scholarly journals Coming in from the Cold: A Longitudinal Analysis of SDG Reporting Practices by Spanish Listed Companies Since the Approval of the 2030 Agenda

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 1178 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ferran Curtó-Pagès ◽  
Enrique Ortega-Rivera ◽  
Marc Castellón-Durán ◽  
Eva Jané-Llopis
Keyword(s):  
Longitudinal Analysis ◽  
Corporate Sustainability ◽  
Sustainability Reporting ◽  
Listed Companies ◽  
Annual Reports ◽  
Un Global Compact ◽  
Reporting Practices ◽  
Country Level ◽  
Corporate Sustainability Performance ◽  
2030 Agenda

Despite the apparent commitment of large Spanish corporations to the SDGs, information about their documented contribution to the 2030 Agenda is still scarce. This article aims to explore this gap by investigating the extent to which Spanish listed companies have been reporting on the SDGs since the approval of the 2030 Agenda. The paper contributes to the country-level analysis of SDG reporting by performing a longitudinal analysis over the 4-year period encompassing 2016 to 2019. It contributes to management science by assessing Corporate Sustainability performance through adherence to the SDGs and testing what the facilitators of SDG reporting have been during the first 4 years since the adoption of the 2030 Agenda. Findings reveal a low commitment of Spanish listed companies to sustainability reporting. Nevertheless, they also uncover how those companies that publish non-financial reports are increasingly reporting on the SDGs. Additionally, there is also a growing tendency among CEOs to mention the SDGs in their letters to stakeholders. Furthermore, a positive link is established between the adoption of GRI reporting standards or being a signatory of the UN Global Compact and SDG reporting. Similarly, those companies that publish Integrated Reports are more likely to consider the SDGs in their disclosures than those that publish Standalone Reports or Annual Reports. Nonetheless, there is a growing tendency to gravitate from producing Integrated Reports to producing Annual Reports. Owing to the breadth of these results and their relevance to academics and practitioners alike, this study can help build future evidence-based accountability literature and policy on the SDGs at the Spanish and European levels.

Barriers for sustainability reporting: evidence from Indo-Pacific region

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dinithi Dissanayake ◽  
Sanjaya Kuruppu ◽  
Wei Qian ◽  
Carol Tilt
Keyword(s):  
Group Dynamics ◽  
Sustainability Reporting ◽  
Listed Companies ◽  
Pacific Region ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Reporting Practices ◽  
Country Level ◽  
To Come ◽  
Set Up

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide insights into the barriers for sustainability reporting practices in five different countries in the Indo-Pacific region. Design/methodology/approach This paper uses surveys and semi-structured interviews to explore the main barriers faced by the managers of listed companies in undertaking sustainability reporting. Findings The findings of the study reveal that the main barriers for sustainability reporting are attributable to lack of knowledge and understanding, additional cost involved, time constraints, lack of awareness and education in sustainability reporting and a lack of initiatives from government. These vary between three groups of countries: those with more developed reporting, those with less developed reporting and those with strong cultural constraints to reporting. Research limitations/implications This study adapts Lewin’s field theory and three-step model of change to be applied to group dynamics at a broader country level rather than at an organisational level. Practical implications The barriers identified in this paper are important for reporting companies to come up with strategies to mitigate existing barriers and for regulatory authorities to provide subsidies and other incentives to supplement the efforts of these listed companies. Also, non-reporting companies could use the findings as a measure of cautiousness to set up the necessary processes to have a smooth sustainability reporting process in their companies. Originality/value This is one of the few studies that explore the barriers for sustainability reporting in five countries in the Indo-Pacific region.

CSR and sustainability reporting practices in India: an in-depth content analysis of top-listed companies

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (8) ◽  
pp. 1033-1053 ◽  
Author(s):  
Priyanka Aggarwal ◽  
Ajay Kumar Singh
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Firm Size ◽  
Ownership Structure ◽  
Sustainability Reporting ◽  
Listed Companies ◽  
Annual Reports ◽  
Global Reporting Initiative ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Reporting Practices ◽  
Industry Type

