Integrated extinction accounting and accountability: building an ark

Abstract

Structured Abstract PurposeWe are currently experiencing what is often called the sixth period of mass extinction on planet Earth, caused undoubtedly by the impact of human activities and businesses on nature. In this paper we explore the potential for accounting and corporate accountability to contribute to extinction prevention. The paper adopts an interdisciplinary approach, weaving scientific evidence and theory into organisational disclosure and reporting in order to demonstrate linkages between extinction, business behaviour, accounting and accountability as well as to provide a basis for developing a framework for narrative disclosure on extinction prevention. Design/methodology/approachThe paper is theoretical and interdisciplinary in approach, seeking to bring together scientific theories of extinction with a need for corporate and organizational accountability whilst recognizing philosophical concerns in the extant environmental accounting literature about accepting any business role and capitalist mechanisms in ecological matters. Our overarching framework derives from the concept of emancipatory accounting. Findings and Practical implicationsThe outcome of the writing is to: present (a) an emancipatory 'extinction accounting' framework which can be embedded within integrated reports, and (b) a diagrammatic representation, in the form of an 'ark', of accounting and accountability mechanisms which, combined, can assist, we argue, in preventing extinction. We suggest that the emancipatory framework may also be applied to engagement meetings between the responsible investor community (and NGOs) and organizations on biodiversity and species protection. Originality/valueThis paper represents a comprehensive attempt to explore the emancipatory role of accounting in extinction prevention and also brings together the links in accounting and accountability mechanisms which, working together, can prevent species extinction.

Exploring factors relating to extinction disclosures: What motivates companies to report on biodiversity and species protection?

“…We classified these studies into two groups. The first group focused on developing a normative framework for corporate reporting (Atkins & Maroun, ; Atkins, Maroun, Atkins, & Barone, ; Maroun & Atkins, ). The framework claims to be emancipatory and transformational by encouraging a corporation to develop a narrative account of its own understanding of species extinction and how it is acting to prevent extinctions.…”

“…Biodiversity can be described as the infrastructure that supports all life (Jones & Solomon, ). The immense pressure plastics are having on the oceans along with the disappearance of rainforests and land clearing for agricultural purposes have all contributed to biodiversity loss and species extinction (Atkins & Maroun, ). All these issues have resulted in many years of human overexploitation of our planet and are recognised to be causing the sixth extinction period the planet is currently experiencing (Atkins & Maroun, ; Kolbert, ; Pievani, ; Russell, Milne, & Dey, ).…”

A review of biodiversity reporting by the South African seafood industry

“…The last 20 years has seen a steady increase in the range of environmental data being included in sustainability and integrated reports (PwC 2014 and, to a lesser extent, details on biodiversity conservation and management (Atkins & Maroun 2018;Jones & Solomon 2013;Mansoor & Maroun 2016). According to the GRI (2007):…”

“…For a company's account of biodiversity impact to be more than just policy-focused, providing feedback on how it has performed against biodiversity targets, rehabilitation costs incurred and the successes and challenges of its partnerships with NGOs and environmental agencies are important (performance evaluation reporting) (Atkins et al 2015a;Atkins & Maroun 2018). This should be supported by a clear explanation of the risks posed by biodiversity loss (risk reporting) and specific actions or plans used to mitigate or manage these risks (internal management reporting) (Hossain 2017;Van Liempd & Busch 2013).…”

“…This requires detailed reporting on, for example, which species of fish are at risk of being overexploited; the assessed impact of over-exploitation on the business model and how the company plans to reduce the use of that species (Atkins et al 2016b. This can include the use of NGOs and active engagement with key stakeholders to, for example, assess biodiversity risks more accurately, make recommendations on how to improve harvesting methods or review the sustainability of operations (Atkins & Maroun 2018;De Villiers & Maroun 2018). Finally, high-quality biodiversity reporting needs to be supported by an effective internal management function which provides the policies, procedures, operating standards and controls for sustainable harvesting of seafood and ensures that the disclosures included in an integrated or sustainability report are not just rhetoric (see Alrazi, De Villiers & Van Staden 2015;McNally, Cerbone & Maroun 2017).…”