Corporate sustainability reporting practices in India: myth or reality?

2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 625-641 ◽  
Author(s):  
Najul Laskar ◽  
Santi Gopal Maji
Keyword(s):  
Firm Performance ◽  
Corporate Sustainability ◽  
Sustainability Reporting ◽  
Annual Reports ◽  
Coding System ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Reporting Practices ◽  
Sustainability Practices ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to look into the sustainability practices of Indian firms in terms of the quality of disclosure, the impact of corporate sustainability performance (CSP) on firm performance and the appropriateness of the sustainability reporting guidelines followed by the firms. Design/methodology/approach The present study is based on secondary data collected from annual reports and corporate sustainability reports of 28 listed Indian non-financial firms from 2008-2009 to 2013-2014. Content analysis is used to calculate the score in terms of level (binary coding system) and quality of disclosure (four-point scale). These scores are further used to examine the impact of CSP on firm performance by using an appropriate regression model. Findings The study finds that the average level of disclosure is 88 per cent, whereas the quality of disclosure is nearly 80 per cent. The influence of CSP (in terms of level and quality disclosure) on firm performance is positive and significant. Moreover, the study also reveals that the Global Reporting Initiatives framework is not sufficient enough to publish the sustainability report of any business concern. The outcomes of the study, thus, indicate that sustainability practices of Indian firms are not myth but approaching toward reality. Originality/value It is the first comprehensive study in India to analyze the corporate sustainability reporting practices encompassing different dimensions of sustainability.

Assessing current company reports according to the IIRC integrated reporting framework

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 305-333 ◽  
Author(s):  
Merve Kılıç ◽  
Cemil Kuzey
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Sustainability ◽  
Sustainability Reporting ◽  
Annual Reports ◽  
Global Reporting Initiative ◽  
Integrated Reporting ◽  
Adherence Level ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Reporting Practices ◽  
Reporting Framework ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the adherence level of current company reports to the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC) integrated reporting framework through analysis of whether and to what extent those reports include the content elements of this framework. This study also aims to examine the impact of corporate sustainability characteristics on the adherence level of current company reports to the integrated reporting framework. Design/methodology/approach The sample for this research comprises the non-financial companies which were listed on Borsa Istanbul, the Turkish stock exchange, as of 31 December 2015. The authors constructed a disclosure index based on the content elements of the IIRC reporting framework. They then measured the integrated reporting disclosure score (IRS) of each company through a manual content analysis of its annual reports and stand-alone sustainability reports. To test the hypotheses, the authors performed a number of statistical analyses. Findings The authors determined that current company reports mainly present generic risks rather than company-specific; provide positive information while dismissing negative information; present financial and non-financial initiatives separately; lack a strategic focus; and include backward-looking information rather than forward-looking information. Consistent with the predictions, the authors found that the IRS is significantly and positively associated with sustainability reporting, Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) adoption, sustainability index listing and the presence of a sustainability committee. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature by enhancing the understanding of integrated reporting practices through the application of a checklist based upon the IIRC integrated reporting framework. Further, this study contributes to the literature by evaluating the impact of corporate sustainability characteristics on IRS.

scholarly journals Sustainability Reporting and Firm Performance: The Demonstration of Pakistani Firms

SAGE Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 215824402095318
Author(s):  
Xie Hongming ◽  
Bilal Ahmed ◽  
Arif Hussain ◽  
Alam Rehman ◽  
Irfan Ullah ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Firm Performance ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Corporate Strategy ◽  
Research Work ◽  
Sustainability Reporting ◽  
Composite Effect ◽  
Reporting Practices ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Sustainability Practices ◽  
The Impact

The nexus between sustainability and firm performance is an area of debate among researchers and academicians. The objective of this study is to examine the level and extent of sustainable financial reporting for non-financial firms in Pakistan and to assess the level of the impact of sustainable financial reporting on firm performance in Pakistan. This study is a novel research work as the sustainability practices are not mandatory in many Pakistani firms. Rather kinds of mix sustainability reporting practices are being practiced. The dilemma still exists whether sustainability practices affect the performance of Pakistani firms positively or not. We collect data from the sustainability reports as well as annual reports of 50 non-financial public limited companies listed in Pakistan Stock Exchange for the period 2013 to 2017. We calculate sustainability reporting index using content analysis procedure based on 42 indicators. The index is based on three subindices, namely, environmental, health and safety, and social indicators. We apply two regression models with a view to ascertain the individual effect of each indicator of the sustainability as well as the composite effect of sustainability reporting index on firm performance. The results confirm positive effects of all three individual indicators as well as the composite form of sustainability reporting index on firm performance. The findings of the study clearly outline the economic relevance for introducing the corporate sustainability reporting practices in corporate strategy.

