The informational component of corporate social responsibility assessment: Results of empirical research

Abstract

Subject. We consider completeness and quality of social information disclosure for systematic presentation of corporate social responsibility of organizations in financial and public non-financial reporting. Objectives. The aim is to present a comprehensive research of information component of social responsibility of Russian large business enterprises, based on the analysis of their financial and non-financial reporting information. Methods. We employed methods of logical, statistical, comparative, and linguistic analysis. We also analyzed financial and public non-financial reports of Russian metallurgical companies. Special attention was paid to the availability and completeness of presented social disclosures. The study investigates annual financial statements and public non-financial statements for 2018–2020. Results. We offer a systems approach to the study and assessment of social responsibility, based on the analysis of the content of selected indicators, formulate recommendations that are necessary to increase the social responsibility of companies through improving the quality of content of reporting information and its orientation to solving global social problems. The findings enabled to reveal the areas of social information disclosure that are most significant for increasing the validity of investment decisions. Conclusions. The identified top social problems are in the focus of attention of economic entities; the dynamics of the quality of disclosures in corporate reports over the past three years has been positive. The trend in the development of non-financial reporting standards in terms of completeness and comprehensive nature of social disclosures enables to count on gradual overcoming of existing problems.