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Exploring the role of companies and sustainability disclosure in achieving sustainable development goals: A focus on zero hunger and social inclusion

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Abstract

The Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) require collaboration between governments, individuals, and the business community. However, research is still needed to understand how companies should contribute to the SDGs. Notably, researchers acknowledge companies' reporting practices play a crucial role in connecting organizational behavior to sustainability, advocating for more inclusive and transparent reporting to enhance companies' contribution to sustainable development. Despite the extensive literature on sustainability disclosure, limited empirical studies focus on socially inclusive and dialogic reporting as a determinant of SDGs’ achievement. Focusing on the second SDG (“Zero hunger”), this study analyses 211 of the most relevant worldwide large public companies in achieving it. The results reveal that companies adopting more inclusive and dialogic reporting practices also make greater contributions to SDG2, thus underlining the significance of inclusive reporting in achieving SDGs.

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... This is one of the main reasons why the new sustainability reporting directive of the European Union has started to spread the scope of sustainability reporting to smaller entities (European Union 2022). Furthermore, the United Nations 2030 Agenda (United Nations General Assembly 2015) emphasizes that individuals and business organizations, big or small, should contribute to achieving sustainable development goals (Damiano and Di Maria 2024;Mio, Panfilo, and Blundo 2020). Such a challenge is difficult to cope with and necessitates strongly revising business strategies and operations (Bastian and Caputo 2024;Phillips 2018;Venturelli et al. 2022). ...
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... This call to action has never been more pressing as the profession grapples with critical staffing shortages, and universities globally struggle to attract students to the field (Niehaus, 2022;Steinhardt, 2022). Furthermore, efforts to align accounting with sustainability have been disproportionately focused on carbon accounting and climate change, neglecting broader sociological and ecological concerns equally vital to the profession's relevance and impact (Boström, 2012;Damiano and Di Maria, 2024;Dillard et al., 2013). ...
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Purpose This study aims to explore how the top 50 Australian companies are disclosing their commitment to addressing the sustainable development goals (SDGs) formulated by the United Nations (UN) in 2015. By investigating the nature and substantiveness of SDG reporting, this study provides exploratory evidence on how companies are taking the initial steps to addressing the SDGs. Design/methodology/approach A content analysis of SDG disclosures by the top 50 Australian companies was undertaken. This content analysis was guided by the KPMG (2018) SDG disclosure framework. Legitimacy theory was used to interpret the findings, establishing whether such disclosure was substantive or symbolic. Findings This study reports a moderate level of SDG disclosure among Australian companies. The top five most critical SDGs in Australian context are climate action, gender equality, decent work and economic growth, responsible consumption and production and industry, innovation and infrastructure. The findings also highlight that while the focus of Australian companies is on understanding and prioritizing SDGs, the measurement of SDGs performance needs to increase. Research limitations/implications This study adds to limited literature on the corporate responses to SDGs by establishing how companies, especially in Australia, are addressing these goals through changes to their reporting systems, thereby communicating their strategic intent in relation to addressing these goals. A focus on symbolic legitimation through SDG disclosure by the Australian companies in this study reaffirms the findings of similar studies and suggests a need for more substantive SDG management and disclosure if these goals are to be adequately addressed by the corporate sector. Practical implications The findings of this study provide insights into the current practices and future prospects of corporate responses to SDGs. Policy implications could arise in relation to possible approaches for disclosing social and environmental information and the paper argues for a potential need for regulation of non-financial reporting. Originality/value This study contributes to the limited understanding of the corporate response to an urgent sustainability call made by the UN by providing evidence on how Australian companies are embedding, measuring and reporting the SDGs. The research goes beyond a descriptive analysis of SDG disclosure and assesses whether such disclosure is substantive or symbolic.
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In this paper, I adopt a hand‐collected sample of prestigious business award‐winner directors based on four types of awards and use it to represent reputable directors. I examine how awardee directors influence corporate social responsibility performance (CSR) using multiple samples. The results show that with award‐winner directors sitting on their boards, firms tend to have higher CSR scores. The findings are consistent in the propensity score matched sample and additional robustness tests. The findings suggest that reputable directors are effective in performing monitoring and advising duties, which in turn leads to better CSR performance.
