scholarly journals Non-financial reporting of banks from a socially responsible perspective – examples from WIG-ESG

2020 ◽  
Vol 108 (164) ◽  
pp. 207-228
Author(s):  
Magdalena Wójcik-Jurkiewicz

The purpose of the article is to assess the non-financial reporting practices used by banks belonging to the new WIG-ESG stock index on the Warsaw Stock Exchange, indicating the scope, form, and mandatory standards. Until 2017, non-financial reporting in EU countries, including Poland, was established on a voluntary basis and was not regulated by law. Directive 2014/95/EU on the disclosure of non-financial and diversity information (effective from 1 January 2017) and its transposition into the Accounting Act are considered a turning point. The article follows previous research conducted by the author (nearly 100 reports of non-financial banks), which resulted in an attempt to assess the current state of affairs, starting with banks. The author decided to analyze eight reports of non-financial banks included in the WIG-ESG index for 2019, considering those banks to be "socially responsible", and treating this sample as representative. The research methods used include a literature review, content analysis, comparative anal-ysis, and the deduction method. The article is one of the first studies to assess banks' non-financial reports after January 1, 2017, and thus it fills the research gap in this area. The three parameters proposed by the author in the area of social responsibility were selected correctly and will constitute a significant contribu-tion to further, extended research in the field of non-financial reporting, adding further criteria for the as-sessment of companies in the area of social responsibility.

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (12) ◽  
pp. 3668
Author(s):  
Mariusz Zieliński ◽  
Izabela Jonek-Kowalska

The article refers to the issues of financial profitability of undertaking CSR activities, which is widely reported in literature. The four largest electricity producing companies in Poland were selected for the analysis. The research period covers the years 2009–2019, when the index of socially responsible companies was operating on the Warsaw Stock Exchange. The main purpose of the article is to compare the profitability ratios and quotations of energy companies in Poland declaring themselves socially responsible with companies of the same sector that have not expressed such a declaration. The results obtained on the basis of descriptive statistics, concerning profitability ratios and stock market quotations, indicate no relationship between their level and stability and the companies’ declarations of compliance with social responsibility. Companies declaring themselves socially responsible were placed in the ranking between the results of companies that did not belong to the indicated index. This may be the result of the specific situation of energy companies in Poland.


2012 ◽  
Vol 87 (3) ◽  
pp. 761-796 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yongtae Kim ◽  
Myung Seok Park ◽  
Benson Wier

ABSTRACT This study examines whether socially responsible firms behave differently from other firms in their financial reporting. Specifically, we question whether firms that exhibit corporate social responsibility (CSR) also behave in a responsible manner to constrain earnings management, thereby delivering more transparent and reliable financial information to investors as compared to firms that do not meet the same social criteria. We find that socially responsible firms are less likely (1) to manage earnings through discretionary accruals, (2) to manipulate real operating activities, and (3) to be the subject of SEC investigations, as evidenced by Accounting and Auditing Enforcement Releases against top executives. Our results are robust to (1) controlling for various incentives for CSR and earnings management, (2) considering various CSR dimensions and components, and (3) using alternative proxies for CSR and accruals quality. To the extent that we control for the potential effects of reputation and financial performance, our findings suggest that ethical concerns are likely to drive managers to produce high-quality financial reports. Data Availability: Data used in this study are available from public sources identified in the study.


2020 ◽  
Vol 64 (9) ◽  
pp. 45-56
Author(s):  
Hanna Czaja-Cieszyńska

The purpose of this article is to assess the comparability of non-financial disclosures on the impact of economic activity on the natural environment in reports of selected companies listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange. The ten largest listed companies listed in the WIG-20 index were selected for the study. The analysis of the reports was based on the following disclosure categories: Materials and raw materials, Fuels and energy, Water, Biodiversity, Emissions to the atmosphere, Waste and Effluents, and Others. Within these categories, 14 key environmental non-financial indicators were defined. The empirical study carried out confirmed that the non-financial reports analyzed in all of the seven categories of disclosures were not fully comparable. The research methods used were: literature studies, analysis of legal regulations, analysis of secondary data, as well as methods of induction and synthesis.


