Corporate Social Responsibility Disclosure Research Articles

Disclosure of corporate social responsibility in Baltic public companies: choices of reporting and its determinants

ABSTRACT This article investigates the choices of CSR reporting and its determinants in Baltic public companies. We assess the overall CSR disclosure situation and reveal the disclosure format and measurement content for social, environmental, and governance components. Then we explore the determinants of choices of reporting. Logit and Tobit regression models for balanced panel data sets are applied from 2017 to 2021. Our findings showed that mandatory disclosure dominates among Baltic public companies. Size and some performance indicators such as ROA, EPS, ROE, and capital intensity are important for CSR disclosure. Larger companies choose to present the separate CSR report, while smaller firms disclose CSR in annual reports. Larger companies also choose quantitative disclosure measures instead of only qualitative ones.

Does internal audit matter? Audit committee, its attributes, and corporate social responsibility reporting quality

This study explores the nexus between internal audit, audit committee attributes, and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) disclosure quality in A-share listed companies on the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges from 2010 to 2019. Utilizing refined samples and robust datasets, this investigation reveals critical insights that a robust internal control system significantly correlates with higher-quality CSR disclosure, underscoring its pivotal role in safeguarding non-financial reporting integrity and enhancing transparency in CSR disclosures. Larger audit committees are positively associated with improved CSR disclosure quality. This highlights the strategic advantage of a diverse and expansive audit committee in navigating the complexities of CSR reporting. Contrary to expectations, the proportion of independent directors on the audit committee and the frequency of audit committee meetings do not show a significant positive relationship with CSR disclosure. Companies benefit from strategic investments in internal control systems, crucial for non-financial reporting integrity and fortified CSR disclosure practices. In conclusion, this study provides concise insights into critical factors influencing CSR disclosure quality in Chinese companies, offering actionable implications for corporate practices and regulatory frameworks. AcknowledgmentThis paper is co-funded by the European Union through the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) within the project “EU BEST PRACTICE OF LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT, SOCIAL, ENVIRONMENTAL ACCOUNTING AND SUSTAINABILITY REPORTING” – 101047667-ERASMUS-JMO-2021-MODULE https://jm.snau.edu.ua/en/eu-best-practice-of-life-cycle-assessment-social-envi­ron­mental-accounting-and-sustainability-reporting/ Oleh Pasko expresses sincere gratitude for the support from the Kirkland Research Program, generously provided by the Leaders of Change Foundation established by the Polish-American Freedom Foundation.

Trick or treat? A bibliometric literature review of corporate social responsibility and earnings management

AbstractResearch QuestionThis study seeks to examine and synthesize the extant literature to summarize whether the essence of corporate social responsibility (CSR) genuinely stems from an authentic social commitment, or if it primarily serves as a tactic to obscure earnings management (EM) practices.Research MethodologyA systematic literature review methodology is employed to thoroughly assess 75 articles selected from the Web of Science and Scopus databases, integrating bibliometric techniques, and following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.Research FindingsAmid evolving economic and social landscapes, the research of the CSR‐EM relationship increases, particularly in Asian contexts. Further research found that ESG (environmental, social, and governance) was gradually introduced into the theoretical framework of CSR‐EM. However, most of the research does not study the impact of the three dimensions of ESG, respectively. The study concludes the four varied CSR‐EM relationships: positive, negative, mixed (depending on EM type), and no correlation, and suggests that this should be determined by both macro (e.g., political and economic environment) and micro determinants (e.g., industries and governance). Therefore, the CSR‐EM relationship cannot be simply generalized. At present, most studies study CSR as a whole, and some literature uses CSR disclosure and performance to measure CSR respectively. However, distinctions between CSR disclosure and performance, namely CSR decoupling, remain underexplored.Theoretical and Practical ImplicationsThis review synthesizes four key findings and summarizes seven relevant theories from existing literature, thus enriching the theoretical contributions of CSR‐EM research. It underscores the significance of both macro and micro factors on the CSR‐EM relationship, introduces the concept of CSR decoupling, and outlines directions for future studies. The review offers insights for policymakers on CSR‐EM dynamics and suggests strategies for companies to enhance CSR practices and reporting consistency.

