scholarly journals SUSTAINABILITY REPORTING PRACTICES WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO CEMENT INDUSTRY IN INDIA

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 18-29

Over recent years, there has been a focus in corporate activity upon the concept of sustainability reporting. Sustainability reporting has gained importance by Indian companies and corporates have adopted sustainability reporting practices since few years. Sustainability reporting of an organisations provides information about discharge of social reasonability and level of sensitivity of organisations towards social and environmental issues. Though sustainability reporting is not compulsory in the country many companies are reporting their initiatives in the direction of sustainable development. This paper attempt to evaluate sustainability reporting by leading Cement Manufacturing companies. This paper describes reporting pattern of cement industry in India.

2013 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brendan K. Turk ◽  
Charlie Shackleton ◽  
Kevin Whittington-Jones

The business sector has a substantial role in addressing current environmental issues and concerns. Consequently, there is a growing adoption of corporate sustainability principles and practices across all market sectors. This study examined four developed and four emerging stock markets and the sustainability reporting practices of the top 20 and bottom 20 companies in each. The results illustrate that the developed market sector was more advanced in its corporate sustainability reporting, both in the proportion of companies issuing a sustainability report (approximately 60 per cent) and the proportion of company webpages dedicated to sustainability reporting. This difference was largely due to the effect of the top 20 companies. There was little difference between developed and developing markets when only the bottom 20 companies were considered, of which less than one-third provided sustainability reports.  These results show that sustainability reporting is prevalent in both developed and developing markets, especially among market leading companies, but that overall, most developing markets have some catching up to do. 


Author(s):  
Alicia Girón ◽  
Amirreza Kazemikhasragh ◽  
Antonella Francesca Cicchiello ◽  
Eva Panetti

Abstract Given the increasing concern for the global environmental issues and the relating need for preservation of the ecosystem, sustainability reporting has become more and more important, to both developed and developing economies, sparking the interest of the literature. This study primarily aims to investigate the factors that influence the adoption of new sustainability reporting practices and external assurance. Also, this paper examines the relationship between the reporting activity and firms’ economic performance. The paper combines data from the Global Reporting Initiative’s (GRI) Sustainability Disclosure Database and the Orbis database, from Bureau van Dijk. More specifically, the study uses two logit models and one regression model based on a sample of 366 large Asian and African companies which have addressed the SDGs in their sustainability reports published in 2017. The results reveal that operating in the manufacturing sector and having a higher percentage of women directors in the company’s management structure are positively related to the adoption of sustainability reporting and external assurance. Also, operating in the manufacturing sector leads to better firms’ economic performance. Contrarily from previous studies, the age of the company’s board of directors does not have influences on the use of sustainability reporting. This research contributes to the sustainability issues in the context of emerging markets by explaining the driving factors behind it and its linkage with firms’ performance.


Author(s):  
Svetlana Snezhko ◽  
Ali Coskun

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.


Author(s):  
Shaikha AlSanad

<p>Nowadays, the sustainability has become a driver for effectiveness in essentially all manufacturing sectors. Furthermore, this concept has become crucial to research and business practice since of prompt depletion of disquiets over affluence inequality and natural resources and corporate social responsibility. As the interest in sustainable development grows, the cement industry essential be able to support sustainable development, environmentally responsibility, balancing economic prosperity, social equity. Cement is a vital construction material and a strategic commodity in the construction sector. Nevertheless, the cement industries are facing challenges to implement sustainable manufacturing into their products and processes. This paper is seeks to address and examine the barriers and challenge toward the sustainable manufacturing supposed to be suitable to the cement industry from the perspectives of the construction stakeholders. Accordingly, study data was collected through a semi structure questionnaire survey of randomly selected professionals in cement factory in Kuwait. The output results demonstration that crucial barriers towards practices of sustainable cement factory for instance shortage of local environmental regulations, Inadequate regulation support, political decision makers, and clients , lack of strategy to promote sustainable construction, and lack of environmental awareness by the industry.</p>


2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 46
Author(s):  
Amos Kipkoech Kibet ◽  
Thomas Koyier ◽  
Muturi Wachira

