Moving from Social and Sustainability Reporting to Integrated Reporting: Exploring the Potential of Italian Public-Funded Universities’ Reports

Over recent years, the meaning of accountability has evolved and has reshaped what public sector institutions are expected to account for and how. Consequently, a large number of initiatives have emerged promoting non-financial reporting. In this context, public universities have started to experiment with sustainability reporting initiatives, but these efforts are still limited and challenged by the parallel development of multiple forms of reporting, which include integrated reporting (IR). IR has been interpreted as a further step in the reporting journey, suitable for representing the creation of public value and addressing accountability pressures. The current research aims at understanding if and how IR constitutes a feasible next step for improving the reporting practices of public universities. For this purpose, the research carries out a content analysis of social or sustainability reports written by a number of Italian public universities to find out which of the key elements of IR have already been included in such reports. Results show that some of those elements are already included, but often in a fragmented and non-homogeneous way. The findings pave the way for further considerations on how the potential adoption of IR may strengthen the value of social and sustainability reporting by integrating the information reported in different documents, fostering toward a bureaucracy that is more sustainable and providing more opportunities of innovation in reports on public sector organizations’ accountability.

Download Full-text

The Determinants of Sustainability Reporting of the Portuguese Public Sector Entities

Corporate Social Responsibility ◽

10.4018/978-1-5225-6192-7.ch035 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 653-678

Author(s):

Maria da Conceição C. Tavares ◽

Lúcia Lima Rodrigues

Keyword(s):

Corporate Social Responsibility ◽

Content Analysis ◽

Public Sector ◽

Social Responsibility ◽

Sustainability Reporting ◽

Global Reporting Initiative ◽

Sustainability Disclosure ◽

Sustainability Reports ◽

Csr Disclosure ◽

Corporate Social

Based on legitimacy and on stakeholder theories, this study analyses the level of disclosure of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in the sustainability reports of the Portuguese public sector entities for the years 2008 and 2012, prepared in accordance with the guidelines of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). The authors also aim to determine the factors that influence this level of disclosure. Using content analysis, an index of CSR disclosure was constructed based on the sustainability reports of 58 public sector entities. It was concluded that the level of sustainability disclosure is related to the organisation's size, industry, awards and certifications received, and visibility measured in terms of consumer proximity. This study offers new empirical evidence of a different context – public sector entities in Portugal, providing valuable insights into the factors that explain CSR disclosures in public sector entities.

Download Full-text

Compliance in Sustainability Reporting

The Circular Economy and Its Implications on Sustainability and the Green Supply Chain - Advances in Finance, Accounting, and Economics ◽

10.4018/978-1-5225-8109-3.ch003 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 38-65

Author(s):

Svetlana Snezhko ◽

Ali Coskun

Keyword(s):

Sustainable Development ◽

Best Practices ◽

Financial Reporting ◽

Corporate Sustainability ◽

Sustainability Reporting ◽

Positive Trend ◽

Reporting Practices ◽

Main Achievement ◽

Corporate Reporting ◽

Sustainability Reports

The research is aimed at assessing the benefits of compliance for corporate sustainability and sustainable development. The main achievement of the research is the outcome of the survey on companies' public reports to identify the trends and measure the progress achieved in disclosing information on compliance. There are both business and public drivers for disclosure of compliance information in non-financial reporting. Best practices in disclosing information on compliance by the company-leaders were revealed. There is a positive trend in the expansion of information on compliance in sustainability reports in recent years. Some problematic areas in reporting on compliance were identified. The outcomes of the research call for companies to disclose information on compliance in a more explicit way. The results may be valid for the improvement of corporate reporting practices.