Sustainability reporting – more global than local?

2016 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 478-504 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sashika Abeydeera ◽  
Helen Tregidga ◽  
Kate Kearins
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Context ◽  
Corporate Sustainability ◽  
Sustainability Reporting ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Reporting Practices ◽  
Global Institutions ◽  
Award Winning ◽  
Sustainability Reports ◽  
Sustainability Practices ◽  
A Site

Purpose In recognition of the potential for Buddhism to advance sustainability, this paper aims to investigate whether Buddhism appears to be informing the sustainability practices of corporations within a particular national context. Corporate sustainability reports are used as a site of analysis. Design/methodology/approach Sixteen corporate sustainability reports from a set of sustainability award-winning corporations in Sri Lanka, a country with a strong Buddhist presence, are analysed. Evidence of Buddhist principles and values related to sustainability is sought to ascertain the extent to which Buddhism is evident in disclosures within the reports. The influence of global institutions is also considered. Findings Analysis reveals surprisingly little evidence of Buddhist principles and values in the corporate sustainability reports of these award-winning corporations. Sustainability reporting practices are revealed to be highly institutionalised by global influences, with the majority of the reports examined explicitly embracing global standardisation. The standardisation of corporate sustainability reporting through the pursuit of globally accepted reporting frameworks is argued to have caused a disconnect between Buddhism as a prevalent institutional force in the local culture and context and the corporate representations evident in such reporting. Potential consequences of this disconnect in relation to the ability for Buddhism to inform sustainability practices at the organisational level are considered. Originality/value The paper contributes to the literature on corporate sustainability reporting through considering whether local cultural context is represented within such reports and possible reasons and consequences.

scholarly journals Investigating supply chain sustainability in South African organisations

2018 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabrielle Niehaus ◽  
Heinrich W. Feiboth ◽  
Leila L. Goedhals-Gerber
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
South African ◽  
Carbon Tax ◽  
Statistical Tests ◽  
Sustainability Reporting ◽  
Annual Reports ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain ◽  
Reporting Practices ◽  
Sustainability Practices ◽  
The Impact

Background: The need for sustainable supply chain management has become a necessity given the growing impact of climate change and global warming. The South African (SA) government is planning to implement a carbon tax in the future, which will present financial challenges for organisations already facing social and environmental difficulties.Objectives: The main objective of this article was to investigate the current sustainability reporting practices in supply chains of SA organisations. The focus was specifically on the supply chain sustainability practices of organisations listed in selected sectors on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE). A secondary objective was to investigate preparation efforts by SA companies for the impending carbon tax.Method: Data collected from sustainability and integrated annual reports of organisations in the sample were analysed using non-parametric statistical tests to compare sectors on the JSE and to compare companies listed on the socially responsible investment (SRI) Index with those that are not.Results: The results showed that there is insufficient data for some of the sectors; however, there are differences in the supply chain and sustainability practices for the remaining sectors. There are also differences in these practices between SRI and non-SRI companies. The research also showed that companies are discussing important concepts relating to the implementation of the impending carbon tax.Research impact: SA organisations need to increase their focus on sustainable supply chain practices. Further investigation into the preparation efforts of companies to reduce their emissions and/or footprint and mitigate the impact of the impending carbon tax is necessary.