Purpose: The overall purpose of this study was to evaluate the strategic responses to gain competitiveness in cement manufacturing industry.Methodology: The study employed a descriptive research design.  The population for this study was all the employees in all the six firms currently operating in the industry. The target population of the study was all the management staff of the three selected cement manufacturing firms. Questionnaires were used as data collection instruments. Qualitative and quantitative research analysis was used to analysis the data.Results: The study findings indicated that there was high level of competition between the cement manufacturing companies and hence the companies needed to put in place strategies to counter the competition in order to gain competitive advantage amongst the firms. The study results indicated that there were various strategic responses that were adopted by the cement manufacturing companies in order to gain competitiveness. These strategies included innovation, integration, outsourcing and diversification.Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: The study also recommends that the management of the manufacturing firms should carry out a benchmarking activity against the best players in the market as a way of improving their logistics outsourcing practices. This would enable them to achieve undisputed performance of their supply chains


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (16) ◽  
pp. 8716
Author(s):  
Cansu Perdeli Demirkan ◽  
Nicole M. Smith ◽  
H. Sebnem Duzgun ◽  
Aurora Waclawski

Sustainability reporting is one of the tools that contribute to incorporating sustainable development in the design of extractive operations (i.e., “Design for Sustainability”), and the demand for sustainability reports is increasing due to the increased focus on sustainable development and sustainable financing efforts. The extractive industries are believed to have unique strengths to contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Nonetheless, companies are expected to be transparent and accountable not only to investors but to all stakeholders, including communities, suppliers, clients, employees, and governments. Therefore, extractive industries require effective sustainability accounting and reporting to transition and contribute to sustainable development. Through a data-driven approach, this paper examines the scope and consistency of sustainability indicators used in the sustainability reports of eight oil and gas and eight mining companies from 2012 to 2018. Through content analysis and relevant statistical methods, we analyze the ways in which companies reported on their contributions to sustainable development, with a focus on indicators used and trends over time both within each industry and between industries. We demonstrate that extractive industries’ sustainability reporting practices are not consistent over time and that internal issues are better represented than external issues, in particular transportation and supply chain issues. Furthermore, while there are similar trends across the industries in terms of social and environmental indicator reporting, there are significant differences in economic reporting. We conclude that although both industries have established sustainability reporting practices, there are trends that demonstrate what companies are focusing on more, as well as areas for improvement. We see this as an initial step for conceptualizing how these industries can more objectively, consistently, and effectively assess and contribute to sustainable development.


2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 1043-1072 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenni Puroila ◽  
Hannele Mäkelä

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the socio-political role of materiality assessment in sustainability reporting literature and discuss the potential of materiality assessment to advance more inclusive accounting and reporting practices, in particular critical dialogic accounting. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on literature on the concept of materiality together with insights from stakeholder engagement, commensuration and critical dialogic accounting the paper analyses disclosure on materiality in sustainability reports. Empirically, qualitative content analysis is used to analyse 44 sustainability reports from the leading companies. Findings The authors argue that, first, the technic-rational approach to materiality portrays the assessment as a neutral and value-free measurement, and second, the materiality matrix presents the multiple stakeholders as having a unified understanding of what is considered important in corporate sustainability. Thus, the technic-rational approach to the materiality assessment, reinforced with the use of the matrix is a value-laden judgement of what matters in corporate sustainability and narrows down rather than opens up the complexity of the assessment of material sustainability issues, stakeholder engagement and the societal pursuit of sustainable development. Originality/value The understandings and implications of the concept of materiality are ambiguous and wide-reaching, as, through constituting the legitimised set of claims and information on corporate sustainable performance, it impacts our understanding of sustainable development at large, and affects the corporate and policy-level transition towards sustainability. Exploring insights from critical dialogic accounting help us to elaborate on the conceptions and practical implications of materiality assessment that enhance stakeholder engagement in a democratic, rather than managerial, spirit.