Download Full-text

Sustainability, Popular and Integrated Reporting in the Public Sector: A Fad and Fashion Perspective

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su10093112 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 10 (9) ◽

pp. 3112 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Lucia Biondi ◽

Enrico Bracci

Keyword(s):

Comparative Analysis ◽

Public Sector ◽

Financial Reporting ◽

Sustainability Reporting ◽

Preliminary Evidence ◽

Specific Reference ◽

Public Accountability ◽

Integrated Reporting ◽

The Public ◽

Italian Context

This paper provides a comparative analysis of different public accountability means used in the public sector - namely sustainability reporting, popular financial reporting and integrated reporting - in order to highlight their similarities and differences, and reflect on their development, with specific reference to the Italian context. In particular, we speculate about the practical and research implications of their emergence, through the lenses of accountability and managerial fad and fashion literature. The main novelty of the paper is that it is one of the first studies providing a comparative analysis of the three reporting tools debated both in practice and in research. We argue about their diffusion patterns, the commonalities and differences, which suggests different stages of evolution, different actors and forces at play. We provide some preliminary evidence on the risk that accountability innovations may end up just in a fad and fashion uptake, creating inefficiencies and not achieving the aims they are intended for. We also show how the available frameworks and standards have more in common than not, and that there is a risk of creating only new labels, without real innovation or improvement of public accountability.

Download Full-text

Corporate Sustainability Practices in Polluting Industries: Evidence from India, China and USA

Problemy Ekorozwoju ◽

10.35784/pe.2020.1.17 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 15 (1) ◽

pp. 161-168

Author(s):

Prem Sagar Mishra ◽

◽

Ajay Kumar ◽

Niladri Das

Keyword(s):

Financial Reporting ◽

Social Performance ◽

Corporate Sustainability ◽

Sustainability Reporting ◽

Legitimacy Theory ◽

Reporting Practices ◽

Corporate World ◽

Financial Perspective ◽

Sustainability Reports ◽

Sustainability Practices

In recent years, the tilt of the corporate world towards non-financial reporting can be clearly seen from traditional accounting practices. Sustainability reporting disclosures are an important tool for providing information about the environmental and social performance of companies to their various stakeholders. From a financial perspective, for any firm, there is always a possibility of reporting more of the information that favours their interests or conceal that which is not in their favour. This study evaluates the annual and sustainability reports of 380 Indian, 400 Chinese and 400 USA companies from five highly polluting industries on the basis of GRI (global reporting initiatives) guidelines. From the result, it is inferred that the findings are consistent with the legitimacy theory. The result shows that the profitability and capital structure of firms in the sample do not affect the sustainability reporting practices significantly. In addition, larger firms have a tendency to disclose more information in their annual and sustainability reports than smaller firms.

Download Full-text

The Link Between Sustainability Reporting and the Core Characteristics of Sustainable Human Resource Management

International Journal of Contemporary Management ◽

10.2478/ijcm-2021-0010 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 0 (0) ◽

Author(s):

Banu Esra Aslanertik ◽

Murat Çolak

Keyword(s):

Content Analysis ◽

Resource Management ◽

Public Sector ◽

Human Resource Management ◽

Human Resource ◽

Sustainability Reporting ◽

Integrated Approach ◽

Management Approach ◽

The Public ◽

Sustainability Reports

Abstract Background The concept of sustainable human resource management is becoming a core subject of sustainability reports. Current discussions in the literature focus on how to integrate human resource management (HRM) with sustainability issues and emphasise the concept of “sustainable human resource management” rather than “sustainability and human resource management.” This focus requires a more comprehensive company perspective through the lens of company goals, people, processes and the strategic orientation dimensions of an HRM–sustainability relationship. Within this perspective, new approaches are needed to concentrate on sustainable HRM issues. Research aims The aim of this study is to analyse the contents of the sustainability reports in terms of sustainable HR characteristics and HR orientation dimensions. The content analysis design is based on an integrated approach of the classification of sustainable HR characteristics through HR orientation dimensions. The sustainability reports of seven financial institutions from the Borsa Istanbul Sustainability Index (BIST) are analysed for the year 2019 in order to determine to which degree sustainable HR is actively involved in the sustainability reports. Methodology In this study, an in-depth content analysis is performed on corporate sustainability reports of selected companies in order to form the link between HR orientation and sustainability. This content analysis stands on the integration of two different approaches drawn from the literature (Ehnert, 2014; Ulrich, 1997). Findings The results revealed that there are significant differences between the people-oriented scores and process-oriented scores in private banks, while the scores are more balanced in public banks. Additionally, findings support the shift in the public sector from the traditional bureaucratic model to a new management approach that transfers private sector management techniques to the public sector.

Download Full-text

Sustainability reporting or integrated reporting: Which one is valuable for investors?