Article
Based on the legitimacy theory, the study enhances the understanding of disclosure practices of European companies operating in the energy sector regarding the adherence to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Toward this end, the study analyses how SDGs reporting is evolving and what are the most addressed SDGs in the context of European energy sector companies. The paper's ultimate contribution is to dive deep into how such companies disclose their contributions to the SDGs to determine whether they adopt a substantive or merely symbolic approach to corporate legitimacy. To address the research objectives, a content analysis has been performed on non-financial reports published by a sample of 15 European energy sector companies included in the Global Reporting Initiative database as SDGs reporters for the period 2017-2019. Our findings suggest that while SDGs are becoming an integral part of corporate disclosure, symbolic rather than substantial changes appear to prevail, calling for actions from legislators and policy-makers. K E Y W O R D S energy sector, legitimacy theory, non-financial reporting, sustainability reporting, sustainable development goals
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Purpose Drawing on Adams (2017a) conceptualisation of value creation by organisations published in the Accounting, Auditing and Accountability Journal , the purpose of this paper is to develop a conceptualisation of how national governments can create value for society and the economy through their approach to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Design/methodology/approach An initial conceptual framework was developed from literature situated at the intersection of accountability, public policy and sustainability/sustainable development. The authors' review of extant research on national policy development on value creation, sustainability and the SDGs identified gaps in (understanding of) approaches to national accountability and national governance (by state and civil society) processes. The subsequent thematic analysis of 164 written submissions made to the Australian Senate inquiry on the SDGs between December 2017 and March 2018, together with transcripts of five public hearings where 49 individuals and organisations appeared as witnesses during the second half of 2018, focussed on addressing these gaps. Findings Input to the Australian Senate Inquiry on the SDGs overwhelmingly emphasised the importance of transparency and stakeholder participation in accountability systems, commenting on data gathering, measuring and communicating. There was an emphasis on the need to involve all parts of society, including business, investors and civil society, and for strong central co-ordination by the Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. These data allowed the authors to refine the conceptualisation of how national governments can enhance social and economic value through a focus on the UN SDGs and their approach to accounting, accountability and governance. Practical implications The findings have implications: for national governments in developing approaches to achieve sustainable development; and, for supranational bodies such as the UN in developing agreements, frameworks and guidance for national governments. Originality/value Building on the extant literature about how global governance should be engaged to improve accountability in achieving the SDGs, the conceptual framework developed through the study shifts focus to national governance and accountability, and provides a blueprint for national governments to create value for the economy and society in the face of global sustainable development issues.
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Purpose We investigate the integration of the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)– based reporting thus exploring the factors that influence the adoption of the SDGs by organizations. Design/methodology/approach We analyzed the GRI dataset provided by the GRI data secretariat. We analyzed 14,308 reports provided by 9,397 organizations between 2016 and 2017. Findings Larger organizations are more likely to integrate the SDGs into their reporting than smaller organizations. Secondly, publicly listed firms are more likely to address the SDGs. Thirdly, industries with higher sustainability impacts are more likely to address the SDGs in their reporting. Fourthly, our data confirm a regional effect with regard to SDG reporting. Moreover, organizations that follow international sustainability guidelines and standards such as becoming a member of the GRI Gold Community or using the GRI Content Index services and having external assurance are more likely to report on the SDGs. Research limitations/implications Corporations play an essential role in the achievement of the SDGs, which shape the future of the world's sustainable development. Nevertheless, SDGs reporting needs more research to analyze the factors that can influence it. The study contributed to the academic literature on CSR and legitimacy theory by analyzing institutional and regional factors that impact SDGs reporting. Practical implications The study provides insights about the integration of the SDGs into organizational reporting and accounting, including the adoption of the SDGs by small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and the benefits of the SDGs as a framework for strategic corporate sustainability. Social implications A global sustainability framework, such as the SDGs can be integrated into organizations sustainability reporting and accounting in a meaningful way. Originality/value This is the first study that analyzes the integration of the SDGs into GRI-based reporting. The study contributes to legitimacy theory by highlighting the factors, which contribute to the legitimacy-based adoption of the SDGs, including organizational size, being publicly listed, being from high-impact industries and certain global regions, etc. SDG reporting can help firms increase their organizational legitimacy across their stakeholders.
