Financial comparability and environmental diversity: an international context

Abstract

Accounting and environmental management both hold improved resource‐use efficiency as an ultimate goal, but intermediate processes and objectives vary and consequently it is separately assessed within each discipline. This paper intends to make visible the globalizing trends in accounting practice, which aim to standardize financial reporting to produce comparable information so that shareholders can maximize their economic wealth. This paper seeks to contrast this comparability strategy with the apparent need for diversity in accounting information exhibited by actual accounting practices, the information needs of environmental management and, ultimately, the cultural needs of sustainable development. We argue that a more pluralistic model, that enables a holistic assessment of corporate performance and balances diverse stakeholder objectives, is better suited to an uncertain future. Implementation requires accountants and environmental managers jointly to create and test a new order of reporting. There are many practical challenges but most significantly accountants and environmental managers must combine to enhance the visibility and credibility of these diverse performance measures. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. and ERP Environment

Principles for sustainability rating of investment funds

“…Acquiring access to information about companies, however, can be very difficult. Compared with financial reporting, sustainability reporting is less developed (Edwards et al, 2002). Müller-Wenk (1978) suggested an environmental accounting system as much as 25 years ago and it was developed further worldwide (see, e.g., Rubenstein, 1994;Helminen, 2000;Tyteca et al, 2002).…”

Qualidade da divulgação socioambiental: um estudo sobre a acurácia das informações contábeis nos relatórios de sustentabilidade

“…Independente do padrão a ser seguido pelas empresas, a verdadeira accountability da sustentabilidade só poderá ser feita com informações direcionadas aos interesses de um conjunto ampliado de stakeholders (FREEMAN, 1984;CINTRA;PERLINGEIRO, 2008;EDWARDS;BIRKIN;WOODWARD, 2002;GRAY;OWEN;ADAMS, 1996). Embora as informações contábeis sejam divulgadas em relatórios financeiros, as abordagens dos RS exigem que essas sejam adaptadas e sejam compreensíveis para atender ao objetivo de accountability.…”

“…O pronunciamento alega que, atendendo a esses usuários, será também atendida a maior parte das necessidades de informação dos demais usuários. Assim, há uma lacuna na divulgação de informações sociais, ambientais e econômicas a públicos não contemplados na estrutura conceitual dos padrões contábeis vigentes (EDWARDS; BIRKIN; WOODWARD, 2002;CINTRA;PERLINGEIRO, 2008).…”

Understanding the External Pressure and Behavior of Commercial Banks’ Environmental Risk Management: An Empirical Study Undertaken in the Yangtze River Delta of China

“…It is imperative that researchers consult the literature when conceptualizing constructs and specifying domains (Churchill 1979). Thus, an initial list of 61 facets of external ERM pressure on commercial banks and their behavior was developed based mainly on the literature mentioned above (Mertins et al 1995;Coulson and Monks 1999;Jeucken 2001;Bellegem 2001;Edwards et al 2002;Springett 2003;Fenchel 2003;Peeters 2004;Liu 2008a, b) and the practices of financial institutions. 4 These facets were then reviewed by experts from universities and banks.…”