Journal of Accounting & Organizational Change ◽

10.1108/jaoc-12-2020-0204 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Ika Permatasari ◽

I Made Narsa

Keyword(s):

Value Relevance ◽

Accounting Information ◽

Sustainability Reporting ◽

Financial Information ◽

Integrated Reporting ◽

Content Type ◽

Reporting Practices ◽

Corporate Reporting ◽

Sustainability Reports ◽

International Integrated Reporting Council

Purpose This research is motivated by the development of dialogue and debate regarding company reporting in the form of sustainability reporting (SR) – which is separate from the annual report (AR) – or integrated reporting (IR). Research into SR and IR is still fascinating, and this study addresses the debate about them. This study aims to examine which of the two reports is more valuable for investors, and also examine whether IR has value relevance because the information in the IR could reinforce the importance of the accounting information. Design/methodology/approach As with previous studies, we adopted a valuation approach – the Ohlson model – to assess the value relevance of non-financial information (in the form of SR/IR) and financial information. As a preliminary study, we used non-financial information as a binary variable, i.e. a group of companies that issue sustainability reports and a group of companies that issue integrated reports. Therefore, they complement and interact with the financial statements’ information. This paper used panel data consisting of 931 firm-years of SR issuers and 922 firm-years of IR issuers in Europe and Africa in the period from 2005 to 2019. Findings The results showed that SR had a higher value relevance than IR. However, when the authors interact the corporate reporting form with the accounting information, IR had value relevance because the information contained in the IR could reinforce the importance of the accounting information. Practical implications This study will support regulators in various countries to monitor the reporting practices of companies in those countries. The results of this study provide evidence that sustainability reports get a higher response than integrated reports. However, when interacted with the accounting variables, information in the IR is considered to be more relevant than that found in the SR. Therefore, it is hoped that the results of this study will help the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC) in reviewing IR practices around the world so that the implementation of IR practices can be realized in accordance with the mission that the IIRC wants to achieve. Originality/value Research into the value relevance of SR and IR has been carried out by several previous researchers separately, but to the best of the author’s knowledge, there are no studies comparing the value relevance of the two.

Download Full-text

The Determinants of Sustainability Reporting of the Portuguese Public Sector Entities

Global Perspectives on Risk Management and Accounting in the Public Sector - Advances in Finance, Accounting, and Economics ◽

10.4018/978-1-4666-9803-1.ch012 ◽

2016 ◽

pp. 226-251

Author(s):

Maria da Conceição C. Tavares ◽

Lúcia Lima Rodrigues

Keyword(s):

Corporate Social Responsibility ◽

Content Analysis ◽

Public Sector ◽

Social Responsibility ◽

Sustainability Reporting ◽

Global Reporting Initiative ◽

Sustainability Disclosure ◽

Sustainability Reports ◽

Csr Disclosure ◽

Corporate Social

Download Full-text

Non-financial reporting in the public sector: alternatives, trends and opportunities

Revista de Contabilidad ◽

10.6018/rcsar.383071 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 22 (2) ◽

pp. 122-128 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Vicente Montesinos ◽

Isabel Brusca

Keyword(s):

