The Relationship between Social Visibility and CSR Disclosure

Abstract

The aim of this research is to investigate the link between different proxies of social visibility such as company size, company profitability, environmental sensitivity, and multinational subsidiary with CSR disclosure. This study used a content analysis method to extract CSR-related information from the annual reports of 253 listed companies of Pakistan. The collected data was analyzed through a multiple linear pooled regression analysis technique. The results showed that company size, company profitability, environmental sensitivity, and to be a multinational subsidiary have a significant positive relationship with CSR disclosure. This indicates that different aspects of corporate social visibility are associated with CSR disclosure. We assert that highly socially visible companies, prone to pressures from various actors of the society such as the media, NGOs, the government, and other stakeholders, appear to disclose CSR information to manage relationships with these actors.

Relationship between Sustainable Disclosure and Performance—An Extension of Ullmann’s Model

“…Firstly, perhaps the main motivation is to contribute knowledge to reduce the disparity (and contradictions) of results found in the literature regarding the SD-SP relationship, due mainly to a consequence of the multidimensional nature of both concepts. Although it has been argued that the better performing companies are more concerned about CSR disclosure [15,16], the sustainability discourse is becoming ubiquitous, as even nowadays a significant gap persists between corporate sustainability talk and practice [17]. As a result of the discursive analysis of this Sustainability Disclosure (SD), it is noted that words are not always real actions [18], and that a critical analysis of the published discourse is necessary to improve this SD and lead to true change [19,20].…”

CSR Communication Strategies of Colombian Business Groups: An Analysis of Corporate Reports

“…Additionally, Colombian BGs are following internationalization processes [15], leading them to become 'multilatinas'; that is to say, they are firms that are located and consolidated in a Latin American country, and seek expansion and positioning in new markets [16]. Furthermore, the context of developing countries has some cultural, social, political, and economic aspects that make them different [17], and therefore interesting to study.A recent study [18] shows that 68% of consulted investors recognize the importance of CSR reports for their investment decisions and consider the report to be the main tool for communicating CSR practices [19]. This paper aims at identifying corporate reporting practices in the BGs of an emerging economy and subsequently establishing their stakeholder orientation and prevailing CSR communication strategies.…”

“…Additionally, Colombian BGs are following internationalization processes [15], leading them to become 'multilatinas'; that is to say, they are firms that are located and consolidated in a Latin American country, and seek expansion and positioning in new markets [16]. Furthermore, the context of developing countries has some cultural, social, political, and economic aspects that make them different [17], and therefore interesting to study.…”

Exploring the Determinants of Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility: An Empirical Examination

“…Third, we find that customer awareness has a significantly positive impact on the level of strategic CSR. Existing studies mostly analyze corporate visibility from the public's perspective and identify corporate visibility as a key factor in affecting a firm's CSR initiatives [26,33,34]. This study analyzes corporate visibility from the customers' perspective.…”

“…External stakeholders can be classified into primary stakeholders, such as customers, and secondary stakeholders, such as the public [21,32]. Existing studies mostly analyze corporate visibility from the public's perspective, identifying it as a key factor in affecting a firm's CSR initiatives [26,33,34]. This study analyzes corporate visibility from the customers' perspective.…”