Embedding gender in sustainability reports

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to detail the research and consultation process highlighting the demand for this information, undertaken by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and the International Finance Corporation.Design/methodology/approachThe paper sets out the emerging drivers for reporting on gender information in sustainability reports. In turn, it argues that sustainability reporters have the potential to promote gender equality by transparently reporting on their organization's gender‐responsive practices and performance.FindingsInvestors are a key stakeholder to companies. There is a growing belief in the investment world that companies that empower women and encourage gender diversity may outperform those that do not in the long term. Gender performance is one possible indicator of organizations' financial strength.Research limitations/implicationsFurther research is required to identify if recent developments increase corporate disclosure and performance reporting on gender equality.Practical implicationsThe research was qualitative in nature and based on the perceptions of those attending the gender reporting consultation workshops and involved in the GRI Gender Working Group.Social implicationsIncreased awareness of the case for reporting on gender equality could increase the reporting by companies and stakeholder demands for this information. In addition, the increased availability of this information could positively influence public policy addressing existing levels of gender inequality.Originality/valueStakeholder's demand for gender performance information, particularly on the number of women in management, is growing. Sustainability reporting as the mechanism that many companies worldwide are using to communicate their other environmental, social, and governance performance information can also help with communicating an organization's commitment to gender equality.

Marxist Feminist Perspective of Corporate Gender Disclosures

“…Though this paper highlighted on equal opportunity issues, corporate contribution to the women in society was not a consideration. Later Miles (2011), in a conceptual paper emphasised the importance of corporate disclosure on gender issues. The author mentioned that there is a growing awareness on gender issues.…”

“…The author also highlighted that gender diversity can strengthen the financial performance of the company. Consequently, Miles (2011) argued that gender is an important issue and should be highlighted in the corporate reports.…”

Imagining new feminist futures: How feminist social movements contest the neoliberalization of feminism in an increasingly corporate‐dominated world

“…Further empirical research is needed that unpacks such strategies' impact. Second, we have recognized that for many marginalized peoples, including feminist groups and individuals, CSR governance arenas are difficult to enter, tough to manoeuvre within and often frustrating to work with (Boström & Hallström, ; Grosser, ; Miles, ). These challenges may sometimes exceed those of working with state organizations and are in need of further investigation and research.…”

“…The latter proliferate in corporations, where women leaders are told to ‘lean in’ (Rottenberg, ), often accompanied by a business case which emphasizes how individual women's empowerment benefits corporations (Roberts, ). For example, promoting women in business can enhance: reputation (Bear, Rahman, & Post, ); access to new markets (Dolan & Scott, ); and investment ratings (Miles, ). Neoliberalized feminism legitimizes ‘the same neoliberal macroeconomic framework that has sustained gender‐based inequality and oppression’ (Roberts, , p. 209) as it emphasizes corporate growth and individual — above collective — advancement.…”

“…In an era of new governance, corporations and their CSR practices are becoming important institutions of global governance for feminist mobilizing structures. For example, formal groups include: the GRI which convened a gender working group to integrate gender perspectives into the most widely used set of corporate sustainability reporting guidelines globally (Grosser, ; Miles, ). A similar international gender working group exists for the Women's Empowerment Principles, a subset of guiding values developed by a group of corporations, NGOs and international organizations to direct corporate behaviour regarding gender equality (Kilgour, ).…”