Material ESG data disclosure by WIG-ESG index companies as the factor influencing the value of reporting

Abstract

The ESG reports are becoming an important source of data and information about the company. These data have an important impact on the assessment of the company made by stakeholders, especially financial market participants as well as business and investment decisions made on this basis. However, despite many existing reporting standards in the field of ESG, the quality and value of the reports vary. There are many reasons for this – the company's motivation to report, its experience in the area of reporting, the scope of its own assessment and the possibility of using them for self-improvement. The sector in which the company operates as well as the level and type of competition also seem important. The goal of this chapter is limited to finding the answer to two research questions: (1) Are the ESG data disclosed by the companies listed on the WIG ESG index material? (2) Does the level of disclosure of material ESG data by the companies listed on the WIG-ESG index vary between sectors? To find the answers, the research was conducted on the companies listed on the WIG ESG index. The results of the study confirmed that firstly, the majority of material ESG data are not disclosed and secondly, the amount of disclosed material data depends on the industry in which the company operates.