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The aim of this study is to discuss the issues relevant to the CSR evaluation and to develop a model of CSR assessment by taking into account SDGs. Based on a critical literature review, the advantages and limits of CSR assessment models were analyzed with the SDGs addressed, and the framework of a novel model of CSR assessment was proposed in this study. The main limitations of CSR in addressing SDGs were defined as follows: the selective implementation of SDGs, greenwashing, the lack of the integration of the stakeholders, the lack of incorporation of SMEs, and the difference in CSR practices among countries. The created model includes all SDGs involved. Moreover, the positive and negative effects of CSR on SDGs were addressed. This proposed CSR assessment model can help to solve the major problems described above: selective implementation of SDGs, greenwashing, and the inability to compare CSR among industries or countries.
Article
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have been adopted by countries and corporates across the world, including the major mining companies. This study contributes to the operationalisation of the SDGs in the mining industry by defining and measuring a set of SDG indicators for mining host communities. It identifies 15 dimensions in 13 SDGs and measures 11 socio-economic indicators (income, household goods, health, education, gender equality, water, sanitation, electricity, employment, housing, and internet access) for 95 mining host communities across South Africa. These communities are located near 198 large-scale mines and are home to over 5.6 million people. Data for the 11 indicators were visualised in ‘barometers of well-being’ for different commodities and types of communities. The results provide the first comparison of living standards of all mining host communities in South Africa, with notable differences highlighting the impact of South Africa’s past policies of racial segregation and discrimination. In line with the SDG vision to leave no-one behind, this novel SDG barometer for the mining industry focuses on communities rather than companies. It highlights the importance of data disaggregation and sectoral reporting, and the opportunity the SDGs present for improved monitoring of the minerals industry to promote inclusive socio-economic development.
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Purpose This paper introduces a special section devoted to accounting scholarship that addresses the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and has three purposes. First, to explore the puzzle of a relative absence of accounting-related scholarship that addresses the SDGs. Second, the papers within the special section are introduced and located within streams of existing research and practice. Third, the paper then suggests framings, approaches and/or conditions under which the authors might see more accounting scholarship in support of advancing the SDGs. Design/methodology/approach A structured review of publication patterns in accounting journals over the last five years is undertaken to explore the nature and extent of SDGs-related accounting research. These patterns and foundational accounting literature are used to shape a series of observations and propositions underlying the line of argument developed in the paper. Findings Despite the SDGs' prominence in the policy world, and the widespread embrace of their utility for shaping understandings of organizational responsibilities, accounting scholars have been slow to engage in SDGs-motivated research. This gap creates two issues. First, accounting scholarship is less available to the web of knowledge that is being developed about how to enact the ambitions of the SDGs. Second, accounting scholarship is not developing in a way that incorporates SDGs-related challenges facing organizations. This paper suggests ways in which accounting scholarship can overcome these limitations. Originality/value Accounting research on the SDGs is in an early stage of development, despite almost five years having elapsed since their formal adoption. This paper highlights avenues for accounting scholars' engagement with the SDGs’ agenda.
Article
The United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are an urgent call for action by all countries that provide a global framework for achieving global development while balancing social, economic, and environmental sustainability. SDGs are addressed to all actors in society, but both academia and professional recognize the particular importance of businesses. However, research is still needed to understand the role of companies as sustainable development agents. Relying on Scopus database consultation, the current research adopts an interdisciplinary systematic literature review to investigate, analyze, and present state‐of‐the‐art academic literature on the role of businesses in tackling SDGs. The final sample comprises 101 papers published between 2015 and 2020. It provides evidence that the main topics discussed by scholars are related to aspects of strategy execution. Recognizing different streams that are currently unexplored—despite strictly related to strategic business activities and to the sustainable development as a whole—the study provides many insights for future research on business and SDGs.
