Sustainability Reporting in Estonia: Patterns of Sustainability Information Disclosure in Estonian Companies

2017 ◽  
pp. 63-76
Author(s):  
Kertu Lääts ◽  
Maarja Gross ◽  
Toomas Haldma
Keyword(s):  
Information Disclosure ◽  
Sustainability Reporting

Tamed Transparency: How Information Disclosure under the Global Reporting Initiative Fails to Empower

2010 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 74-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
Klaus Dingwerth ◽  
Margot Eichinger
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Voluntary Disclosure ◽  
Information Disclosure ◽  
Corporate Sustainability ◽  
Sustainability Reporting ◽  
Global Reporting Initiative ◽  
Reporting Scheme ◽  
Corporate World ◽  
Four Levels ◽  
The Relationship

In this contribution, we explore the tensions that seem inherent in the claim that transparency policies “empower” the users of disclosed information vis-àvis those who are asked to provide the information. Since these tensions are particularly relevant in relation to voluntary disclosure, our analysis focuses on the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) as the world's leading voluntary corporate non-financial reporting scheme. Corporate sustainability reporting is often hailed as a powerful instrument to improve the environmental performance of business and to empower societal groups, including consumers, in their relations with the corporate world. Yet, our analysis illustrates that the relationship between transparency and empowerment is conflictual at all four levels of activity examined in this article: in the rhetoric and policies of the GRI as well as in the actual reporting practice and in the activities of intermediaries in response to the organization's disclosure standard.

Factors influencing corporate sustainability disclosure practices: empirical evidence from Indian National Stock Exchange

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kishore Kumar ◽  
Ranjita Kumari ◽  
Archana Poonia ◽  
Rakesh Kumar
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
Information Disclosure ◽  
Corporate Sustainability ◽  
Sustainability Reporting ◽  
Free Cash Flow ◽  
Government Ownership ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Flow Capacity ◽  
Sustainability Disclosure ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This study aims to evaluate the nature and extent of sustainability disclosure practices of publicly listed companies in India. Further, it investigates the impact of potential determinants on the sustainability disclosure of companies. Design/methodology/approach The study analyzes data of 75 top listed nonbanking companies operating in India included in NIFTY100 Index for the years 2014-2015 to 2018-2019. In the present study, environment, social and governance disclosure dimensions were considered to evaluate the sustainability reporting performance of companies using content analysis. Panel data analysis was conducted to investigate the impact of various factors on the extent of sustainability information disclosure. Findings Results indicate that environmentally polluting industries disclose significantly higher sustainability information than non-polluting industries in India. The empirical findings suggest that determinants such as company size, age, free cash flow capacity, government ownership and global reporting initiative (GRI) usage positively related to the extent of corporate sustainability disclosure. Contrary to the expectations, financial leverage and profitability were found to be negatively related to the sustainability disclosure of companies in India. Practical implications This study provides empirical evidence for regulators, practitioners and corporate strategists to assess the progress in the sustainability reporting landscape in India. The finding implies that large and established companies can reduce legitimacy costs through higher sustainability information disclosure. Interestingly, this premise did not hold in the case of high leveraged and profitable companies. Overall findings can also help policymakers to incorporate necessary reforms to improve sustainability reporting in India. Originality/value This study is one of the first studies to investigate the nature, extent and potential determinants of corporate sustainability disclosure in India. The paper adds to the existing literature on sustainability reporting by providing empirical evidence on the relationship between sustainability reporting and potential determinants such as government ownership, size, leverage, profitability, age, free cash flow capacity, industry and GRI usage.

Building institutions based on information disclosure: lessons from GRI's sustainability reporting

2009 ◽  
Vol 17 (6) ◽  
pp. 571-580 ◽  
Author(s):  
Halina Szejnwald Brown ◽  
Martin de Jong ◽  
David L. Levy
Keyword(s):  
Information Disclosure ◽  
Sustainability Reporting

scholarly journals Role of Ethical Leadership in Online Sustainability Reporting

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 121-130
Author(s):  
Nazahah Rahim ◽  
David Biggs ◽  
Doaa Aly
Keyword(s):  
Ethical Leadership ◽  
Information Disclosure ◽  
Sustainability Reporting ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Internet Applications ◽  
Corporate Leaders ◽  
Explanatory Variables ◽  
Reporting Practices ◽  
Leadership Components

Purpose: Corporate scandals are still making headlines in the news. Stakeholders are demanding transparency through more information disclosure in order to curtail this problem and to regain trust. On the other hand, businesses are finding better ways to communicate not only financial but also non-financial information to their stakeholders. With the rise in internet applications, online sustainability reporting could be a solution to this problem. However, information disclosures via the internet particularly on websites are still limited. Prior studies look into antecedents such as firm specific characteristics and corporate governance mechanisms but this study will take a different leap, investigating the role of ethical leadership in online sustainability reporting. Design/Methodology/Approach: Cross-sectional approach will be applied through content analysis and survey. A disclosure index will be used. The explanatory variables will be extracted from questionnaires which will focus on respondents' opinion of their supervisors. Findings: Since this paper is conceptual in nature, the expected result will indicate that ethical leadership components could play a role in online sustainability reporting practices. Implications/Originality/Value: This study will provide a new insight for corporate leaders, academics and policymakers on how ethical leadership could play a role in online sustainability reporting as well as enhance accountability through online disclosures. The empirical evidence will provide support for ethical leadership as potential antecedents of online disclosures, which has been understudied.

