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Corporate ESG reporting quantity, quality and performance: Where to now for environmental policy and practice?

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  • Susanne Arvidsson
  • John Dumay

Abstract

Environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues are driving corporate strategy and performance. However, does this mean more ESG reporting is being done? If so, is the quality of ESG reports improving? And what about ESG performance? In this paper, we examine these three trends in ESG reporting—quantity, quality and corporate ESG performance. With a Swedish multinational corporate focus, we analyse data from Sustainalytics, corporateregister.com and the Alliance for Corporate Transparency to answer our research questions. Our analysis shows that, while the quality of ESG information in Sweden has steadily improved, performance plateaued around 2015. Mitigating problems such as the impacts of climate change and COVID‐19 call for improved ESG performance, not improved ESG reporting quantity or quality. Thus, rather than focusing on improving ESG reporting regulations, we need to redirect our focus towards creating better ESG outcomes. Therefore, we argue that companies must be asked to provide data that are more timely, relevant, credible and comparable and that demonstrate improved ESG performance. With this information, financial analysts and investors can redirect and accelerate capital flows towards corporate investments that help tackle important problems related to climate crises and the reaching of a sustainable development. Our analysis reveals that we need more research focusing on consumers, investors and policymakers. Future scholars could explore how changing consumer preferences are driving improvements in ESG performance and how changing capital market allocations affect ESG performance.

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  • 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.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:bstrat:v:31:y:2022:i:3:p:1091-1110
    DOI: 10.1002/bse.2937
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    4. Quick, Reiner & Münch, M. & Mayer, J. H., 2023. "Going Beyond Compliance Fulfillment: a Literature Review on ESG Performance Management," Publications of Darmstadt Technical University, Institute for Business Studies (BWL) 142481, Darmstadt Technical University, Department of Business Administration, Economics and Law, Institute for Business Studies (BWL).
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    7. Yujuan Wu & Jacquline Tham, 2023. "The Impact of Executive Green Incentives and Top Management Team Characteristics on Corporate Value in China: The Mediating Role of Environment, Social and Government Performance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-23, August.
    8. Wen-Hsien Tsai & Wei-Hong Lin, 2024. "Production Decision Model for the Cement Industry in Pursuit of Carbon Neutrality: Analysis of the Impact of Carbon Tax and Carbon Credit Costs," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(6), pages 1-22, March.
    9. Ateeq ur Rehman Irshad & Nabeel Safdar & Zahid Irshad Younas & Wajiha Manzoor, 2023. "Impact of Corporate Governance on Firms’ Environmental Performance: Case Study of Environmental Sustainability-Based Business Scenarios," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-12, May.
    10. Xin Wang & Xiayun Song & Mingyang Sun, 2023. "How Does a Company’s ESG Performance Affect the Issuance of an Audit Opinion? The Moderating Role of Auditor Experience," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-17, February.
    11. Mazen A. Al-Sinan & Abdulaziz A. Bubshait, 2022. "The Procurement Agenda for the Transition to a Circular Economy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-24, September.
    12. Maurizio Comoli & Patrizia Tettamanzi & Michael Murgolo, 2023. "Accounting for ‘ESG’ under Disruptions: A Systematic Literature Network Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-32, April.
    13. Shusen Zhu & Hui Sun & Beibei Zhang & Zedong Yang & Xuechao Xia, 2023. "Bilateral Effects of ESG Responsibility Fulfillment of Industrial Companies on Green Innovation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-20, June.
    14. Riccardo Savio & Edoardo D’Andrassi & Francesca Ventimiglia, 2023. "A Systematic Literature Review on ESG during the COVID-19 Pandemic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-17, January.
    15. Alan Kai Ming Au & Yi-Fan Yang & Huan Wang & Rui-Hong Chen & Leven J. Zheng, 2023. "Mapping the Landscape of ESG Strategies: A Bibliometric Review and Recommendations for Future Research," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(24), pages 1-26, December.
    16. Xin Su & Shengwen Wang & Feifei Li, 2023. "The Impact of Digital Transformation on ESG Performance Based on the Mediating Effect of Dynamic Capabilities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-22, September.
    17. Xiaofang Chen & Yilei Li & Yu Hu & Guangyu Yu, 2023. "The Impact of General Manager’s Responsible Leadership and Executive Compensation Incentive on Enterprise ESG Performance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-16, August.
    18. Paola Demartini & Claudia Pagliei, 2023. "Can we trust ESG Ratings? Some insights based on a bibliometric analysis of ESG data quality and rating reliability," MANAGEMENT CONTROL, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2023(2 Suppl.), pages 161-187.

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