Legislative basis for corporate social responsibility reporting

Economic Annals-ХХI: Volume 139, Issue 3-4(1), Pages: 58-61

Citation information:
Šneidere, R., & Vīgante, I. (2014). Legislative basis for corporate social responsibility reporting. Economic Annals-XXI, 3-4(1), 58-61. https://ea21journal.world/index.php/ea-v139-15/


Ruta Šneidere
PhD (Economics),
Associate Professor,
University of Latvia
5 Aspazijas Blvd, Riga, LV-1050, Latvia
ruta.sneidere@lu.lv

Inese Vīgante
PhD Student,
University of Agriculture of Latvia
18 Svetes Str., Jelgava, LV-3001, Latvia
inese_vigante@inbox.lv

Legislative basis for corporate social responsibility reporting

Abstract. There is a growing tendency towards increasing the requirements of compulsory corporate social reporting. These requirements are increasingly reflected in EU and its member state legislation. Governments and stock exchanges require the companies to report the non-financial information of their business activities. The authors investigate the requirements for corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting as specified in EU member state legislative enactments and the development of CSR basic principles in Latvia. The authors give an overview of the first steps towards developing a sustainable CSR national strategy, starting with the national action plan, which consolidates the public and private initiatives already in place, with the aim to increase the general capacity for CSR development in Latvia. Simultaneously it is necessary to reinforce the legislative framework, requiring and motivating the companies to disclose their environmental and social information.

Keywords: Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR); CSR Reporting; Disclosure of Non-Financial Indicators; Disclosure of Environmental and Social Indicators

JEL Classification: M41; M48

References

  1. Legislation of Republic of Latvia (1992). Annual Accounts (Law of the Republic of Latvia).
    Retrieved from http://www.likumi.lv (in Latvian)
  2. CSR (2011). Corporate social responsibility, national public policies in the EU.
    Retrieved from http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?langId=en&catId=331&newsId=1012&furtherNews=yes
  3. European Parliament (2013). Directive 2013/34/EU.
    Retrieved from http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2013:182:0019:0076:EN:PDF
  4. European Commission (2011). Disclosure of non-financial information by Companies (Framework Contract for projects relating to Evaluation and Impact Assessment activities of Directorate General for Internal Market and Services).
    Retrieved from http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/accounting/
    docs/studies/2010_cses_4th_company_ law_directve_en.pdf
  5. Ernst&Young (2012). How France’s new sustainability reporting law impacts US companies.
    Retrieved from http://www.ey.com/Publication/vwLUAssets/
    Frances_sustainability_law_to_impact_US_companies/pdf
  6. European Commission (2013). A renewed EU strategy 2011-14 for corporate social responsibility (Communication from The Commission To The European Parliament, The Council, The European Economic and Social Committee and The Committee of The Regions).
    Retrieved from http://eurlex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=COM:2011:0681
  7. Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Latvia (2012). Extended Cooperation Programme Advantages.
    Retrieved from http://www.fm.gov.lv/lv/sadalas/nodoklu_politika/
    padzilinata_sadarbibas_programma/ (in Latvian)
  8. European Commission (1978). Treaty on the annual accounts of certain types of companies (78/660/EEC).
    Retrieved from http://eurlex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CONSLEG: 1978L0660:20070101:EN:PDF
  9. KPMG (2013). The KPMG survey of corporate responsibility reporting 2013.
    Retrieved from http://www.kpmg.com/global/en/issuesandinsights/
    articlespublications/corporate-responsibility/2013.aspx
  10. Ministry of Welfare of Republic of Latvia (2010). Memorandum on principles of corporate social responsibility.
    Retrieved from http://www.lm.gov.lv/text/2287 (in Latvian)
  11. Ministry of Welfare of Republic of Latvia (2014). CSR tasks for Latvia.
    Retrieved from http://www.lm.gov.lv/text/816 (in Latvian)
  12. Pavare, L., & Petersons, A. (2005). Corporate Social Responsibility: A New Way of Earning More. University Turiba, Latvia
  13. Petersons, A. (2008). Socially responsible organisation in the Baltics, Latvia’s experience.
    Retrieved from http://www.ebscohost.com (in Latvian)
  14. European Parliament (2013). Report on Corporate Social Responsibility: promoting society’s interests and a route to sustainable and inclusive recovery.
    Retrieved from http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&referenc=A7-2013-0023&language=EN
  15. Ulrich, P., & Sarasin C. (1995). Facing public interest. The ethical challenge to business policy and corporate communications. Issues in business ethics. Kluwer Academic Publishers. London
  16. Sina, I. (2011). Corporate Social Responsibility in Latvia: analysis of Latvian commercial bank websites evaluating the presentation of CSR.
    Retrieved from https://www.ebscohost.com (in Latvian)
  17. Vilsted, P. (2003, August). Room for governments within CSR-Public roles and considerations (NFF Conference).
    Retrieved from https://msc-technology.wikispaces.com/file/  

Received 17.02.2014