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Sustainability Risk Disclosure Practices of Listed Companies in Australia

Author

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  • John Dumay
  • MD Amir Hossain

Abstract

This paper investigates the extent to which the top 100 ASX listed companies disclosed economic, environmental and social sustainability risk factors during the 2014/15 financial year in light of the changes introducing Recommendation 7.4 to the third edition of the Corporate Governance Principles and Recommendations in 2014. While all companies complied with the Recommendation, questions of substance over form were raised because some companies had risks that were not disclosed according to Recommendation 7.4. Our conclusion outlines how this research contributes to the growing literature on sustainability and corporate governance. We add to the continuing debate on mandatory versus voluntary disclosures, advocating that Australia may need to introduce mandatory guidelines, beyond the ASX, to regulate the disclosure of material economic, environmental and social risks. Additionally, we conclude that Recommendation 7.4 is unlikely to substantially change Australian corporate reporting and disclosure practices – that, for most companies, it is ‘business as usual’. However, under business as usual, we can naturally expect to see further increases in sustainability and alternative reporting frameworks, such as integrated reporting, as well as increasing use of the Internet to report and disclose sustainability risks.

Suggested Citation

  • John Dumay & MD Amir Hossain, 2019. "Sustainability Risk Disclosure Practices of Listed Companies in Australia," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 29(2), pages 343-359, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:ausact:v:29:y:2019:i:2:p:343-359
    DOI: 10.1111/auar.12240
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    Cited by:

    1. Francesco De Luca & Andrea Cardoni & Ho-Tan-Phat Phan & Evgeniia Kiseleva, 2020. "Does Structural Capital Affect SDGs Risk-Related Disclosure Quality? An Empirical Investigation of Italian Large Listed Companies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-20, February.
    2. Weerathunga, P.R. & Xiaofang, Chen & Nurunnabi, Mohammad & Kulathunga, K.M.M.C.B. & Swarnapali, R.M.N.C., 2020. "Do the IFRS promote corporate social responsibility reporting? Evidence from IFRS convergence in India," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 40(C).
    3. Ilenia Ascani & Roberta Ciccola & Maria Serena Chiucchi, 2021. "A Structured Literature Review about the Role of Management Accountants in Sustainability Accounting and Reporting," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-25, February.
    4. Vitolla, Filippo & Raimo, Nicola & Campobasso, Francesco & Giakoumelou, Anastasia, 2023. "Risk disclosure in sustainability reports: Empirical evidence from the energy sector," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    5. Ozili, Peterson K, 2023. "Earnings management for sustainability: the surplus income model of sustainable development," MPRA Paper 118803, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Andrea Cardoni & Evgeniia Kiseleva & Simona Arduini & Simone Terzani, 2024. "From sustainable value to shareholder value: The impact of sustainable governance and anti‐corruption programs on market valuation," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(1), pages 19-42, January.
    7. Magdalena Zioło & Iwona Bąk & Anna Spoz, 2023. "Incorporating ESG Risk in Companies’ Business Models: State of Research and Energy Sector Case Studies," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(4), pages 1-25, February.
    8. Walaa Wahid ElKelish*, 2023. "Accounting for Corporate Human Rights: Literature Review and Future Insights," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 33(2), pages 203-226, June.
    9. Susanne Arvidsson & John Dumay, 2022. "Corporate ESG reporting quantity, quality and performance: Where to now for environmental policy and practice?," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(3), pages 1091-1110, March.
    10. Tom Deweerdt, 2022. "Why Is the Australian Health Sector So Far behind in Practising Climate-Related Disclosures?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-11, October.

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