (2023). The role of corporate governance in enhancing the influence of tax planning on tax disclosure. Management and Entrepreneurship Trends of Development, 4(26), 27–38. https://doi.org/10.26661/2522-1566/2023-4/26-02 DOI: https://doi.org/10.26661/2522-1566/2023-4/26-02

Tang, M., Hu, Y., Hou, Y. (Greg), Oxley, L., & Goodell, J. W. (2025). Fintech development, corporate tax avoidance and firm value. International Review of Financial Analysis, 97, 103765. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.irfa.2024.103765 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.irfa.2024.103765

Ugalde, A., Toledo-Zúñiga, P., & Castro-Rodríguez, P. (2022). Tax sustainability: Tax transparency in Latin America and the Chilean case. Sustainability, 14(4), 2107. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14042107 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su14042107

Xia, X., Li, J., & Zhao, S. (2025). A comparative analysis of carbon tax strategies basing on outsourcing remanufacturing: Differential VS progressive. International Journal of Production Economics, 281, 109501. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpe.2024.109501 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpe.2024.109501

Yi, L., Xiao, L., & Liao, Y. (2024). Network centrality, style drift, and mutual fund performance. Research in International Business and Finance, 70, 102348. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ribaf.2024.102348 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ribaf.2024.102348

Yulianti, V., Purba, J., & Ningrum, W. (2023a). Tax planning and avoidance on firm value. East Asian Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, 2(9), 3753–3764. https://doi.org/10.55927/eajmr.v2i9.5834

Yulianti, V., Purba, J., & Ningrum, W. (2023b). Tax planning and avoidance on firm value. East Asian Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, 2(9), 3753–3764. https://doi.org/10.55927/eajmr.v2i9.5834 DOI: https://doi.org/10.55927/eajmr.v2i9.5834

Downloads

Published

2025-10-23

How to Cite

Silalahi, H., Han, S., & Ihsan, M. A. (2025). Adaptive Tax Planning and Corporate Sustainability: Evidence from Indonesia. Sinergi International Journal of Accounting and Taxation, 3(4), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.61194/ijat.v3i4.859