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to comprehensively analyze the corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability reporting (SR) practices of Indian companies in terms of disclosure quantity and quality, and to investigate the differences in SR practices by SR dimension, industry, ownership structure, firm size and profitability. Design/methodology/approach Data are collected from annual reports/business responsibility reports (BRR)/CSR/sustainability reports of 60 top-listed companies in India. A comprehensive sustainability reporting index is developed. Content analysis technique is used. Inter-coder reliability is established. Findings Altogether, 18 items of the index are not disclosed by the majority of companies in India. SR quality is found significantly lower than the SR quantity. Moreover, SR practices significantly differ by dimension/category, industry-type and firm-size but are not influenced by ownership structure. However, the study fails to establish any conclusive relationship between SR and profitability. Practical implications The present study has several implications for corporates, practitioners, policymakers and stakeholders. The findings underscore the need for amendments in the Global Reporting Initiative guidelines and BRR framework of the Securities and Exchange Board of India to avoid patchy disclosures and ensure complete reporting by companies. Originality/value This study is among the foremost studies in India evaluating SR practices of top-listed companies in the wake of the mandatory BRR requirement from a quantitative as well as qualitative perspective using a multidimensional index.

The Moderating Effect of Board Independence on the Relationship between Family Ownership and Corporate Sustainability Reporting In Malaysia

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 31-43
Author(s):  
Zainab Aman ◽  
Norman Mohd SALEH ◽  
Zaleha Abdul SHUKOR ◽  
Romlah JAFFAR
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Sustainability ◽  
Sustainability Reporting ◽  
Listed Companies ◽  
Jel Classification ◽  
Moderating Effect ◽  
Annual Reports ◽  
Family Ownership ◽  
Board Independence ◽  
Social Dimensions ◽  
The Relationship

Objective - The objective of this paper is to investigate the relationship between family ownership and corporate sustainability reporting to determine how the role of board independence affects the relationship between those variables within Malaysian listed companies. Methodology/Technique – The annual reports of 771 listed companies from 2014 to 2016 were analyzed using content analysis methods. The study uses agency theory to develop the hypotheses. Findings - The study found that family ownership is negatively related to corporate sustainability reporting. The finding shows that independent directors are unable to influence the relationship between family ownership and corporate sustainability reporting. The findings of this study are expected to provide insight to authorities in relation to the factors that could enhance corporate sustainability reporting primarily in family-owned companies. Novelty - Previous studies have only focused on environmental and social dimensions of corporate sustainability, whilst this study addresses all the 3 dimensions of sustainability (economic, environmental, and social). This paper is one of the first attempts to investigate the roles of board independence on the relationship between family ownership and corporate sustainability reporting in Malaysia. Type of Paper: Empirical. JEL Classification: M14, M41. Keywords: Sustainability Reporting; Family Ownership; Corporate Governance; Independent Director Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Aman, Z; Saleh, N; Shukur, Z.A; Jaafar, R. (2021). The Moderating Effect of Board Independence on the Relationship between Family Ownership and Corporate Sustainability Reporting in Malaysia, Accounting and Finance Review, 5(4): 31 – 43. https://doi.org/10.35609/afr.2021.5.4(4)

Sustainability reporting and integrated reporting perspectives of Thai-listed companies

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 671-694
Author(s):  
Neungruthai Petcharat ◽  
Mahbub Zaman
Keyword(s):  
Best Practice ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
Sustainability Reporting ◽  
Listed Companies ◽  
International Standards ◽  
Annual Reports ◽  
Global Reporting Initiative ◽  
Integrated Reporting ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Reporting Practices

Purpose This paper aims to examine the reporting on sustainability and the level of compliance with international best practice, the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), aimed at improving communicative value to users. Design/methodology/approach Using a qualitative approach, comprising interviews with senior managers and analysis of disclosures in annual reports of Thai-listed companies, this paper contributes to the literature by providing evidence from an emerging market setting. Findings This study finds that sustainability reporting and integrated reporting perspectives of sampling companies are aiming to satisfy information needs to stakeholders and value creation to external users. Sustainability disclosures are related to some aspect of integrated reporting (IR) principles but not all. Research limitations/implications The findings of this study are based on the results from interviews and annual reports of five business sectors, and may therefore, not reflect the sustainability reporting practices and/or annual reports of other Thai-listed companies. Also, there is limited reporting on future outlook. Practical implications The findings suggest that while sustainability and IR is being adopted very widely, in many countries, there is much variation in reporting practice especially in our emerging country context adopting a “comply or explain” approach. Social implications For the Thai-listed companies, IR systems could be in their early stages and still have long way to go. The results can greatly encourage Thai-listed firms to incorporate integrated information in annual reports based on international standards thus building trust in capital markets and wider society. Originality/value The findings contribute to the literature on sustainability reporting and on the level of compliance with international best practice such as GRI by providing empirical analysis of non-financial disclosures within publicly available reporting in Thailand.