Public Sector ◽

Financial Reporting ◽

Balance Sheet ◽

Sustainability Reporting ◽

Financial Information ◽

Integrated Reporting ◽

Financial Reports ◽

The Public ◽

Information Models ◽

Private And Public

In recent years, different non-financial information models have arisen, both in the private and public sectors, trying to complete the traditional financial reports prepared by companies and public administrations. The fundamental objective of these models has been to satisfy the interest of the stakeholders, which goes beyond the numbers included in the balance sheet and the income statement. In the case of the public sector, this is coupled with the discontent and distrust of citizens towards politicians and administrators of institutions, which makes it necessary to emphasize tools and strategies that can improve the transparency and accountability of administrations and restore citizen trust. Therefore, this article highlights the different non-financial information alternatives that have emerged in the literature, their practical application in the public sector and the opportunities that these models offer for the future. Specifically, we refer to sustainability reporting, integrated reporting, the non-financial report recently regulated for the business sector and, finally, popular reporting. En los últimos años han irrumpido con fuerza distintos modelos de información no financiera, tanto en el sector privado como en el público, tratando de completar el tradicional informe financiero preparado por empresas y administraciones públicas. El objetivo fundamental de estos modelos ha sido satisfacer el interés del conjunto amplio de los stakeholders, que va más allá de los números recogidos en el balance de situación y la cuenta de resultados. En el caso del sector público, a esto se une el descontento generalizado y la desconfianza de los ciudadanos hacia los políticos y administradores de las instituciones, lo que hace necesario poner el acento en todas aquellas herramientas y estrategias que puedan perfeccionar la transparencia y responsabilidad de las administraciones y reintegrar la confianza de sus administrados. Por ello, en este artículo se ponen de relieve las distintas alternativas de información no financiera que han ido surgiendo en la literatura, su aplicación práctica en el ámbito del sector público y las oportunidades que estos modelos ofrecen para el futuro. En concreto nos referimos a la información sostenible, la información integrada, la información popular y por último, al informe no financiero regulado en nuestra normativa para el sector empresarial.

Download Full-text

Challenges in Sustainability and Integrated Reporting

Issues in Accounting Education ◽

10.2308/iace-51093 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 30 (4) ◽

pp. 373-381 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Lies Bouten ◽

Sophie Hoozée

Keyword(s):

Financial Reporting ◽

Sustainability Reporting ◽

Master's Level ◽

Integrated Reporting ◽

Reporting Practices ◽

Hands On ◽

Accounting Courses ◽

Corporate Social

ABSTRACT Students are introduced to the concepts of sustainability reporting and the latest trend, integrated reporting, by playing the role of an active jury member on the judging panel for the Best Belgian Sustainability Report Award. Through the reporting practices of Telenet, a Belgian telecommunication company, the case demonstrates the pivotal role of materiality and completeness in assessing the quality of sustainability reporting. Moreover, by revealing that an integrated strategy is crucial in the development of an integrated report and by demonstrating the importance of connecting financial and sustainability-related performance indicators, the case exposes students to the challenges that companies may face in developing their integrated reporting. The case also encourages students to critically reflect on the motivations behind sustainability reporting. In addition, through the active process of analyzing the disclosed information, students learn to formulate hands-on recommendations for improvement. This master's-level case is appropriate for either general financial reporting courses that incorporate contemporary reporting trends or more specific accounting courses on corporate social responsibility (CSR), sustainability, accountability, or ethics.

Download Full-text

Sustainability Reporting Practices In Portugal: Greenwashing Or Triple Bottom Line?

International Business & Economics Research Journal (IBER) ◽

10.19030/iber.v6i9.3403 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 6 (9) ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Diane H. Roberts ◽

John P. Koeplin

Keyword(s):

Content Analysis ◽

Financial Reporting ◽

Social Performance ◽

Triple Bottom Line ◽

Sustainability Reporting ◽

Financial Economic ◽

Bottom Line ◽

Reporting Practices ◽

Expectations Gap ◽

The Status

This paper examines the status of sustainability reporting in Portugal. The Global Reporting Initiatives (GRI) guidelines for sustainability reporting is an initiative that attempts to create a paradigm of triple bottom line reporting that encompasses the economic, environmental, and social performance of business. Measurement and reporting of environmental and social aspects are in their infancy compared to financial/economic reporting. The objective of the GRIs framework is to elevate environmental and social reporting to the level of financial reporting by developing reporting principles and information qualities similar to those used in corporate financial reporting. In the post-Enron corporate reporting environment, such credibility may be tarnished and lead stakeholders to suspect corporations of greenwashing their reputations by issuing reports that are environmental window dressing.Currently 860 companies in a variety of industries worldwide are voluntarily listed as using the guidelines on the GRIs web site; however, only five are from Portugal. Two of the five companies are GRI organizational stakeholders and one is listed as reporting 'in accordance' with the guidelines. Content analysis will be used to examine both the quantity and quality of information in the GRI reports of Portuguese companies. An additional issue regarding the transparency and credibility of the information provided is whether the reports have been verified (a more generic term than audit used for a similar assurance-type service relative to GRI Reports). The results of the content analysis will be used to shed some light on whether the companies generating these reports are bridging or widening the sustainability reporting expectations gap between companies and stakeholders.

Download Full-text