scholarly journals Motivations for voluntary corporate adoption of integrated reporting: A novel context for comparing voluntary disclosure and legitimacy theory

2021 ◽  
Vol 322 ◽  
pp. 129027
Author(s):  
Kimitaka Nishitani ◽  
Jeffrey Unerman ◽  
Katsuhiko Kokubu
Keyword(s):  
Voluntary Disclosure ◽  
Legitimacy Theory ◽  
Integrated Reporting

Board characteristics and the choice between sustainability and integrated reporting: a European analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Girella ◽  
Stefano Zambon ◽  
Paola Rossi
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Voluntary Disclosure ◽  
Sustainability Reporting ◽  
Board Independence ◽  
Corporate Boards ◽  
Integrated Reporting ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Moderating Variables ◽  
Board Characteristics ◽  
Sustainability Report

Purpose The role that the board can have in influencing the adoption of non-financial reporting (NFR) by companies is a topic that has raised interest in the recent literature. However, very few have so far been said on the logic that underpins the selection by corporate boards of a particular model (sustainability and/or integrated). This study aims to examine if and to what extent board characteristics may influence the choice of companies to voluntarily publish a sustainability report, an integrated report or both of them, and if moderating variables, relating to incentives towards corporate transparency, may have an influence. Both of these types of reporting tools are in fact aimed at improving company disclosure towards sustainable development. Design/methodology/approach Through a multi-nomial regression analysis, this study tests the assumptions in a sample of companies listed on the Eurostoxx600 that adopt integrated or sustainability reporting or both of them for the period 2015–2018 for a total of 2,103 firm-years observations. Findings The results reveal that sustainability reporting is associated with board independence only, whilst the adoption of integrated reporting is influenced by board size and board independence. The same two variables influence also those companies that jointly adopt both sustainability and an integrated report. This confirms that integrated reporting requires more competencies and monitoring to be adopted. Furthermore, the results provide evidence that information asymmetry and financial constraints influence the decision of companies to publish the integrated report, sustainability report or both, whilst growth opportunities do not. Hence, moderating variables can have a role in explaining this association, and especially those that are related to the firm’s incentives related to the provision of financial capital by investors. Research limitations/implications This study contributes to the literature in three ways. First, it proposes an incremental analysis of the relationship between board characteristics and voluntary disclosure of integrated reporting, considering the effects of moderating variables on this association. Second, the above relationship is examined in a comparative way vis-à-vis the adoption of sustainability reporting. Third, it demonstrates that the analysis of these reporting tools can benefit from an understanding that relies on both agency and stakeholder theories, that have to be conceived somehow complementary. In terms of limitations, this study is exclusively focussed on larger European listed firms, and therefore, the findings may not be valid for small and medium firms and for companies operating outside Europe. Practical implications This study provides useful insights for managers and policymakers to better understand which are the characteristics of the board composition that can best encourage a company to pursue a reporting strategy based on sustainable development. This results to be particularly relevant and timely in the European context if the authors take into consideration the developments of the European Parliament and Commission towards the launch of a new legislative proposal on sustainable corporate governance in 2021. Originality/value The study contributes to the existing literature in two ways. First, it offers a unique perspective on the direct and indirect effects of board characteristics on the adoption of integrated and/or sustainability reports by examining it in a comparative perspective. Second, it further demonstrates that the analysis of NFR and especially integrated reporting might benefit from the adoption of multiple conceptual lenses, in this case, agency and stakeholder theories.

Adoption of integrated reporting in Sri Lanka: coverage and trend

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Thilini Cooray ◽  
Samanthi Senaratne ◽  
Nuwan Gunarathne ◽  
Roshan Herath ◽  
Dileepa Neelangi Samudrage
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
The Other ◽  
Sri Lankan ◽  
Legitimacy Theory ◽  
Integrated Reporting ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Disclosure Requirements ◽  
Comprehensive Index ◽  
Reporting Framework

Purpose This paper aims to examine the coverage of and trends in reporting content elements in the integrated reports of the Sri Lankan companies following the International Integrated Reporting Framework (IIRF). Design/methodology/approach Based on a comprehensive checklist developed on the content elements of the IIRF, 171 corporate integrated reports were content-analyzed over a period of three years. The results were theorized subsequently using the legitimacy theory. Findings The study identifies that the extent of and trend in the coverage of content elements of the IIRF have increased during the period under consideration despite some under-addressed areas. It indicates that Sri Lankan companies are making progress in the preparation of integrated reports in line with the IIRF, which provides evidence in support of both strategic and institutional perspectives of the legitimacy theory because of the proactive actions taken by managers to acquire legitimacy along with the other normative and mimetic pressures available in the IR landscape. Originality/value This is one of the first studies that evaluate the compliance of IR adopters with the IIRF overtime in the entirety of a single country. It also develops a comprehensive index to capture the disclosure requirements of IR and extends the analysis to a voluntary context using both strategic and institutional perspectives of the legitimacy theory.

scholarly journals Structure of Integrated Reporting, Voluntary Disclosure and Firm-Specific Characteristics in Saudi Arabian Companies

