Board of Directors and Environmental Reporting: Evidence From Plantation Industry
The purpose of this study is to examine the extent of environmental reporting by listed firms in the plantation industry in Malaysia. The relationship between board characteristics and the extent of environmental reporting by listed firms in Malaysia plantation industry is examined for the first three years after the issuance of the new revised Malaysian Code of Corporate Governance in 2012 (MCCG 2012). Three board characteristics have been used to explain the level of environmental reporting by Malaysia’s plantation industry firms. The correlation analysis is employed to investigate the relationship between the board characteristics and environmental reporting. This study employs a content analysis method by reviewing 110 annual reports consisting of 37 firms listed in Bursa Malaysia for three years (2013-2015). The result reports that most of the board characteristics are not significantly related to environmental reporting by the firms. Out of six measurements, only the environmental related expenses have a positive relationship with environmental reporting. The results from this study may provide knowledge and empirical understanding concerning the environmental reporting practices by the plantation industry. The policy makers and regulatory bodies such as Bursa Malaysia and Securities Commission may consider formulating guidelines for reporting environmental information to encourage voluntary compliance.