International diversification and corporate social responsibility disclosure quality: Employee versus environmental dimensions

AbstractMultinational enterprises (MNEs) face increasing institutional complexity as they expand internationally, which has a significant effect on their corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy. In this study, we investigate an under‐explored difference between MNEs' employee and environmental CSR disclosure quality concerning the extent to which CSR reports are indicative of substantive activities. We propose that as international diversification increases institutional complexity, MNEs lower the disclosure quality of environmental CSR yet improve the disclosure quality of employee CSR due to their different institutional implications. In addition, we examine the effect of MNEs' home country cultural differences regarding uncertainty avoidance on the relationship between international diversification and employee and environmental disclosure quality. Based on a sample of 335 global MNEs from 31 countries, we found general support for our hypotheses.

Koneksi Politik dan Pengungkapan Corporate Social Responsibility: Tinjauan Literatur dari Berbagai Negara

This research explains the relationship between political connections and CSR disclosure using a library research approach. Through the exploration and integration of findings from previous empirical research, this study aims to present a more comprehensive understanding of the relationship between political connections and CSR disclosure in various countries. The results of the study indicate that the connection between political connections and CSR disclosure is influenced by the institutional factors of the country where the company operates. Furthermore, the research also shows that political connections provide benefits to companies in developing, advanced, and transforming economies, but these benefits are more significant in developing countries. This study contributes to expanding the literature on political connections and CSR disclosure by presenting empirical results from various countries.

Digital transformation and governance heterogeneity as determinants of CSR disclosure: insights from Chinese A-share companies

Purpose In this fast-changing world, digitization has become crucial to organizations, allowing decision-makers to alter corporate processes. Companies with a higher corporate social responsibility (CSR) level not only help encourage employees to focus on their goals, but they also show that they take their social responsibility seriously, which is increasingly important in today’s digital economy. So, this study aims to examine the relationship between digital transformation and CSR disclosure of Chinese A-share companies. Furthermore, this research investigates the moderating impact of governance heterogeneity, including CEO power and corporate internal control (INT) mechanisms. Design/methodology/approach This study used fixed effect estimation with robust standard errors to examine the relationship between digital transformation and CSR disclosure and the moderating effect of governance heterogeneity among Chinese A-share companies from 2010 to 2020. The whole sample consists of 17,266 firms, including 5,038 state-owned enterprise (SOE) company records and 12,228 non-SOE records. The whole sample data is collected from the China Stock Market and Accounting Research, the Chinese Research Data Services and the WIND databases. Findings The regression results lead us to three conclusions after classifying the sample into non-SOE and SOE groups. First, Chinese A-share businesses with greater levels of digitalization have lower CSR disclosures. Both SOE and non-SOE are consistent with these findings. Second, increasing CEO authority creates a more centralized company decision-making structure (Breuer et al., 2022; Freire, 2019), which improves the negative association between digitalization and CSR disclosure. These conclusions, however, also apply to non-SOE. Finally, INT reinforces the association between corporate digitization and CSR disclosure, which is especially obvious in SOEs. These findings are robust to alternative HEXUN CSR disclosure index. Heterogeneity analysis shows that the negative relationship between corporate digitalization and CSR disclosures is more pronounced in bigger, highly levered and highly financialized firms. Originality/value Digitalization and CSR disclosure are well studied, but few have examined their interactions from a governance heterogeneity perspective in China. Practitioners and policymakers may use these insights to help business owners implement suitable digital policies for firm development from diverse business perspectives.

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY DISCLOSURE, INSTITUTIONAL OWNERSHIP, AND ASSET GROWTH TO IMPROVE FIRM VALUE

Firm value is investors' perception of the company's success in managing its resources which is reflected in the share price. Several factors that influence company value include the company's ability to carry out social responsibility which is related to the public value of the company. Apart from that, Good Corporate Governance can also influence the size of the company's value. However, internal factors, namely asset growth, can also have an impact on company value. This research aims to analyze the influence of Corporate Social Responsibility Disclosure, Institutional Ownership and Asset Growth on company value in companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange. The sample companies are consumer goods companies with data analysis methods using descriptive and verification analysis. The results showed that partially Corporate Social Responsibility Disclosure had a negative and insignificant effect on firm value but Institutional Ownership and Asset Growth had a positive and significant effect on firm value.