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (10) ◽  
pp. 73
Author(s):  
Mohammad Hariri
Keyword(s):  
Voluntary Disclosure ◽  
Information Disclosure ◽  
Stock Exchange ◽  
Saudi Arabian ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Research Direction ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Firm Characteristics ◽  
Integrated Reporting ◽  
Corporate Information

The present study aims towards three research purposes. Firstly, it intends to reveal the pattern that associates the elements of the Integrated Reporting (IR) of companies listed on the Saudi Arabian Stock Exchange (Tadawul). Secondly, it verifies the existence of a relationship between IR practices and some firm-specific characteristics. Third, it examines the similarities between the IR practices of these companies. IR communicates how an organization's strategy, governance, performance, and prospects lead to value creation. The dataset used for the IR elements is retrieved from Tadawul and consists of data regarding integrated reports for 126 companies listed in 2019; while the data for the firm-specific characteristics, as the size of the company, the auditor type and the type of company are extracted from Marketscreener.com and Argaam.com portals. The methodology used consists of the empirical-analytical approach with the use of Optimal Scaling techniques. Main findings consist of a positive association found between the elements of the IR, as well as that the specific characteristics of the firms are not related to the elements of the IR. In our results a dissimilarity is found in the corporate information disclosure practices. These findings reveal a need for a deep investigation of the IR elements and firm characteristics in Saudi Arabian companies. One of the future research direction is a multilinear data for various years such that can reveal a more comprehensive understanding of IR elements and firm characteristics. This study becomes relevant in the context of IR elements and firm characteristics relations, that are not yet studies at their research potential.

Theories on Integrated Reporting

2017 ◽  
pp. 23-28
Keyword(s):  
Institutional Theory ◽  
Agency Theory ◽  
Financial Information ◽  
Legitimacy Theory ◽  
Integrated Reporting ◽  
Social Governance ◽  
Accounting Theory ◽  
Positive Accounting Theory

This chapter seeks to explain the main theories used for studying integrated reporting. Scholars and academics conducted research on non-financial information (investigating environmental/social/governance reports), and even on integrated reports (still few studies in this field) involving a set of theories: institutional and neo-institutional theory, legitimacy theory, positive accounting theory, agency theory, accounting constellation theory, etc.

Global financial crisis and relevance of GRI disclosure in Italy. Insights from the stakeholder theory and the legitimacy theory

2018 ◽  
pp. 67-102 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luca Fornaciari ◽  
Caterina Pesci
Keyword(s):  
Financial Crisis ◽  
Stakeholder Theory ◽  
Voluntary Disclosure ◽  
Information Disclosure ◽  
Global Financial Crisis ◽  
Value Relevance ◽  
Stock Exchange ◽  
Environmental Information ◽  
Legitimacy Theory ◽  
Environmental Disclosure

In this study, we examine the effects of voluntary disclosure on the market value of Italian-listed companies adopting GRI guidelines, interpreting our results in the light of both stakeholder theory and legitimacy theory. From a methodological viewpoint, an index is used to measure the level of disclosure of human resources and environmental information. We consider a sample of firms listed on the Milan Stock Exchange for an eleven-year period (2004-2014). The period chosen gave us the opportunity to assess the value-relevance of environmental and social information before and during the Global Financial Crisis. We supplement the previous literature on the topic of the relationship between social and environmental disclosure and value-relevance by arguing that sustainability tools have to be evaluated, remembering that they express a notion of value in the long term and provide information to a large number of stakeholders. Our findings show that environmental information is only value-relevant during the crisis period, when the shareholder perspective comes more into line with other stakeholder perspectives because they are seeking a middle-to-long run notion of value. Finally, we find that a high level of GRI information disclosure is positively evaluated by investors; this result is important also because it was obtained in the Italian market which is largely considered inefficient, and thus it supports the urgent need to provide high-quality information in each type of market.

Factors associated with the voluntary disclosure of the integrated report in Brazil

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruhama Bezerra Fernandes ◽  
Alexandro Barbosa
Keyword(s):  
Voluntary Disclosure ◽  
Stock Exchange ◽  
Multinomial Logistic Regression ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Cultural Dimensions ◽  
Board Structure ◽  
Integrated Reporting ◽  
Financial Reports ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Associated

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the factors associated with the voluntary disclosure of integrated reporting (IR) in Brazil of the companies listed on the stock exchange – Brasil, Bolsa, Balcão. The cultural dimensions of a nation reflect different priorities in accounting practices. The Brazilian case, therefore, becomes significant, as Brazil is increasingly important in world markets. Design/methodology/approach As an explanatory econometric model, multinomial logistic regression was used (Y = 2 to describe the probability of the IR disclosure; Y = 1 to describe the occurrence of reports with practices similar to the IR and Y = 0 to describe the occurrence of non-disclosure of non-financial reports). Applied to panel data with random effects (chosen for best performance) in the period from 2016 to 2019. Findings Reveals the positive association of the company’s profitability and market-to-book with the probability of the IR disclosure. Regarding the board composition, it is suggested that size does not make a difference, with the greater participation of women and independence of directors associated with better probabilities of adopting the IR in Brazil. Originality/value This work is the first to characterize the Brazilian reality of voluntary disclosure, specifying the implementation of IR, compared to publishing reports similar to the IR and not reporting structured non-financial statements. It can also be considered the first study on the relevance of the board structure in the disclosure of IR by Brazilian companies. Finally, it contributes to the literature on IR adoption, bringing practical results in understanding the most favorable conditions in which the IR framework will be fully implemented.

