IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/bstrat/v24y2015i3p190-216.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Enhancing the Credibility of Reporting on Corporate Social Responsibility in Europe

Author

Listed:
  • Ignace De Beelde
  • Sanne Tuybens

Abstract

This paper studies variables that have an effect on the choice of whether or not reports on corporate social responsibility are assured and who is selected to provide assurance. Such assurance reports increase the credibility of environmental and social reporting. In a European sample we observe some differences from previous research. Overall, industry effects seem small, but size and media visibility have a significant impact on assuring CSR reports. It seems that companies differentiate less between auditors and consultants. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment

Suggested Citation

  • Ignace De Beelde & Sanne Tuybens, 2015. "Enhancing the Credibility of Reporting on Corporate Social Responsibility in Europe," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(3), pages 190-216, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:bstrat:v:24:y:2015:i:3:p:190-216
    DOI: 10.1002/bse.1814
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.1814
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1002/bse.1814?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Reinhard Steurer & Andre Martinuzzi & Sharon Margula, 2012. "Public Policies on CSR in Europe: Themes, Instruments, and Regional Differences," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 19(4), pages 206-227, July.
    2. Theodore J. Mock & Christiane Strohm & Kevin M. Swartz, 2007. "An Examination of Worldwide Assured Sustainability Reporting," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 17(41), pages 67-77, March.
    3. Ans Kolk & Seb Walhain & Susanne van de Wateringen, 2001. "Environmental reporting by the Fortune Global 250: exploring the influence of nationality and sector," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 10(1), pages 15-28, January.
    4. Giacomo Manetti & Lucia Becatti, 2009. "Assurance Services for Sustainability Reports: Standards and Empirical Evidence," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 87(1), pages 289-298, April.
    5. La Porta, Rafael & Florencio Lopez-de-Silanes & Andrei Shleifer & Robert W. Vishny, 1997. "Legal Determinants of External Finance," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 52(3), pages 1131-1150, July.
    6. Ans Kolk & Paolo Perego, 2010. "Determinants of the adoption of sustainability assurance statements: an international investigation," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 19(3), pages 182-198, March.
    7. Matthias S. Fifka & Maria Drabble, 2012. "Focus and Standardization of Sustainability Reporting – A Comparative Study of the United Kingdom and Finland," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(7), pages 455-474, November.
    8. J. Emil Morhardt, 2010. "Corporate social responsibility and sustainability reporting on the Internet," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 19(7), pages 436-452, November.
    9. Julia Catharina Jensen & Nicola Berg, 2012. "Determinants of Traditional Sustainability Reporting Versus Integrated Reporting. An Institutionalist Approach," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(5), pages 299-316, July.
    10. Gary K Meek & Clare B Roberts & Sidney J Gray, 1995. "Factors Influencing Voluntary Annual Report Disclosures By U.S., U.K. and Continental European Multinational Corporations," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 26(3), pages 555-572, September.
    11. Torbjörn Tagesson & Veronica Blank & Pernilla Broberg & Sven‐Olof Collin, 2009. "What explains the extent and content of social and environmental disclosures on corporate websites: a study of social and environmental reporting in Swedish listed corporations," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 16(6), pages 352-364, November.
    12. Michael John Jones & Jill Frances Solomon, 2010. "Social and environmental report assurance: Some interview evidence," Accounting Forum, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 34(1), pages 20-31, March.
    13. Jones, Michael John & Solomon, Jill Frances, 2010. "Social and environmental report assurance: Some interview evidence," Accounting forum, Elsevier, vol. 34(1), pages 20-31.
    14. Amanda Ball & David L. Owen & Rob Gray, 2000. "External transparency or internal capture? The role of third‐party statements in adding value to corporate environmental reports1," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 9(1), pages 1-23, January.
    15. O'Dwyer, Brendan & Owen, David L., 2005. "Assurance statement practice in environmental, social and sustainability reporting: a critical evaluation," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 37(2), pages 205-229.
    16. Richard Welford & Clifford Chan & Michelle Man, 2008. "Priorities for corporate social responsibility: a survey of businesses and their stakeholders," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 15(1), pages 52-62, January.
    17. Jong†Hag Choi & T. J. Wong, 2007. "Auditors' Governance Functions and Legal Environments: An International Investigation," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 24(1), pages 13-46, March.
    18. Alexander Dahlsrud, 2008. "How corporate social responsibility is defined: an analysis of 37 definitions," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 15(1), pages 1-13, January.