Impact of corporate sustainability reporting on firm performance: an empirical examination in Asia

2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 571-593 ◽  
Author(s):  
Najul Laskar
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Logistic Regression ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
Firm Performance ◽  
South Korea ◽  
Logistic Regression Model ◽  
Corporate Sustainability ◽  
Sustainability Reporting ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyse the impact of corporate sustainability reporting on firm performance in four Asian countries – Japan, South Korea, Indonesia and India – and to find out whether there is any significant difference between developed and developing countries of Asia with respect to the impact of such reporting on firm performance. Design/methodology/approach The study is based on 36 listed nonfinancial companies from Japan, 28 from India, 26 from South Korea and 21 from Indonesia respectively, from 2009 to 2014. Content analysis (binary −0 and 1) is used to calculate the disclosure score of sustainability performance, based on Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) format. The outcome of the content analysis is further used to examine the impact of corporate sustainability reporting on firm performance employing a logistic regression model. Findings The study finds that the average level of disclosure is more in the case of Japanese companies (90 per cent), followed by India (88 per cent) and South Korea (85 per cent). On the other hand, the average level of disclosure is only 72 per cent for Indonesian firms. Regression results depict a significant positive association between sustainability reporting and firm’s performance. The study further finds that the relative impact of sustainability reporting on firm performance is more in developed countries than in developing countries of Asia. Originality/value This is the first comprehensive study in Asian context to examine the impact of the level of corporate sustainability disclosure on the firm performance by using the logistic regression model. The outcome of this study would not only help the corporate managers but also the policymakers to make a valuable decision, which will eventually contribute to the objectives of sustainable development.

How do public companies respond to national challenges through sustainability reporting? – The case of Sri Lanka

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dinithi Dissanayake ◽  
Carol A. Tilt ◽  
Wei Qian
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Developing Country ◽  
National Level ◽  
National Development ◽  
Sustainability Reporting ◽  
Annual Reports ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Integrative Social Contracts Theory ◽  
Reporting Practices

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore how sustainability reporting is shaped by the global influences and particular national context where businesses operate. Design/methodology/approach The paper uses both content analysis of published sustainability information and semi-structured interviews with corporate managers to explore how sustainability reporting is used to address unique social and environmental challenges in a developing country – Sri Lanka. The use of integrative social contracts theory in investigating sustainability reporting offers novel insights into understanding the drivers for sustainability reporting practices in this particular country. Findings The findings reveal that managers’ perceptions about usefulness of sustainability reporting, local contextual challenges and global norms influence the extent to which companies engage in sustainability reporting and the nature of sustainability information reported. In particular, Sri Lankan company managers strive to undertake sustainability projects that are beneficial not only to their companies but also to the development of the country. However, while company managers in Sri Lanka are keen to undertake sustainability reporting, they face different tensions/expectations between global expectations and local contextual factors when undertaking sustainability projects and reporting. This is also showcased in what is ultimately reported in company annual reports, where some aspects of sustainability, e.g. social, tend to focus more on addressing local concerns whereas other disclosures are on issues that may be relevant across many contexts. Research limitations/implications Important insights for government and other regulatory authorities can be drawn from the findings of this study. By capitalising on the strong sense of moral duty felt by company managers, policymakers can involve the business sector more to mitigate the social and environmental issues prevalent in Sri Lanka. The findings can also be used by other developing countries to enable pathways to engage with the corporate sector to contribute to national development agendas through their sustainability initiatives and projects. Originality/value While the usual understanding of developing country’s company managers is that they try to follow global trends, in Sri Lanka, this research shows how managers are trying to align their responsibilities at a national level with global principles regarding sustainability reporting. Therefore, this paper highlights how both hypernorms and microsocial rules can interact to define how company managers undertake sustainability reporting in a developing country.

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.

“Green washing” or “authentic effort”? An empirical investigation of the quality of sustainability reporting by banks

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Habib Zaman Khan ◽  
Sudipta Bose ◽  
Abu Taher Mollik ◽  
Harun Harun
Keyword(s):  
Social Performance ◽  
Sustainability Reporting ◽  
Global Reporting Initiative ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Performance Factors ◽  
Holistic Understanding ◽  
Regulatory Guidelines ◽  
External Reporting ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThis study explores the quality of sustainability reporting (QSR) and the impact of regulatory guidelines, social performance and a standardised reporting framework (using the Global Reporting Initiative [GRI] guidelines) on QSR in the context of banks in Bangladesh.Design/methodology/approachUsing a sample of 315 banking firm-year observations over 13 years (2002–2014), a content analysis technique is used to develop the 11-item QSR index. Regression analysis is used to test the research hypotheses.FindingsInitially, QSR evolved symbolically in Bangladesh's banks but, over our investigation period, with QSR indicators gradually improving, the trends became substantive. The influences on QSR were sustainable banking practice regulatory guidelines, social performance and use of the GRI guidelines. However, until banks improve reporting information, such as external verification and trends over time, QSR cannot be regarded as fully substantive.Research limitations/implicationsThis study advances QSR research and debate among academic researchers. With regulatory agencies and stakeholders increasingly using sustainability reporting information for decision making, the information's quality is vital.Originality/valueThis study is the first on QSR in the banking industry context, with previous research mostly investigating the quantity of sustainability reporting. The current study also synthesises QSR with sustainability regulation and social performance factors which have rarely been used in the sustainability literature. To gain a holistic understanding of QSR, existing QSR measures are advanced by combining external reporting efforts with banks' internalisation initiatives.