Effect of the national business system on the disclosure of greenhouse gases emissions: multi-country evidence

Methodology: Institutional Theory and the National Business System approach were used to propose the research hypotheses. The work evaluated 1,072 companies from the 10 largest economies in the world, using econometric models and statistical analysis.Purpose: Investigate the effect of the national business system on the disclosure of greenhouse gases by companies from the largest economies in the world.Findings: The results indicate that institutional factors, such as the political, financial and cultural systems affect the disclosure of greenhouse gases. Thus, institutional pressure from countries can determine the environmental performance of their firms. However, the results showed that the country’s level of development is not an explanatory variable for the disclosure of atmospheric emissions.Practical implications: The research presents the impact of formal and informal institutions on the disclosure practices of companies, suggesting that policy makers could influence it by strengthening certain institutional aspects. Originality/Value: Although there is an increasing volume of research on the disclosure of corporate social responsibility, few studies are dedicated to comparing the disclosure of greenhouse gases in the light of the national business system.

The Relationship of Corporate Social Responsibility with Business Performance—A Bibliometric Literature Review

The significant role of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in achieving sustainability and in meeting the expectations of stakeholders has been well documented. Using a collection of 2173 publications on CSR and its connections with business performance, this study conducted a bibliometric investigation using the Systematic Literature Network Analysis (SLNA) technique combined with network visualizations to demonstrate the current research trends, most topical themes and the developing areas of interest in the growing field of CSR and its linkages with business performance for an approximate period from 2004 to 2023 as published in the Scopus database of two decades. The goal was to explore the research gaps by analyzing the most cited authors and most impactful publications by year, location, subject area and document type. The study also outlined the trends by topic prevalence, commonly used keywords and citation networks based on co-occurrence and co-authorship to identify the current thematic gaps. The results reveal a mild rate of growth in scholarly interest around the field of CSR and business performance until 2022, where a manifold increase in publications was recorded. An expanding focus on human, social and organizational behavior, economic systems, financial and social performance, leadership, stakeholder management and management science was identified, although there is a scarcity of studies around issues regarding developing countries, climate change, CSR disclosure and small businesses. These findings demonstrate the current state of the research and offer interesting insights and timely research directions as a roadmap for future studies.

Corporate Social Responsibility Disclosure Issues in Indonesia

The high number of work accidents in Indonesia indicates that companies have not paid attention to occupational safety and health. The purpose of the study is to impartially analyze the impact of Company Growth, Leverage, and Company Size on Occupational Safety and Health Disclosure. This is important because it directly improves the company's reputation and ensures long-term sustainability. The quantitative research used in this study relies on secondary data taken from the annual reports of mining and infrastructure companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) throughout the period 2019 to 2021. Purposive sampling was used as a sample technique, resulting in a total of 78 samples. Data processing uses descriptive statistics, panel data regression, and independent sample t test. This study uses 10 items of the Occupational Safety and Health Disclosure index obtained from the GRI index. The findings of this study provide factual evidence that company development, leverage, and company size have a positive impact on the dissemination of occupational health and safety information.

The role of environmental performance in mediating the relationship between green accounting and corporate social responsibility

The problems of pollution, global warming, and environmental damage are currently relevant and vital challenges for corporations, governments, and society. The implementation of green accounting is one of the responses of corporations to overcome sustainability issues. This study aims to examine the impact of green accounting on the level of environmental performance and the impact of environmental performance on corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosure. This study also tests the role of environmental performance as a mediating variable in the relationship between green accounting and CSR disclosure. The sample consists of 95 listed Indonesian firms during the period 2017–2021. The results show that the adoption of green accounting positively affects environmental performance (coefficient is 0.291 and p-value < 0.01). Meanwhile, environmental performance positively affects CSR disclosure with a coefficient of 0.296 and a p-value < 0.01. The empirical evidence also shows that environmental performance has a critical role as a mediating variable in the effect of green accounting on CSR disclosure.

