ABSTRACT
This study examines the role of corporate governance and corporate philanthropy during COVID-19, with the mediating role of corporate social responsibility (CSR) knowledge management among Chinese listed firms. The study employed secondary data obtained from the Chinese Stock Market & Accounting Research (CSMAR) database on board size (BS) and board composition (BC) as corporate governance proxies. The findings show that BS and BC have a positive but insignificant relationship with corporate philanthropy, while CSR knowledge fully mediates the relationship between corporate governance and corporate philanthropy. Additionally, we find that board size and board composition have a positive relationship with CSR knowledge. This study has practical implications for firms engaged in the process view of CSR knowledge, which actively contributes to COVID-19 philanthropy. The process view of CSR receives more information from outside stakeholders and implements their resources on the most recent CSR issue. This response creates value for the firm as it targets the most recent issue in society. © 2021 IEEE.