Corporate Sustainability Reporting and Stakeholder Concerns: Is There a Disconnect?

Abstract

SYNOPSIS The number of companies reporting their corporate sustainability (CS) activities has significantly increased over the last decade. The result being a wide variability in the types of activities being reported and the ways the information is presented. An unanswered question is whether the information being reported by companies following the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) CS framework is of interest to arguably one of the primary stakeholder groups, customers. Our study seeks to fill this knowledge gap by comparing the content of CS reports to results from a large-scale consumer stakeholder survey. By performing factor analysis on stakeholder evaluation of the importance of CS activities, we find that consumers see different dimensions than those put forth by the GRI framework, thereby suggesting a disconnect between corporate sustainability reporting and stakeholder views and interests. Our results indicate that risk and compliance are dimensions of interest to customers, while the GRI economic dimension is not viewed as important. Additionally, a new dimension of social justice is the most important to consumer stakeholders. Furthermore, the study highlights particular activities within each factor that are most important to the consumer stakeholder group. This research has implications for preparers of sustainability reports and organizations, such as the GRI, that establish guidance for sustainability reporting.

Does it pay to be sustainable? Looking inside the black box of the relationship between sustainability performance and financial performance

“…An integrated reporting framework provides a holistic view of a firm's financial and non-financial performance avenues. Building inter-linkages between economic and non-economic performance will provide better performance analysis prospects (Antolin-Lopez et al, 2016;Bradford et al, 2016;Lozano & Huisingh, 2011;Schons & Steinmeier, 2016). Furthermore, the choice of integrated reporting can increase the usefulness and value relevance of information provided by the company about its sustainability initiatives.…”

“…Such a classification allows us to calculate an SP index for each indicator and sub-category (see Table 2 later for a detailed description). To test the inter-linkages (Antolin-Lopez, Delgado-Ceballos, & Montiel, 2016;Bradford, Earp, Showalter, & Williams, 2016;Lozano & Huisingh, 2011) between individual SP components, we collect data on sub-dimensions of the SP indicators. This helps provide fact-based results about the underlying relationship and points to the underlying causes of divergence among extant results.…”

Akuntansi Keberlanjutan Dan Pengukuran Kinerja Keberlanjutan Universitas: Mungkinkah Mengaplikasikan Akuntansi Keberlanjutan Pada Institusi Pendidikan Tinggi?

“…Identifikasi berikutnya menemukan bahwa kelompok pemangku kepentingan universitas belum menaruh perhatian yang serius agar universitas menerapkan konsep akuntansi keberlanjutan. Beberapa riset yang telah dilakukan, misalnya Amran & Keat Ooi (2014), Bradford et al (2016), dan O'Dochartaigh (2017), menemukan bahwa adanya tekanan atau permintaan dari pemangku kepentingan organisasi agar organisasi mengungkapkan informasi dalam laporan keberlanjutan menjadi salah satu faktor krusial yang mendorong manajemen organisasi untuk menyusun laporan keberlanjutan. Dengan kata lain, tekanan atau permintaan dari pemangku kepentingan organisasi merupakan faktor penting dari eksternal organisasi agar manajemen dapat melakukan penyusunan laporan keberlanjutan.…”

Accountants’ Perspectives on the Environment

“…According to Chiu and Wang (2015) "stakeholder theory is considered to be an influential theory within the domain of social and environmental research" (p. 380). Researchers cite stakeholder theory as the impetus for sustainability reporting and assurance by accountants (Bradford, Earp, Showalter, & Williams, 2017;Klettner, Clarke, & Boersma, 2014;Lankoski, Smith, & Van Wassenhove, 2016). Andon, Baxter, and Chua (2015) noted accounting for stakeholders enhances the accounting profession.…”