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In this essay, we trace the evolution of the field of sustainability in management and organization studies and narrate its epistemological twists and turns. Concerned by the current trajectory that tends to diminish a focus on political concerns, we propose a new research agenda, an ecological case for business, that transforms our paradigmatic orientation in four shifts: (1) altering our epistemological lenses from managerial to critical perspectives; (2) altering our ontological lenses from realist to relational view; (3) changing the way we design and conduct research from discipline-focused to interdisciplinary knowledge; and (4) transforming our scholarly stance from value-neutral to engaged scholarship. We argue that these shifts have capacities to overcome the conceptual limitations of the business case and, more fundamentally, help us question our scholarly positioning to the ongoing socio-ecological crises.
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Sustainability within planetary boundaries requires concerted action by individuals, governments, civil society and private actors. For the private sector, there is concern that the power exercised by transnational corporations generates, and is even central to, global environmental change. Here, we ask under which conditions transnational corporations could either hinder or promote a global shift towards sustainability. We show that a handful of transnational corporations have become a major force shaping the global intertwined system of people and planet. Transnational corporations in agriculture, forestry, seafood, cement, minerals and fossil energy cause environmental impacts and possess the ability to influence critical functions of the biosphere. We review evidence of current practices and identify six observed features of change towards 'corporate biosphere stewardship', with significant potential for upscaling. Actions by transnational corporations, if combined with effective public policies and improved governmental regulations, could substantially accelerate sustainability efforts.
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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explain how sustainability reporting and stakeholder engagement processes serve as vehicles of dialogic accounting (DA), a form of critical accounting that creates opportunities for stakeholders to express their opinions, and the influence of dialogic interactions on the content of sustainability reports. Design/methodology/approach Content analysis is used to investigate reports published by 299 companies that have adopted Global Reporting Initiative guidelines. This paper studies how organizations engage stakeholders, the categories of stakeholders that are being addressed, the methods used to support stakeholder engagement, and other features of the stakeholder engagement process. Companies that disclose stakeholder perceptions, the difficulties met in engaging stakeholders, and actions aimed at creating opportunities for different groups of stakeholders to interact were subjects of discussion in a series of semi-structured interviews that focus on DA. Findings Companies often commit themselves to two-way dialogue with their stakeholders, but fully developed frameworks for DA are rare. However, signs of DA emerged in the analysis, thus confirming that sustainability reporting can become a platform for DA systems if stakeholder engagement is effective. Originality/value The findings contribute to the accounting literature by discussing if and how sustainability reporting and stakeholder engagement can serve as vehicles of DA. This is accomplished via a research design that is based on in-depth interviews and content analysis of various sustainability reports.
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Organizations worldwide can play a significant role in the advancement of the Sustainable Development Agenda. However, there might be various factors influencing organizations’ decisions to address sustainability issues. This study aims to conduct an analysis of the country-level institutional factors related to the decision to address the Sustainable Development Goals in sustainability reports. The research is undertaken by considering 27 institutional factors belonging to six different national institutional systems, and it relies on data from 2413 sustainability reports published by organizations located in 90 different countries. The results show that organizations reporting on the Sustainable Development Goals are more likely to be located in countries with higher levels of climate change vulnerability, national corporate social responsibility, company spending on tertiary education, indulgence and individualism, and lower levels of market coordination, employment protection, power distance and long-term orientation. The study contributes to the literature on sustainable development and sustainability reporting by investigating the institutional factors related to addressing the Sustainable Development Goals in sustainability reports. The study can be useful for managers, investors and decision makers to develop country-specific strategies, investment plans, and policies to support organizations in contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals.
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Business can play a critical role in the achievement of the sustainable development goals (SDGs). Contextually, business reporting on the SDGs can support organizations in planning, implementing, measuring, and communicating their SDG efforts. This study investigates the relationship between early adoption of SDG reporting and a series of organizational factors by combining data from two databases—provided by the Global Reporting Initiative and Orbis—to identify the organizations that addressed the SDGs in their sustainability reports and their respective structural characteristics. The study, using a logit model based on data from 408 organizations worldwide, indicates that early adoption of SDG reporting is related to a larger size, a higher level of intangible assets, a higher commitment to sustainability frameworks and external assurance, a higher share of female directors, and a younger board of directors. The study contributes to the academic and practical understanding of factors related to the decision to engage early in new sustainability frameworks and practices.
