Sustainability reporting and assurance in Portugal

Abstract

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to provide a descriptive comprehensive analysis of sustainability reporting (SR) and assurance in Portugal after the onset of the most recent economic crisis.Design/methodology/approach– The authors analyze 290 sustainability reports for the years 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011, and find those that include assurance statements and characterize them.Findings– The authors present evidence supporting the view that the Portuguese sustainability reporting assurance (SRA) market follows the international trends and suggest that the most recent economic crisis had a negative effect in terms of publication of sustainability reports but not in terms of its quality and assurance.Research limitations/implications– The authors merely provide descriptive evidence of SR and the assurance thereof in Portugal.Originality/value– The authors contribute significantly to the literature on SRA in peripheral countries and in the period of crisis.