scholarly journals Sustainability Reporting by Firms in the Nigerian Economy: Social versus Environmental Disclosure

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 87-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alhassan Haladu ◽  
Basariah Bt. Salim
Keyword(s):  
Information Disclosure ◽  
Current Trend ◽  
Sustainability Reporting ◽  
Social Reporting ◽  
Environmental Reporting ◽  
Environmental Disclosure ◽  
Sustainability Disclosure ◽  
Environmentally Sensitive ◽  
Social And Environmental Reporting ◽  
The Impact

Purpose: There is need for specialization on individual categories of sustainability information disclosure.  An attempt has been made in this study to make a comparison between the environmental and social categories of sustainability disclosure. Methodology: Guided by the G4 sustainability reporting guidelines, environmentally sensitive companies in the Nigerian economy were analyzed for 6 years (2009-2014).  Separate assessments and comparisons were made between environmental reporting and social reporting on the impact, influence and significance of their relationships using Stata13SE analytical tool. Findings: The results shows that firms performed better on social reporting than on environmental reporting in terms of higher sustainability disclosure rates and significant relationships. Research Implications: The current trend of reporting sustainability information disclosure under both social and environmental reporting is encouraging considering the fact that disclosure on sustainability issues in Nigeria is voluntary. Practical Implications: Firms in environmentally sensitive sectors are disclosing sustainability information than expected. Originality/Value: The uniqueness in comparing sustainability disclosures between environmental information and social information.

scholarly journals Governmental Ownership of Voluntary Sustainability Information Disclosure in an Emerging Economy: Evidence from Vietnam

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (16) ◽  
pp. 6686
Author(s):  
Hang Thi Thuy Pham ◽  
Sung-Chang Jung ◽  
Su-Yol Lee
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Information Disclosure ◽  
Social Information ◽  
Sustainability Reporting ◽  
Emerging Economy ◽  
Government Ownership ◽  
Institutional Perspective ◽  
Corporate Governance Mechanisms ◽  
Sustainability Disclosure ◽  
Positive Effect

Emerging economies have increasingly paid attention to sustainability issues in the business circle. However, few studies have explored what facilitates sustainability information disclosure. This study examines how corporate governance mechanisms, particularly government ownership, affect sustainability disclosure in an emerging economy—Vietnam. By combining related research streams, including stakeholder theory, institutional perspective, and principal–agent theory, we present a hypothesis on the effect of corporate governance on sustainability reporting. The logistic regression analysis and analysis of variance on 2678 Vietnamese sample firm-years from 2010 through 2016 indicate that government ownership is negatively associated with voluntary environmental and social information disclosure. Additionally, they demonstrate that ownership concentration tends to lower non-financial information disclosure, while individual largest shareholder has a positive effect. These findings provide managers and policymakers with theoretical and practical implications to encourage firms in emerging Asian economies such as Vietnam to adopt sustainability activities and disclose social information.

Corporate disclosure on anti-corruption practice

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 1077-1093 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ayman Issa ◽  
Antonio Alleyne
Keyword(s):  
Information Disclosure ◽  
Corporate Sustainability ◽  
Sustainability Reporting ◽  
Corporate Disclosure ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Gulf Countries ◽  
Analysis Technique ◽  
Sustainability Reports ◽  
External Forces ◽  
Insight Into

PurposeThis paper aims to determine the extent of anti-corruption information disclosure in the sustainability reports originating from Gulf countries.Design/methodology/approachThis study utilizes a deeply rooted content analysis technique of corporate sustainability reporting, covering 66 Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) firms during 2014.FindingsStrengthened by the application of the institutional theory, insight into the results points to a state of limited maturity regarding the disclosure of anti-corruption procedures in the region. More specifically, the results highlight the compliance in the reporting of conduct code, while reporting information on whistleblowing was significantly less in comparison. Firms in Qatar and the UAE ultimately release better informed reports, inclusive of detailed information on internal anti-corruption practices.Originality/valueThe aim of this study is to determine the extent of sustainability reporting in GCC companies under coercive isomorphism concept, with a special interest in the disclosure of anti-corruption practices. Ultimately, addressing the following questions: To what extent the GCC companies disclose their anti-corruption practices in the sustainability reports? What areas of anti-corruption disclosure the GCC is more concerned in their sustainability reports? To what extent do external forces under coercive isomorphism explain the extent of anti-corruption?

scholarly journals Non-Financial Information Disclosure in Italian Public Interest Companies: A Sustainability Reporting Perspective