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Purpose This paper aims to establish and advance the role of academic accounting in the pursuit of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which are regarded as the most salient point of departure for understanding and achieving environmental and human development ambitions up to (and no doubt beyond) the year 2030. Design/methodology/approach Synthesis of interdisciplinary perspectives on sustainable development and integration of this with the accounting for sustainability literature. In addition, potential accounting research contributions are proposed so as to support the development of new research avenues. Findings Existing research in accounting that is relevant to individual Sustainable Development Goals serves as an initial link between them and the accounting discipline. At the same time, the Sustainable Development Goals focus highlights new sites for empirical work (including interdisciplinary investigations) as well as inviting innovation in accounting theoretical frameworks. Moreover, the Goals provide a context for (re)invigorating accounting’s contribution to sustainable development debates. Originality/value This is the first paper to explore the roles academic accounting can play in furthering achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals through enhanced understanding, critiquing and advancing of accounting policy, practice and theorizing. It is also the first paper to propose a research agenda in this area.
Article
The existence of several accessible sources has led to a proliferation of mediation models in the applied research literature. Most of these sources assume endogenous variables (e.g., M, and Y) have normally distributed residuals, precluding models of binary and/or count data. Although a growing body of literature has expanded mediation models to include more diverse data types, the nonlinearity of these models presents a substantial hurdle to their implementation and interpretation. The present study extends the existing literature (e.g., Hayes & Preacher, 2010; Stolzenberg, 1980) to propose conditional indirect effects as a useful tool for understanding mediation models that include paths estimated using the Generalized Linear Model (e.g., logistic regression, Poisson regression). We briefly review the relevant literature, culminating in a discussion of conditional indirect effects and their importance when examining nonlinear associations. We present a simple extension of the equations presented by Hayes and Preacher (2010) and provide an applied example of the technique.
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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine and explain the complex interrelationships which influence the ability of firms to create value for their providers of finance and other stakeholders (loosely referred to in practice as “integrated thinking”). In doing so it examines the interrelationships between: environmental, social and governance (ESG) risk; delivering on corporate strategy; non-financial corporate reporting; and, board oversight. Design/methodology/approach Interviews were conducted with board chairs and non-executive directors of large listed companies on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (where Boards are required to have a social and ethics sub-committee and approve integrated reports which have been mandatory since 2010) and the Australian Stock Exchange (where Board directors’ liability legislation results in Boards being reluctant to adopt integrated reporting which is voluntary). Findings The research finds that contemporary reporting processes, and in particular those set out in the King III Code and the International Integrated Reporting Framework, influence cognitive frames enhancing board oversight and assisting organisations in managing complexity. This results in increased awareness of the impact of ESG issues together with a broader view of value creation despite investor disinterest. Research limitations/implications A number of avenues of research are suggested to further examine the interrelationships identified. Practical implications The research assists the development of practice and policy by articulating and enhancing the understanding of linkages, which loosely fall under the vague practitioner term “integrated thinking”. Social implications The conceptualisation can inform national and global discussions on the appropriateness of corporate reporting and governance models to achieve sustainable development and contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals. Originality/value The paper conceptualises emerging and complex interrelationships. The cross-country comparison allows an assessment of the extent to which different national social contexts with differing governance and reporting frameworks lead to different perspectives on, and approaches to, value creation.
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In September 2015, the international community agreed on 17 new sustainable development goals (SDG) as part of the new sustainable development agenda. This current perspective article discusses development cooperation under the new SDG agenda with a special focus on Norway’s efforts. It provides background on the governance system for development cooperation and discusses particular issues and topics present policy focuses on, and strategies and policies for achieving the SDG agenda for Norway, both at home and abroad. The role of education as a core part of development cooperation is highlighted and discussed throughout. A recurring theme is the role of conflict, stability and fragility for Norwegian development cooperation in particular. As discussed, Norway has a long-standing tradition of involvement in peacebuilding across the globe. Both the explicit link made by the new SDG agenda between peace and justice, through SDG 16, and its other goals bring the UN’s priorities in line with what has been a guiding principle for Norwegian development cooperation for several decades already.