Think India ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 32-40
Author(s):  
Mihir Dash

The increased awareness of contemporary consumers towards environmental issues has led to a proliferation of regulations that companies must comply with. In such a dynamic business environment, companies must look beyond the profit-maximisation paradigm, and move towards a sustainable development model for their survival in the long run. The concept of corporate sustainable development (CSD) encompasses the dimensions of environmental integrity, social equity, and economic prosperity. The present study analyses the extent of CSD and its driving factors in the Indian cement industry. The study finds that CSD has been increasing in importance in the Indian cement sector, in terms of increased emphasis on environmental integrity and on economic prosperity. However, there is no significant change in emphasis on social equity, particularly in large companies, though profitability does not play much of a role. The study also finds that media exposure related to environmental issues and liquidity was the significant determinant of CSD in the Indian cement sector. Each CSD dimension was found to have distinct determinants: environmental integrity was determined by incurrence of fines/penalties/court cases; economic prosperity by media attention and liquidity; and social equity by diversity of exposure, media attention, and capital intensity.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristina Alexandrina Stefanescu

Purpose This study aims to explore the linkages between sustainable development and sustainability reporting by approaching the UN’s 2030 Agenda in connection with the Integrated Reporting (IR) and Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) frameworks. It aims to outline a theoretical model able to support the achievement of sustainable development goals (SDGs) through appropriate reporting. Design/methodology/approach The research methodology follows a qualitative approach, combining content and benchmarking analyses of the official documents in question. It aims to provide a better understanding of the conceptual matches between the “5 Ps” of sustainable development and the two sustainability reporting frameworks (IR and GRI) by breaking them down into components and overlapping their constituents to highlight the connections. Findings The results reveal that both sustainability reporting frameworks provide prerequisites to ensure SDGs achievement due to the embedded sustainability issues. As there are more matches between SDGs and the capitals implied in the pursuit of value creation, IR better fits to become part of the sustainable development strategy as a valuable option for reporting on SDGs. Practical implications The study addresses academia through a better understanding of the connections between SDGs and sustainability reporting. It might help regulators to improve their latest efforts to enhance transparency and comparability through the enactment of Directive 2014/95, as long as it has not imposed a standardised report yet. It could guide practitioners to face future challenges and support their steps towards standardised reporting practices. Originality/value This paper approaches the newsworthy topic of sustainable development, outlining a conceptual model meant to support the SDGs achievement through appropriate standardised reporting. It might also fill the gap of the Directive 2014/95 on non-financial information disclosure as it identifies the most suitable type of reporting to enhance the harmonisation at the European level.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (18) ◽  
pp. 10184
Author(s):  
Ikenna Elias Asogwa ◽  
Maria Estela Varua ◽  
Peter Humphreys ◽  
Rina Datt

NGOs are expected by their social mission not only to assess but to report on sustainability issues in response to the growing public awareness of the sustainability agendas. Since NGOs are globally renowned as watchdogs for advancing socio-economic development and sustainable societies, research on their efforts in this regard will help develop recommendations on how they can be better positioned as the watchdog. The purpose of this article is to review and assess the understanding of sustainability (reporting) in NGO literature as well as the barriers and drivers. The study investigates various practices of sustainability and identifies the drivers and barriers in sustainability reporting (SR). The authors reviewed 61 articles published between 2010 and 2020 on sustainability and assessed the strengths and weaknesses in the understanding of sustainability in literature as well as the reporting phenomenon in NGOs. The misconceptions in the definition of SR tend to weaken its relevance and applicability, and the reporting process is often focused on demonstrating the legitimacy of NGOs rather than improving their performance. As such, it provides more evidence in support of the need for a more holistic and all-inclusive definition that will aid regulation and enforcement. We also found that, although it is often assumed all NGOs share similar objectives, it is not always the case as there are as diverse objectives as there are numbers of NGOs and their reporting pattern varies in accordance with this diversity. The review makes a case for a more comprehensive definition of SR suitable for NGOs using four elements as well as providing suggestions for where research in this area might focus to enhance the overall body of knowledge. The study contributes to theory and practice by introducing new elements guiding the definition of SR in NGOs which supports accountability and proper functioning of a circular economy and promotes sustainable development.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document