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 in Fiji listed companies: A voluntary disclosure perspective using legitimacy theory

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (3, special issue) ◽  
pp. 410-422
Author(s):  
Shivneil Kumar Raj ◽  
Mohammed Riaz Azam
Keyword(s):  
Voluntary Disclosure ◽  
Sustainability Reporting ◽  
Listed Companies ◽  
Annual Reports ◽  
Legitimacy Theory ◽  
Reporting Practices ◽  
Content Analysis Method ◽  
Prior Literature ◽  
Primary Focus ◽  
Corporate Social

The study examined the extent of sustainability reporting practices (voluntary disclosures — VD) of Fiji listed corporations. Using a theoretical framework informed by legitimacy theory, the authors predict the extent of both narrative and non-narrative VD. The study applied a content analysis method and examined archival data such as scholarly articles and 2019 annual reports data of listed companies. The means of triangulation was further augmented by backing the results of the study with prior literature on sustainability reporting. The findings highlight that narrative VD was evident in most annual reports. Non-narrative VD was adequate with a primary focus on corporate social responsibilities. From an overall perspective, VD was found to be very limited. The study contributes to providing insights into the paucity of literature in developing nations’ context on sustainability reporting practices

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.

Impact of Sustainability Reporting on Firm Performance of Companies in India

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Priyanka Garg
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Rural Livelihoods ◽  
Sustainability Reporting ◽  
Annual Reports ◽  
Marginal Lands ◽  
Great Ability ◽  
Reporting Practices ◽  
Long Run ◽  
Short Run ◽  
Core Idea

The core idea of sustainability is that current decisions should not impair the prospects for maintaining or improving future living standards (Repetto, 1986). GRI (2006) defined sustainability as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. The challenges of sustainable development are many and it is widely accepted that organizations have not only a responsibility but also a great ability to exert positive change on the state of the worlds economy, and environmental and social conditions. Further, the issue of environmental sustainability is intertwined with that of poverty and inequity. The causative relationship runs both ways- increased poverty and loss of rural livelihoods accelerates environmental degradation as displaced people put greater pressure on forests, fisheries, and marginal lands. The present study has made an attempt to investigate the relationship between sustainability reporting and financial performance of companies in India. Data have been collected with the help of annual reports of selected companies and Prowess Database. Collected data have been analyzed with the help of SPSS 16.0. The study shows that sustainability reporting practices of companies has improved over the time. Further, research reveals that sustainability reporting practices of a firm impact its performance negatively in short run while positively in long run.

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.

scholarly journals Sustainability Reporting Practices: Evidence from Bangladesh

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 61
Author(s):  
Sumaiya Akhter ◽  
Pappu Kumar Dey
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
Community Development ◽  
Annual Report ◽  
Sustainability Reporting ◽  
Listed Companies ◽  
Employee Benefits ◽  
Global Reporting Initiative ◽  
Reporting Practices ◽  
Product Responsibility

The objective of this paper is to examine the nature and extent of sustainability reporting practices by the listed companies in Bangladesh. In order to fulfill this objective, the research has examined the content analysis of annual report (2015-2016) and website of the top 50 listed companies (according to market capitalization). Based on Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) G4 guidelines, the study investigates three broad areas i.e. economic, environmental and social with 40 indicators. The findings of the study demonstrate that organizations in Bangladesh address few sustainability issues. Companies focus more on community development which is 90%, followed by employment and employee benefits (67%). The level of disclosures in website is meagre where only 26% of the sample companies disclose at least one indicator. Organizations’ attention on issues like environment, human rights and product responsibility is limited in relation to other issues. The extent of disclosure is also poor that is 66% of the companies use less than 25 sentences in sustainability reporting. Moreover, only 16% of the sample companies use separate sustainability reporting section. The limited disclosures on sustainability issues may be because of voluntary sustainability reporting in Bangladesh.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document