The Effect of Mandatory CSR Disclosures on Corporate Tax Avoidance: Evidence from a Quasi-Natural Experiment

ABSTRACT We examine whether and how mandatory corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosures affect corporate tax avoidance. Using a CSR disclosure mandate in China that requires a subset of firms to disclose their CSR activities as an exogenous shock to CSR disclosures, our difference-in-differences analyses show that firms affected by the disclosure mandate engage in less tax avoidance relative to control firms. Additional analyses indicate that increased public scrutiny following the disclosure mandate is the likely channel through which mandatory CSR disclosures constrain tax avoidance. Cross-sectional analyses suggest that the effect of the disclosure mandate varies with institutional environments. Overall, our results indicate that the CSR disclosure mandate constrains corporate tax avoidance, which is consistent with mandatory CSR disclosures nudging firms toward more socially desirable behavior.

Firm Characteristics and Corporate Governance Mechanisms as Drivers of Corporate Social Responsibility Disclosure in Zimbabwe

This study extends the literature on the determinants of voluntary disclosure of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in a sample of 61 annual reports from the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange for the year ended 31 December 2020. The purpose of the study is to determine why firms voluntarily disclose CSR and whether corporate governance mechanisms have an impact on firms’ disclosure policy. An unweighted disclosure index consisting of 30 corporate social responsibility attributes was developed; using content analysis to determine the level of corporate social responsibility disclosure. The results show that corporate social responsibility disclosure is low, with the most corporate social responsibility information disclosed being community involvement disclosure (40%), followed by environmental disclosure (30%), products and consumer information disclosure (29%), and human resources disclosure (28%). In addition, using multiple regression analysis and after accounting for size, leverage, profitability and industry, the findings indicate that board independence and board of directors’ qualifications have a significant positive influence on corporate social responsibility disclosure whereas ownership concentration was found to be insignificant. With the exception of profitability, all other firm characteristics, leverage, firm size and industry sector were positive and significant in explaining the variation in corporate social responsibility disclosure. It appears that profitable firms are not motivated to increase corporate social responsibility disclosure. This may be consistent with the shareholder wealth maximization approach which renders corporate social responsibility disclosures as less important. Financial markets in Zimbabwe may not be sufficiently efficient in penalizing firms for incomplete corporate social responsibility disclosure and that regulators may need to mandate such disclosures if information asymmetry is to be reduced and market efficiency enhanced. 

The Relationship between Corporate Social Responsibility Disclosure and Firm Value: The Mediating Role of stock liquidity - Evidence from Egypt

The Relationship between Corporate Social Responsibility Disclosure and Firm Value: The Mediating Role of stock liquidity - Evidence from Egypt

State shareholding in privately-owned firms and greenwashing: Evidence from China

It remains unclear whether state shareholding (SS) truly enhances firms’ fulfillment of their corporate social responsibility (CSR) or merely motivates them to strategically release “enhanced” CSR reports. Utilizing the reform that permits SS to participate in privately–owned enterprises (POEs) in China, we find that the participation of SS enhances POEs’ access to resources and alleviates their needs for legitimacy, leading to disparities in CSR disclosure and substantive CSR activities for POEs, consistent with the notion of greenwashing. Additional tests show that greenwashing behavior is particularly pronounced in the presence of large state-owned shareholders and when CSR disclosure is compulsory.

Impact of CSR disclosure on profitability and firm performance of Malaysian halal food companies

The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosure on the profitability and firm performance of Halal food companies in Malaysia. Applying a quintitative method, the study utilised a dynamic GMM-based statistical technique for analysing the data from 75 public-listed Halal food companies in Malaysia from 2012 to 2021.The findings highlight a substantial relationship between CSR disclosure and profitability (ROA) as well as firm performance (TBQ) of Halal food companies in Malaysia. The result showed economic, environmental, and social CSR disclosures have a significant effects on ROA and TBQ in dynamic models. The outcome of the study implies that actively engaging in economic, environmental, and social CSR practices provides with a competitive advantage, contributes to long-term viability, and attracts socially conscious investors. It also emphasises the strategic importance of comprehensive CSR strategies for encouraging positive stakeholder relationships, managing diverse aspects of sustainability, and enhancing overall business success, including employee engagement and motivation.