2020 ◽  
Vol 109 (165) ◽  
pp. 139-156
Author(s):  
Małgorzata Szulc ◽  
Paweł Zieniuk

Purpose: The aim of this article is to present a practical study of disclosures of events after the reporting period in the financial reports of listed companies from selected European countries. The paper presents the results of empirical research based on the source material in the form of financial statements for the year 2018 of listed companies included on the following stock exchange indices: DAX, PSI-20, OMX25, BUX, WIG20, which comprise companies listed on the stock exchanges in Germany, Portugal, Denmark, Hungary and Poland. Methodology/approach: The research sample includes 110 companies. Content analysis of full versions of individual financial statements was performed. Findings: The results show that listed companies comply with the International Financial Reporting Standards regarding the disclo-sure of events after the reporting period. The occurrence of such events in the business practice of com-panies listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange is much more frequent than in other European countries. The results of the study also present the diversity of events disclosed by respective companies included in the sample after the reporting period. Originality/value: The research allowed us to compare the scope of financial reporting disclosures of events after the reporting period in companies listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange and in other European companies. Comparisons of this kind have not yet been carried out in international empirical research, which makes this article all the more valuable.


2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 220-231
Author(s):  
Jadranka Mrsik ◽  
Ninko Kostovski

Abstract Incorporating environmental impact into financial reports is becoming standard practice in the 21st Century. Investors are aware of the need for environmentally correct operations since failures in this domain lower the price of shares. However, in terms of regulation, in most of the countries, environmental reporting remains voluntary. Institutions dealing with development and promotion of the modern accounting and financial reporting standards encourage companies to concurrently report for their environmental activities. The only question is how. Accounting may include information on the environmental impact only if it is quantitative and monetary. Since many nuances of the issues remain difficult to quantify, corporations opt to separately report on their environmental practices. The aim of this paper is to examine the accounting and stock market regulations and the practice of reporting for environmental impact of the operations of the leading Macedonian companies. We selected ten companies that make the Macedonian Stock Exchange Index and additional five companies with significant environmental impact. We reviewed their annual reports and interviewed their financial officers. The results show that the environmental and social responsibility reporting is left to the companies and their management and its perception of the need for keeping posted the major stakeholders and the most appropriate way to do it. As a consequence, many large Macedonian companies do not refer to these issues in their annual addressing to the stakeholders. The findings of this paper can motivate the regulatory body and the government to require more transparency and disclosure of the sustainability information.


2020 ◽  
Vol 108 (164) ◽  
pp. 23-40
Author(s):  
Hanna Czaja-Cieszyńska

The spread of the concept of sustainable development has meant that human capital is an important area of non-financial reporting. However, the complexity and multidimensionality of this category mean that employee reporting and the indicators used for it are very diverse. The purpose of the article is to assess the comparability of non-financial disclosures about human capital in the reports of selected companies listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange. This article supplements the existing scientific achievements related to non-financial reporting, identifying the dysfunctional area of comparability. For the purposes of this study, the following research methods were used: a literature review, analysis of legal regulations, analysis of secondary data in the form of non-financial reports, as well as induction and synthesis meth- ods used in formulating applications. The ten largest companies listed in the WIG-20 index were selected for the study. The research covered non-financial reports for 2019. The study was divided into five stages, which reflect five categories of disclosures on employee issues, i.e., the level of employment and salary, relations with employees and freedom of association, occupational health and safety, development and education, and diversity and equal opportunities. Within each category, a maximum of three non-financial measures have been defined. The study confirmed that none of the non-financial reports analyzed in any of the categories were fully comparable.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Łukasz Matuszak ◽  
Ewa Różańska

Purpose This study aims to investigate the differences in the extent of non-financial disclosure (NFD) across companies listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange over the period surrounding the implementation of the Directive 2014/95/EU. Design/methodology/approach The sample comprising 134 selected companies. Content analysis and a disclosure index were used to measure the level of NFD. Non-financial reporting practices in the two years before (2015) and one year after (2017) the implementation of the Directive were compared. Findings The results highlight that there is already a high level of compliance with the European Union’s regulation. The extent of the NFD across different thematic aspects in reporting media increased significantly between 2015 and 2017 in particular in human rights and anti-corruption. The Directive had the largest impact on those firms with previously low levels of NFD and led to more homogeneity of NFD across different industries. Originality/value The study contributes to the understanding of the impact of the Directive on the NFD practices by European Union companies. The research has important implications for policymakers because it revealed that mandatory regulations form a crucial instrument in improving the harmonization of NFD. The research suggests that, due to the Directive, stakeholders should be provided with more comprehensive information that they need in their decision-making process.


Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (13) ◽  
pp. 3815
Author(s):  
Magdalena M. Stuss ◽  
Zbigniew J. Makieła ◽  
Agnieszka Herdan ◽  
Gabriela Kuźniarska

If corporate social responsibility (CSR) is expected to work efficiently, there should be a standardised approach for implementation of the CSR concept for all businesses, including companies operating in the energy sector. Although many companies declare compliance with CSR standards, further investigation should be undertaken to evaluate if and how those standards have been applied in practice. The aim of this research is to examine the level of standardisation of the CSR activities within Polish energy companies and explore the good practices developed by those companies. The Polish energy companies have been selected for the investigation as the literature review we conducted demonstrates that there is limited research in this area and there is a knowledge gap regarding how Polish energy companies apply CSR regulation in practice. To accomplish the stated aims, the following research questions were developed: (1) What is the essence of applying the CSR concept in Polish energy companies, and at what level of development is the concept applied? (2) To what extent do Polish energy companies have a common approach to the CSR concept, and in what areas are there differences? (3) To what extent have Polish energy companies applied global CSR standards and solutions? (4) Is there a gap between the declared measures of CSR and their actual implementation in Polish energy companies? The research methodology of this study is based on a systematic literature review of the sources acquired from databases such as ProQuest, Emerald, SCOPUS and the Jagiellonian University Library. The multiple case study approach was identified as the most suitable research tool. Companies for the study were selected according to their affiliation to the energy sector and listing on the main market of the Warsaw Stock Exchange. These two assumptions allowed us to base this study on the largest Polish energy companies that have international status. Six areas of CSR annual report disclosures have been identified and used for the investigation and analysis. This research looks at similarities and difference between these six aspects of CSRs disclosed by Polish energy companies. The investigation allows us to conclude that the top three energy companies use similar tools to build their CSR strategies: formalised CSR concept, published CSR reports, disclosure of CSR information on the company website, CSR related activities offered to stakeholders, obtained CSR certificates, and CSR awards. This indicates the existence of a standardised approach to CSR across Polish energy companies.


Author(s):  
Yasemin Zengin Karaibrahimoglu ◽  
Gökçe Tunç

This chapter provides a clear conceptual discussion on the recent developments in the Financial Statement Analysis (FSA). It presents how IFRSs changed the outlook of the financial reporting and the analysis and explains the key points that should be considered in FSA. Using a case study on the financial reports of Turkcell, a communication and technology company listed both on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the Borsa Istanbul (BIST), the differences between IFRSs and U.S. GAAP accounting standards in the measurement of overall financial performance and position are documented. Overall findings show that IFRSs change the appearance of financial statements significantly. While IFRS reporting extenuates “the bottom line” it accentuates total assets with higher shareholder equity compared to U.S. GAAP. This chapter might be a practical guide for users, preparers, and regulators to understand the cosmetic impact of IFRSs on financial statements.


2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simone Pizzi

The CSR theme has taken on an increasingly central role within financial markets. In fact, the last decade has been characterized by a rapid development of “socially responsible” investment, conventionally known as SRI. In this sense, an increasing number of listed firms have reported their non-financial information to the purpose to favor the interaction with their stakeholders. The relevance of these information tools stems from the need to protect investors against companies operating through greenwashing mechanisms. The aim of this research is to assess the effect of CSR on financial economic performance. As already happened within similar studies concerning economic entities different from Italy, the study assesses how the ability to generate income, and, thus, to distribute value towards the shareholder, are influenced by the orientation of companies in the field of sustainability accounting and the aptitude to check the environmental risk associated with the exercise of business activity.


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