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (15) ◽  
pp. 6063 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrizia Gazzola ◽  
Roberta Pezzetti ◽  
Stefano Amelio ◽  
Daniele Grechi
Keyword(s):  
Public Interest ◽  
Information Disclosure ◽  
Sustainability Reporting ◽  
Financial Information ◽  
Business Strategies ◽  
Insurance Companies ◽  
Eu Directive ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Sustainability Standards ◽  
The Impact

The paper aims at investigating the impact of UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030 on Italian “public interest entities” both in term of approaches to non-financial disclosure and on business strategies. The analysis focuses on the investigation of the relationships between the 17 SDGs and the set of non-financial information defined in bont the EU Directive 2014/95/EU and the related Italian L.D. n. 254 of 30 December 2016. SDGs has been significantly analysed in the literature, considering the effects on sustainability policies adopted by the States, but little attention has been paid to the policies adopted by companies. The awareness of companies towards the business implication connected to the achievemt of these goals translate into a new conscientious path, in compliance with sustainability standards. In this framework, the paper investigates the entire population of Italian companies subject to the publishing of non-financial information disclosure, with the exclusion of banks and insurance companies. For each company under investigation, two kinds of analysis are presented: (1) firstly, the company’s level of sustainability derived from the company website; (2) the approach in pursuing the 17 SDGs. The overall results are quite comforting in term of companies’ sustainability aptitude. Over the years, Italian public interest entities have implemented active policies linked to the achievement of some specific goals, in compliance with the Italian legislation, although divergences still emerge among the Italian areas, as a result of cultural differences that still exist and affect companies’ approaches to sustainability issues. In this regard, the results of the analysis are interesting for government authorities to regulat the pursuit of sustainability goals.

Linking sustainability reporting frameworks and sustainable development goals

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristina Alexandrina Stefanescu
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Development Strategy ◽  
Information Disclosure ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Sustainability Reporting ◽  
Global Reporting Initiative ◽  
Integrated Reporting ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Reporting Practices ◽  
Development Goals

Purpose This study aims to explore the linkages between sustainable development and sustainability reporting by approaching the UN’s 2030 Agenda in connection with the Integrated Reporting (IR) and Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) frameworks. It aims to outline a theoretical model able to support the achievement of sustainable development goals (SDGs) through appropriate reporting. Design/methodology/approach The research methodology follows a qualitative approach, combining content and benchmarking analyses of the official documents in question. It aims to provide a better understanding of the conceptual matches between the “5 Ps” of sustainable development and the two sustainability reporting frameworks (IR and GRI) by breaking them down into components and overlapping their constituents to highlight the connections. Findings The results reveal that both sustainability reporting frameworks provide prerequisites to ensure SDGs achievement due to the embedded sustainability issues. As there are more matches between SDGs and the capitals implied in the pursuit of value creation, IR better fits to become part of the sustainable development strategy as a valuable option for reporting on SDGs. Practical implications The study addresses academia through a better understanding of the connections between SDGs and sustainability reporting. It might help regulators to improve their latest efforts to enhance transparency and comparability through the enactment of Directive 2014/95, as long as it has not imposed a standardised report yet. It could guide practitioners to face future challenges and support their steps towards standardised reporting practices. Originality/value This paper approaches the newsworthy topic of sustainable development, outlining a conceptual model meant to support the SDGs achievement through appropriate standardised reporting. It might also fill the gap of the Directive 2014/95 on non-financial information disclosure as it identifies the most suitable type of reporting to enhance the harmonisation at the European level.

scholarly journals Environmental Information Disclosure Assessment: The Case of Manufacturing Firms Listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 153-171
Author(s):  
Sofik Handoyo ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Information Disclosure ◽  
Stock Exchange ◽  
Environmental Law ◽  
Sustainability Reporting ◽  
Environmental Information ◽  
Manufacturing Firms ◽  
Global Reporting Initiative ◽  
Environmental Compliance ◽  
Environmental Disclosure ◽  
Environmental Information Disclosure

This study aimed to assess the environmental information disclosure of listed manufacturing firms on the Indonesia Stock Exchange. Furthermore, this study used the content analysis procedure of the firm’s annual reports and sustainability reporting. The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standard was adopted as the guidelines for assessing environmental disclosure. Meanwhile, the evaluated topics are material, energy, water, biodiversity, emissions, effluents and waste, environmental compliance, and supplier environmental assessment. The results showed that manufacturing firms had disclosed environmental information at a moderate level, and the average performance level was relatively low. Furthermore, by topic, the environmental performance levels showed that disclosure related to effluents and waste was the highest, followed by energy, materials, emissions, water, biodiversity, and compliance, respectively. The results indicated that the Indonesian government needs to improve environmental law enforcement for industrial practice. Furthermore, Indonesia’s capital market authority is expected to introduce a sustainability index as part of a business organisation’s concern for environmental protection. The Institute of Indonesia Chartered Accountant (IAI) also needs to consider developing a standard for environmental reporting as an integral part of corporate financial reporting. Keywords: Annual report, environmental disclosure, environmental compliance, stock exchange, sustainability reporting

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