Effect Of Good Corporate Governance (GCG), Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Disclosure, And Intellectual Capital On Tax Avoidance

Effect Of Good Corporate Governance (GCG), Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Disclosure, And Intellectual Capital On Tax Avoidance

Examining several factors that influence corporate social responsibility disclosure

This study aims to analyze the impact of Company Size, Profitability, and Foreign Ownership on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Disclosure in mining companies listed on the Stock Exchange. Specifically, it aims to determine whether these factors significantly influence CSR disclosure. This study utilizes secondary data from the financial statements of mining companies listed on the IDX. Multiple linear regression analysis assesses the relationship between Company Size, Profitability, Foreign Ownership, and CSR Disclosure. The analysis aims to establish these factors' individual and combined effects on CSR disclosure in the mining industry. This study's findings indicate that the company's size positively influences CSR disclosure. Larger companies tend to exhibit higher levels of CSR disclosure. Additionally, profitability positively and significantly impacts CSR disclosure, suggesting that more profitable mining companies tend to disclose more about their social responsibility initiatives. The results also demonstrate that the ownership of foreign shares owned by the company positively influences CSR disclosure. As the ownership of foreign shares increases, the level of CSR disclosure also increases. Furthermore, the study concludes that when considering Company Size, Profitability, and Foreign Ownership, they collectively positively and significantly affect corporate social responsibility. This study contributes to the existing literature by examining the impact of Company Size, Profitability, and Foreign Ownership on CSR Disclosure, specifically in the mining sector. The findings provide insights into the factors that affect the extent of CSR disclosure, which can help mining companies and stakeholders enhance their understanding and awareness of social responsibility practices within the industry.

Corporate governance and firm’s risk behavior: the moderating role of corporate social responsibility

PurposeThis study aims to examine the nexus of corporate governance with firms' financial risk-taking behavior under the corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosures in the context of non-financial listed firms of an emerging economy.Design/methodology/approachThis study investigates the relationship between corporate governance as evaluated by an index and several financial risks, including idiosyncratic, default and systematic risks. The connection of corporate governance with financial risks is also studied while considering the moderation of CSR disclosures. The data are collected from 2014 to 2018 of 73 top 100-index listed non-financial firms of Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX). Panel regression fixed effect and 2-step generalized method of moments techniques are applied to confirm the hypothesis along with the diagnostic tests to confirm that all outcomes of models must be authentic and reliable.FindingsThe study’s findings confirm that enhancing the overall corporate governance measures resulted in an augment in the firm’s risk due to weak control and regulations prevailing in emerging economies. Moreover, CSR disclosures enhance stakeholder information, lessen information asymmetry about management policies and mitigate the risk associated with operational uncertainties.Practical implicationsThis study has a practical implementation to policymakers that effective monitoring and controlling measures facilitate the corporate management for minimizing the financial risks. Further, the study’s findings shed light that implementing corporate governance measures is not enough to mitigate financial risks until supervisory measures in the form of CSR disclosures are not taken to analyse corporate governance effectiveness.Originality/valueThis paper enhances the key findings in the literature by examining the role of corporate governance measures with respect to firms’ financial risks considering the moderating role of CSR disclosures. Furthermore, this research adds to the body of knowledge regarding the implementation of monitoring measures that assist in the mitigation of firms’ financial risks hence firm value.

Exploring The Impact of Green Accounting and Corporate Social Responsibility Disclosure on Firm Value Through Profitability In Mining Companies In Indonesia

This study is dedicated to examining how the implementation of green accounting and the disclosure of corporate social responsibility impact the value of mining companies in Indonesia through profitability. Green accounting is a relatively novel area of research in Indonesia, particularly in the context of the mining sector. Given the ongoing governmental reforms in the mining industry, with the prohibition of raw material exports under Law Number 3 of 2020 amending Law Number 4 of 2009 on Mineral and Coal Mining, the study finds it intriguing to explore the implications of green accounting. The ban on nickel ore exports, as stipulated by the aforementioned legal amendments, sparked strong opposition from the European Union, leading to Indonesia being taken to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in early 2021. This policy aligns with the broader objective of downstreaming, which seeks to secure a domestic supply of raw materials for mineral processing and refining, thereby mitigating adverse environmental effects. To initiate the research, the first step involves gathering data on pertinent variables from the financial statements of mining companies listed on the Indonesian Stock Exchange (IDX). Subsequently, SPSS will be employed to conduct tests and assess the influence of green accounting and corporate social responsibility disclosure on firm value, with profitability acting as a mediating factor.