Importance of social and sustainability reporting in ensuring transparency and disclosure

Economic Annals-ХХI: Volume 144, Issue 9-10(1), Pages: 61-64

Citation information:
Šneidere, R., & Vīgante, I. (2014). Importance of social and sustainability reporting in ensuring transparency and disclosure. Economic Annals-XXI, 9-10(1), 61-64. https://ea21journal.world/index.php/ea-v144-15/


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

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

Importance of social and sustainability reporting in ensuring transparency and disclosure

Abstract. Information availability and disclosure from companies allows not only providing the society with information, but it also gives the opportunity to address different socially negative phenomena which have become international problems, in economics, politics and social area. The authors of the paper investigate the importance of sustainability reporting and related issues of corruption. Our research shows that in Europe, more than four of ten companies consider that corruption obstructs entrepreneurship. Information availability and disclosure are those principles that allow avoiding corruptive situations and relations. Transparency is bound with the public informing and educating about corruption preventing. Application of social accounting principles should be encouraged based on the standards of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI).

Keywords: Disclosure; Sustainability; Transparency; Corruption; GRI

JEL Classification: M41; M48

References

  1. McMichael, P. (2012). Development and social change. A global perspective (sociology for a new century series). Los Angelos: SAGE Publications, Inc.
  2. Borghesi, S., & Vercelli, A. (2008). Global sustainability social and environmental conditions. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
  3. Gray, R., & Milne, J. (2013). Whither ecology? The triple bottom line, the global reporting initiative, and corporate sustainability reporting. Journal of Business Ethics, 118(1), 13-29.
  4. Ball, A., & Osborne, P. (2011). Social accounting and public management. Accountability for the common good. Routledge: Taylor & Francis Group.
  5. Ft. Com/lexicon (2014). Definition from Financial times lexicon.
    Retrieved from http://lexicon.ft.com/
  6. KPMG (2013). The KPMG survey of corporate responsibility reporting 2013.
    Retrieved from http://www.kpmg.com/global/en/
  7. GRI (2014). Sustainability reporting guidelines.
    Retrieved from https://www.globalreporting.org/resourcelibrary/GRIG4-Part1
  8. European Commission (2013). Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Directives 78/660/EEC and 83/349/EEC as regards disclosure of non-financial and diversity information by certain large companies and groups.
    Retrieved from http://eur-lex.europa.eu
  9. Starkey, R., & Welford, R. (2000). The Earths can Reader in Business and Sustainable Development. London.
  10. CSR (2011). Corporate social responsibility, national public policies in the EU.
    Retrieved from http://ec.europa.eu/
  11. Tyurina, A. (2005). The shadow economy in Latvia. Moscow: Scientific book (in Russ.).
  12. Pride, W. M., Hughes, R. J., & Kapoor, J. R. (2014). Business (12th edition).
    Retrieved from http://gocengage.com/
  13. European Commission (2014). EU anti-corruption Report (Report from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament).
    Retrieved from http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-affairs/ (in Latvian)
  14. Vilks, A., & Kipena, K. (2000). Corruption. Riga: Business Information Service (in Latvian).
  15. Pereira, L.C.B. (2010). Globalization and competition. Why some emerging countries succeed while others fall behind. Cambridge: University Press.
  16. Transparency International (2013). Corruption perceptions index.
    Retrieved from http://cpi.transparency.org/
  17. Latvenergo AS (2012). Sustainability and Annual Report of Latvenergo company.
    Retrieved from http://www.latvenergo.lv/ (in Latvian)

Received 22.07.2014