The disclosure of environmental conservation costs and its relation to eco-efficiency

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keun-Hyo Yook ◽  
Hakjoon Song ◽  
Dennis M. Patten ◽  
Il-Woon Kim
Keyword(s):  
Kyoto Protocol ◽  
Voluntary Disclosure ◽  
Environmental Control ◽  
Environmental Conservation ◽  
Impact Factors ◽  
Legitimacy Theory ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Environmental Controls ◽  
Conservation Costs ◽  
Carbon Based

Purpose This paper aims to examine whether the amount of costs disclosed as relating to environmental controls is associated with environmental performance in terms of carbon-based eco-efficiency, and whether any relation supports voluntary disclosure theory or legitimacy theory arguments. Further, this paper attempts to determine whether the relations differ across the initial Kyoto Protocol period. Design/methodology/approach In this study, the focus was on Japanese firms over the period from 2002 to 2012. Disclosed environmental control costs (capital expenditures and operating costs) were identified and eco-efficiency measures based on carbon emissions were calculated. Relations were tested for using regression models controlling for other potential impact factors. Findings This study’s results indicate a negative relation between disclosed levels of environmental control costs and eco-efficiency performance measures, and, for two of our three eco-efficiency metrics, this is more pronounced over the Kyoto Protocol period. Research limitations/implications These results support a legitimacy theory (as opposed to voluntary disclosure theory) explanation for the relation between the levels of disclosed environmental control costs and carbon-based eco-efficiency. Originality/value This study is the first to explore how flexibility in cost classification may be used by companies to foster a disclosure strategy.

scholarly journals MENGIDENTIFIKASI PERAN TEORI DAN KARAKTERISTIK PERUSAHAAN YANG DAPAT MEMPENGARUHI PENGUNGKAPAN CSR

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 181-194
Author(s):  
Nufaisa Nufaisa ◽  
Binti Shofiatul Jannah
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Stakeholder Theory ◽  
Voluntary Disclosure ◽  
Theoretical Perspective ◽  
Theoretical Development ◽  
Social Activities ◽  
Legitimacy Theory ◽  
Csr Disclosure ◽  
Corporate Social

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a part of corporate business social activities as an effort to bring good impact on environmental issues. Information regarding social activities, both economic also non-economic, has attracted the attention of users of financial reports. The disclosure of corporate social responsibility to the public is still voluntary. The theoretical development of CSR is stakeholder theory and legitimacy theory. Both of these theories come from a political economy perspective which explains the motivation for social disclosure. Stakeholder theory try to clarify the credentials of stakeholders. Meanwhile, the legitimacy theory explains that voluntary disclosure is component of the legitimacy process. The disclosure of corporate social responsibility can also be influenced by company characteristics, such as firm size, profitability, company profile, the number of  the board of commissioners, leverage, ownership structure, business age, company size, growth and industrial type. This paper aims to explain the motivation for CSR disclosure from a theoretical perspective and identify company characteristics that can influence CSR disclosure.

scholarly journals Integrated reporting and analyst behaviour in diverse institutional settings

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesca Rossignoli ◽  
Riccardo Stacchezzini ◽  
Alessandro Lai
Keyword(s):  
Voluntary Disclosure ◽  
Environmental Governance ◽  
Forecast Accuracy ◽  
Institutional Setting ◽  
Analyst Forecast ◽  
Integrated Reporting ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Institutional Settings ◽  
Moderating Role

Purpose Given the limited studies that have started to focus on contexts where integrated reporting (IR) is voluntarily adopted, this paper aims to explore the moderating role of institutional characteristics on the association between voluntary report release and analyst forecast accuracy. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a quantitative empirical research method grounded on voluntary disclosure theory to provide empirical evidence on an international sample of companies choosing to release integrated reports. Preliminarily, a cluster analysis is used to group countries according to institutional patterns. Multivariate analyses detect the associations between report release choice and analysts’ forecast accuracy across clusters. Multiple econometric approaches are used to address the endogeneity concerns. Findings IR release is not informative for the market unless considering systematic variations across different institutional settings. Analysts’ forecast is more accurate for IR adopters located in strong institutional enforcement settings than for all the other companies. In the strong institutional setting that is also characterized by a pluralistic society, IR release benefits for the market are conditioned by the fact that the choice to release IR depends on environmental, governance and social disclosure-based managers remuneration and disclosure requirements. In weak institutional settings, IR release is not beneficial for the forecast accuracy. Research limitations/implications Academics and practitioners can gain understanding of the usefulness of voluntary IR across different institutional settings. Originality/value The study advances the understanding of the IR’s informativeness, overcoming the common dichotomous distinctions between strong and weak institutional settings.

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