While the drastic physical impacts of climate change and related extreme weather events (EWEs) are increasingly apparent, little is known about long-term behavioral consequences of climate change-related experiences. In this study, we investigate whether extreme weather events experienced by CEOs during their early lives induce a systematic shift towards more climate-friendly professional decisions. Our sample covers decisions of 447 U.S. born Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) between 1991 and 2018. The results of our study reveal a significant positive effect of early-life EWE experiences on sustainability-related and climate-related corporate policies during a CEO's tenure. These findings are robust to different proxies and model specifications. Our results provide evidence that extreme weather experiences have long-lasting effects on climate-related attitudes and thereby moderate the willingness to act with respect to climate change.
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