Assessing human rights disclosure: An empirical analysis of the oil and gas sector

Abstract

This paper investigates human rights disclosures based on GRI guidelines in the case of international oil and gas companies. A disclosure index with 26 items was created to meet the research aim to assess the extent of human rights disclosure by firms. This disclosure index checklist was created using GRI principles related to human rights. The annual report for the fiscal year ending in 2020, as well as social responsibility reports (sustainability) and business websites are scrutinized. The study found that the amount of human rights disclosure in the sampled firms is average, and this is a disappointed finding. Based on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices in 2020, these sampled firms represent leading corporations in the field of sustainability, therefore, the disclosure level of human rights was expected to be higher. As a result, if the level of human rights disclosure in these firms is average, it is reasonable to suppose that the level of disclosure in enterprises outside of this categorization will be significantly lower. This demonstrates that human rights information is still restricted. In addition, the results show that companies focus on good news, such as policies to protect human rights, but completely ignore human rights abuses either by them or by suppliers.