    19. Craig Deegan & Barry J. Cooper & Marita Shelly, 2006. "An Investigation of TBL Report Assurance Statements: Australian Evidence," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 16(39), pages 2-18, July.
    20. Peter Dobers & Delyse Springett, 2010. "Corporate social responsibility: discourse, narratives and communication," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 17(2), pages 63-69, March.
    21. Robert Dixon & Gehan A. Mousa & Anne D. Woodhead, 2004. "The necessary characteristics of environmental auditors: a review of the contribution of the financial auditing profession," Accounting Forum, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 28(2), pages 119-138, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Kılıç, Merve & Kuzey, Cemil & Uyar, Ali, 2021. "An international investigation on assurance of integrated reports: Institutions, assurance quality, and assurers," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 42(C).
    2. Steven DeSimone & Giuseppe D’Onza & Gerrit Sarens, 2021. "Correlates of internal audit function involvement in sustainability audits," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 25(2), pages 561-591, June.
    3. Ans Kolk & Paolo Perego, 2010. "Determinants of the adoption of sustainability assurance statements: an international investigation," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 19(3), pages 182-198, March.
    4. Warren Maroun, 2020. "A Conceptual Model for Understanding Corporate Social Responsibility Assurance Practice," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 161(1), pages 187-209, January.
    5. Olivier Boiral & Iñaki Heras-Saizarbitoria & Marie-Christine Brotherton & Julie Bernard, 2019. "Ethical Issues in the Assurance of Sustainability Reports: Perspectives from Assurance Providers," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 159(4), pages 1111-1125, November.
    6. Dan Beare & Ruvena Buslovich & Cory Searcy, 2014. "Linkages between Corporate Sustainability Reporting and Public Policy," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 21(6), pages 336-350, November.
    7. Katrin Hummel & Christian Schlick & Matthias Fifka, 2019. "The Role of Sustainability Performance and Accounting Assurors in Sustainability Assurance Engagements," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 154(3), pages 733-757, February.
    8. Olivier Boiral & Iñaki Heras-Saizarbitoria & Marie-Christine Brotherton, 2019. "Assessing and Improving the Quality of Sustainability Reports: The Auditors’ Perspective," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 155(3), pages 703-721, March.
    9. Genevé Richard & Elza Odendaal, 2020. "Integrated reporting assurance practices—a study of South African firms," International Journal of Disclosure and Governance, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 17(4), pages 245-266, December.
    10. Diogenis Baboukardos & Musa Mangena & Abdullahi Ishola, 2021. "Integrated thinking and sustainability reporting assurance: International evidence," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(4), pages 1580-1597, May.
    11. Teresa Eugénio & Sónia Gomes & Manuel Castelo Branco & Ana Isabel Morais, 2022. "Non-Financial Reporting and Assurance: A New Opportunity for Auditors? Evidence from Portugal," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-15, October.
    12. Giacomo Manetti & Simone Toccafondi, 2012. "The Role of Stakeholders in Sustainability Reporting Assurance," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 107(3), pages 363-377, May.
    13. Mohammad Badrul Haider & Kimitaka Nishitani, 2020. "Views of corporate managers on assurance of sustainability reporting: evidence from Japan," International Journal of Disclosure and Governance, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 17(1), pages 1-19, March.
    14. Charika Channuntapipat, 2021. "Can sustainability report assurance be a collaborative process and practice beyond the ritual of verification?," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(2), pages 775-786, February.
    15. Carmelo Reverte, 2021. "Do investors value the voluntary assurance of sustainability information? Evidence from the Spanish stock market," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(5), pages 793-809, September.
    16. Paolo Perego & Ans Kolk, 2012. "Multinationals’ Accountability on Sustainability: The Evolution of Third-party Assurance of Sustainability Reports," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 110(2), pages 173-190, October.
    17. Belen Fernandez‐Feijoo & Silvia Romero & Silvia Ruiz, 2018. "Financial Auditor and Sustainability Reporting: Does it matter?," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 25(3), pages 209-224, May.
    18. Renzo Junior & Peter Best & Julie Cotter, 2014. "Sustainability Reporting and Assurance: A Historical Analysis on a World-Wide Phenomenon," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 120(1), pages 1-11, March.
    19. Lopin Kuo & Po-Wen Kuo & Chun-Chih Chen, 2021. "Mandatory CSR Disclosure, CSR Assurance, and the Cost of Debt Capital: Evidence from Taiwan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-19, February.
    20. Patrick Velte & Martin Stawinoga, 2017. "Empirical research on corporate social responsibility assurance (CSRA): A literature review," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 87(8), pages 1017-1066, November.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bla:bstrat:v:24:y:2015:i:3:p:190-216. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1099-0836 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.