scholarly journals Legal systems, internationalization and corporate sustainability. An empirical analysis of the influence of national and international authorities

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (5) ◽  
pp. 861-875 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacob Hörisch ◽  
Roger Leonard Burritt ◽  
Katherine L. Christ ◽  
Stefan Schaltegger
Keyword(s):  
Legal System ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Corporate Sustainability ◽  
Relative Effectiveness ◽  
Legal Systems ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sustainability Practices ◽  
The Impact ◽  
International Sales ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This paper aims to compare the influence of different legal systems on corporate sustainability management practices. Against the background of growing internationalization of business activities, it additionally considers whether internationalization allows companies to circumvent the influence of national authorities. Design/methodology/approach Three legal systems are compared using regression analyses of more than 200 large corporations in five countries: common law (USA and Australia), German code law (Germany) and French code law (France and Spain). Findings The impact of national and international authorities is found to be strongest in French code law countries. In addition, the influence of international authorities is stronger for corporations with higher shares of international sales. For both national and international authorities, the degree of internationalization is found to moderate the influence of the legal system on corporate sustainability practices. Practical implications The legal system in place influences the relative effectiveness of national and international authorities over company sustainability practices and needs to be taken into account in policymaking. To be effective, international authorities need to work with or substitute for national authorities in promoting corporate sustainability practices in countries depending on their legal systems. Originality/value This research applies and quantitatively tests La Porta’s (1998) framework on legal systems in the new context of corporate sustainability.

Rising standards of sustainability reporting in India

2018 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Puneeta Goel
Keyword(s):  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Financial Performance ◽  
Sustainability Reporting ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Reporting Practices ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Reform Period ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Sustainability Report

Purpose The increasing awareness among the stakeholders demands the companies to be more transparent in their annual reporting. In the absence of standardized reporting norms, companies are free to structure sustainability report as per their understanding, willingness and intent. Although some voluntary guidelines have been issued by the regulatory authorities in India, the norms are still not clear as to what to report and how to report. This paper aims to look in to sustainability reporting practices by top companies listed in Bombay stock exchange and its impact on financial performance. Design/methodology/approach Using this sample of 68 companies from top 100 in the list of ET500 for 2016, self-constructed sustainability reporting score has been computed for each company for the financial year 2012-2013 and 2015-2016. The two periods represent pre- and post-disclosure reform periods in India. A sustainability reporting scale has been constructed using 16 parameters of sustainable performance based on social, environment and governance aspects as reported in the annual report, sustainability report and business responsibility report. Findings It has been found that there is a significant improvement in sustainability reporting by Indian companies after the introduction of disclosure reforms. Different sectors show significant difference in the sustainability reporting during pre-reform period but as the sustainability reporting improves after the reforms, sector difference reduces. Sustainability reporting is a significant predictor of financial parameters of return on sales, return on equity and Tobin’s Q in pre-reform period, but in the post-reform period, no significant impact was found on financial performance. Practical implications Disclosure reforms have made a significant impact on sustainability reporting by Indian companies. Companies need to identify the core areas of social responsibility, to implement Indian model of mandatory 2 per cent spending on corporate social responsibility. Disclosure of carbon foot prints should be mandatory and more number of independent directors should be appointed for successful implementation of these reforms. Market regulators should be made more powerful and given a free hand to prosecute the companies involved in frauds and high penalties should be imposed for non-compliance. Originality/value Sustainability reporting has drawn increased strategic attention in India to make reporting more transparent and responsible toward society and environment. The structural changes and introduction of disclosure reforms make an interesting case to investigate their implications on Indian companies. Accordingly, this research studies the sustainability reporting by Indian companies before and after the introduction of disclosure reforms. No previous research has investigated the impact of these reforms considering two different periods.

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